Tree House (2024)

Nate’s subtle dig at the Streets series.

“I just created my own…”

 

I’m curious about the brew house in Woodstock. Anyone know what they’re working with over there? Tank size, etc? The farm is a bit of an Anomaly. The fact that they brew and package their own beer. I’m growing more and more intrigued.

 

They haven’t said much about it publicly. Last I knew, all of the Woodstock beer—in the form of wort—was brewed in Charlton and sent to Woodstock where it is fermented. This might have changed. Maybe they now have an entire brewhouse in Woodstock instead of just fermenters. If I ever a visit, I will ask and report back. Maybe someone with knowledge can post and let us know. Better yet, maybe Mr. Lanier can make another one of his videos detailing the process.

 

I visited the Woodstock "facility" last week. Beautiful setting. They do brew their own beers there using a 30bbl system (so I was told) located in a separate building/barn from the taphouse/barn. I was told they cannot bring in beers from other locations unless they setup a distribution company, and they did not want to do that. All the beers we tried were very good and we bought some 4 packs to go as well. The tapmaster was playing his own 70's mix which was spot on!

 

I tried to see into that barn as best I could but it's pretty dark in there. I did see a bunch of what looked more like 7 barrel fermenters and bright tanks. There were also a bunch cans. I didn't see a mash tun

 

You, Brewer, can’t bring in your own Beer, you own, into your brewery and property, you the brewer, own. Because you need to set up distribution or let someone else control it.

Fuck off with that.

I would love for someone to tell us why, this is necessary. Not that it’s a rule, but why it needs to be a rule. Oh right, there is no good reason.

 

While the rule/law is dumb, I think it kind of worked out to be something cool. It’s like a treehouse pilot brewery. I know they’re doing more cores now vs new or experimental beers, but the “small batch” thing definitely has appeal. Also since it’s located pretty close to charlton it’s cool to have a different experience. You think Nate would just let me pitch a tent on the grounds of the farm?

 

I wonder if that's due to CT liquor laws, which from what I can tell are generally relics of prohibition or cash grabs. All of this begs the question as to how it will work for TH in Saratoga Springs.

 

The whole legally-mandate three tier system needs to go. Distributors that offer a useful service (and many do) will survive and will have to improve to compete. Those that don't, won't, and that's a net win.

 

Agree 100%. It’s no longer just moving beer around from supplier to store or bar. It’s freshness, brand awareness, changing styles, priorities, etc. Distributors worked well when people really didn’t care all that much about the actual beer. I understand moving millions of cans of bud. But it’s much more than that or even what it was in 1995.

 

Color me ignorant but what’s stopping treehouse from making a treehouse distribution LLC and just distributing their own beer accords their locations. I mean they already do that anyway in Massachusetts right? To get cans from
Charlton to Deerfield and tewks. I wonder how crossing state lines into NY once Saratoga is open will be. I feel like they already have everything in place to have a “distribution company” it’s just paperwork at this point.

 

I love living in MA, but some our laws specifically around liquor are straight puritanical bullshit. 20 years ago you couldn't even purchase alcohol if it was Sunday, happy hour is banned, and liquor licenses in Boston are as valuable as real estate, allowing mostly only businesses with crazy amounts of capital to buy in. For instance, there was an awesome restaurant by me, chef owned and operated, who closed his restaurant and sold his license. It went to a soulless chain in the Seaport, and now we have one less independent restaurant and bar in my neighborhood. Even if someone wanted to open a new business here they'd need 500k alone just to cover the liquor license, IF there was one available.



And the worst part is, the restaurant that closed (this was like 6-7 years ago now) used to sell Heady Topper, if you asked politely.

 

Boston just approved 225 net new licenses.

 

Was there on Saturday it was the busiest I had seen it. Good weather + word getting out seems to have an effect.

As for NA options, I believe they only had seltzers.

 

You guys sold me on Peacharine. Drinking Eureka w/ Peacharine right now



Definitely on par with the Galaxy version, at the very least. Might be my favorite Eureka. So good but drinkable as fuck.

 

$1k will get a liquor license in Maine. There is no limit on how many the state approves either. The entry into the market can be quite cheap, minus the rent depending on the location.

 

Maybe a nitpick, but the major issue in Boston is, Boston CAN'T approve new liquor licenses. The state has control over that. Every other city and town can, but not Boston.

 

Have an entire case of cans with no dates at the bottom. 8 Julius, 4 Jjj Machine, 4 Bear, 4 Dddaze, 4 10th Anniversary VG.

Not a huge deal as I always check that Tree House spreadsheet before making the 2 hour treck, and I know it's fresh anyway, but still. 4 of the Julius cans have nothing, 4 say Celebrate Patrick Weber. Is that 2 different batches? Weird. First world problems.

 

I have a good friend who is a liquor salesman for a distributor in CT. He tells me Mass is locked up by one distributor and so Tree house probably could not become a distributor if they wanted to. The Mass - CT liquor situation is like the Hatfields and the McCoys...

 

When did you buy them? A friend brought me VG 10th, Jjjuiceee Machine, and Emperor Julius that he picked up over this past weekend and all but 1 can are dated.