Tree House (2025)

Stopped by Charlton today, had a pour of Ghosts. I missed the bottle release, great beer.

grabbed the db barleywine, haze machine and green machine to go.

 

I remember the 2pp (and even maybe even 1pp at times I think) was in place to keep the crowds moving. Before that upper parking lot, and second bar, it was an absolute nightmare on weekends and it was to dissuade people from spending hours there

 

My picture from the 12/29/17 line, note that it still has to go around to the right hahahah. Froze my feet that day.

 

2016, god knows how long that line was in total. But I know it was well over and hour.

 

August 2017. I was there on opening day at Charlton too, but I can't find my picture. I think I was at the third light pole that day.

 

Here’s my daughter and I in said 2017 Turkey day shit show line

And the chaos…

 

And leaving watching cases rip



Then the accident we were stuck in at the entrance

 

I have to say part of me misses those Monson days, talking beer with the people around you in line. It was like a pilgrimage. I think the amount of effort that went into getting the beer back then made it taste better, because you felt like you earned it. Side Note: I had to take a look to see if I was in the Monson picture haha.

 

Worst for me was the first Juice Machine release in Charlton 2018. The line went all the way around and was going down the hill to the lower lot. Waited almost 2 hours for 4 cans (Wife muled. Bless her heart). King Julius 2 weeks prior was close to that, but it was raining, ugh

 

I went to Monson in December one time, got there about 45 minutes before they opened with a friend who'd never been. Bought our full allotment, and then when they finished cashing me out they announced they'd be doing pours. Stayed right there at the register and bought my pour of Doppelgänger. Delicious.

 

I had a flashback to waiting in monson for a very green release, and by the time I got to the front growlers were all gone, most cans were, and I got like, 2 VG and 6 green, and that was it. Between driving from boston to waiting, it must have been 4 hours total. How the fuck did I find time?


But green was also the greatest tasting beer of all time back then. I miss those galaxy hops

 

Sometime in the last weeks of Monson, me and my brother were there for some Bright. I forget what the announced limits were, but when we got to the front of the line, it was a case limit pp. That was an "omg, it's starting!!" moment.

 

Falling asleep on the couch for an hour and waiting longer after, inside the small tap room in (I think) Brimfield, was an all time low TH moment. I was waiting for 3 growlers and questioning what I was doing. At least when we waited in line for the Kate releases it was to have draft and some food if you wanted. Those TH lines were a whole new thing.

 

I’ve waited once in my life for a beer release at a brewery. We were bored in Maine the day of a wedding and had time to kill. Went to Portland for a Swish release then went to Old Port to crush some food and beer. I think we waited maybe an hour or so in some light April rain.

 

I got in a line at Bissell on a non-Swish day and it was still nuts. I think the big beer that day was Reciprocal. It was the same day where I went to MBC earlier and got a case of Dinner.

Memories of 2017...

 

I hate that I used to do this.

I think the worst was when I made a planned trip to Monson and right before I got there they dropped KJJ and it was an absolute shitshow. Parked in the far dirt lot down the road and people were literally running past me and others to get in line. Lots of people had to move their cars because they were just parking wherever they wanted.

What we did for beer...

 

I did a Dinner thing around 2015 or 2016. What I realize, in hindsight, is that my stupid ass got up at 1 am to drive there and sit in the freezing cold for 5 hours and I bought 4 bottles...I wondered why the guy cashing me out was looking at me funny. But hey, I was on a budget!

Then went to the Swish release at Bissell, Foundation was releasing Epiphany (back when it was actually a good beer. Don't get me started on that). Crazy day. Oh and Tributary released Mott.

 

Who’s still hanging on to all their growlers from those days? Haha!

 

"Don’t worry!" or whatever it said

 

I’m so looking forward to the opening of the Saratoga Springs tap room. It will only be 2 hours instead of 4 to get some fresh treehouse. I know I can pick up cans now.