Tree House (2025)

I need a keg of Magic Trail in my fridge. Holy crap.

 

Went to a show at Treehouse in Deerfield last night. I was apprehensive about seeing a show there, but they fucking killed it. In classic Treehouse fashion the whole system is rather unconventional, but it worked. The band I saw has somewhat of a reputation to say the least (think Phish) and security at many places comes prepared for that. But everything was super relaxed, no metal detectors, no pat downs, the crew was super friendly...it was a strange feeling actually feeling welcomed at a music venue as opposed to a nuisance, or if you've ever been to Gillette, like you're boarding an international flight.

Drinking TH on draft was pretty cool too.

 

It's funny that they released this beer with this name when the original name of Trail was 'Trail Magic'. Never understood why they dropped the Magic from the name

 

I think because it worked better to start adding hop variants to it. Trail Nelson vs Trail Magic Nelson, etc.

 

Might actually go back for a second 4 pack of magic trail this weekend if it’s not sold out yet, quickest I’ve gone through a specific 4 pack in a bit

 

Going to my first show there next Wednesday. Glad to hear it was a good experience. Parking and a shuttle sounded like the only challenge especially for leaving. Looking forward to a few quality drafts at a show for once.

 

Well who did you see? Why be coy about it?

 

Patient Wanderer is not that complex but super crushable.

 

We walked from yankee candle which was barely a mile, but a little butt clenching. would NOT do it at night. they had tons of shuttles and we got back to our car quick.

I didn't quite realize how it all worked when we got there, but they actually shut the whole place down at 3 or something, and dont reopen until 5. and at that point you can only get inside if you have a ticket. we were planning to go early to have some extra drinks and our inefficiency paid off because we'd have ended up starting at candles for an hour while we waited for the brewery to open

I wasn't intentionally being coy they're called the disco biscuits which most normal people have never heard of, whereas most people would understand what type of crowd phish brings.

unfortunately, there seemed to be no nitrous tanks available in the yankee candle lot

 

I know the Disco Biscuits. Sirius XM Jam On plays them all the time. Very well known to jam band crowd. Plenty of us on BA.

 

Sounds like a good time. We’ve thought about doing it as well.

The opposite might have been going to see a punk or hardcore band at the Rat in Kenmore square. Wondering if the coked out BU roid raging bouncers might try to beat the shit out of you in the alley after tossing you, for many times no reason.

Gillette just sounds like a process for a lot of shitty seats. Years ago, I worked security for Oz Fest at Great Woods. Interacted with some of the worst humans I’ve ever met. Had someone threaten to kill me, stab me up and spit on me. Met Zach Wild, who seemed like a nice guy as we ushered in Korn for some fan signing and a bunch of degenerates acted irrational. Sharon said hello but was sick at the time. The dude directing us told me I needed to go stop some guys walking by us from going up to the stage. I looked at him like are you shitting me? And was like sure I’ll pretend to go up and check out the Black Sabbath set(or whatever band it was with Ozzy) for a minute. It was around 8 Hells Angels and having been around them and some Outlaws at hardcore shows I knew to keep my fuxking distance, and let them enjoy. They weren’t bothering anyone so why should we. Boss guy ran down and grabbed me laughing and said I never thought you’d actually walk down towards the main stage and laughed. None of that show was my kind of music. Helped people overheating, throwing up, overdosing, fights, drugs. Literally worst concert experience of my life. Especially being on the sober side of it and having to tell folms(politely) what to do. Or to leave the venue when it had already been over a good 35 minutes.

 

No one, not a single brewery on the planet, can match the ridiculous mouthfeel of Tree House hoppy beers. I don't know if the yeast plays a part in that because it's so unique, but it's always like drinking a fuckin cloud.

That's just one aspect, and honestly not a very important one in the overall scheme of things but it’s gonna leave a lasting impression.

 

It’s rare to find anything like them on the shelves. I’ll give credit to a few that have had some (not all) definite contenders:
-Other Half: once in a while you pick up a shelfie from them and it blows your mind
-New Park (CT): not sure how much distro they get out of CT, but I just picked up their Cloudscape from a liquor store and it can go toe-to-toe with 75-80% of all TH offerings imo

Usually you get a somewhat watered down version of what TH does and it’s no surprise we’re seeing a decline in the style. A lot of what you can pick up at a store tends to taste the same

 

I am Philly native who was a teenager in the 90’s so I know, even if they really aren’t my thing. Glad to hear it was a chill experience.

 

Agree,

But I do think Other Half is close and almost there.

Some of the original Monkish beers I had in LA were magic as well.

At some point I want to try and trade someone for some Troon. Visually it looks like it could be there, and the few I’ve talked to it’s something great

 

Troon is very good but it’s always hopped to the gills, in your face type DIPAs. Not a lot of versatility. Fidens is better than Troon IMO.

 

That’s an amazing story, and prolly what you’d expect being security at Ozfest, what the hell did you expect, lol!

 

I'm a relatively new convert to the church of TH, only first tried them a few years ago, but I completely agree they're doing something that I've rarely tasted elsewhere, and it's magic, and I've been low-key obsessed with chasing that same kind of mouthfeel ever since.

In some ways, it feels like they've "solved" the Hazy IPA, there's not going to be a significant improvement on the style ever made and they're just doing slightly better and slightly worse versions of their own perfect creation at this point. But I'd settle for a few breweries closer to me that even started to approach the quality of the lower end of the TH hoppy beers.