Treehouse Madness!

If someone wants to trade some barrel-aged big stouts for some of (if not) the best fresh hoppy brews being made and available a day or two after canning and they're both happy...what is the issue?

 

If two people agree to a trade...then there's nothing to say or judge about it. Each side gets something they want.

 

Had Double Shot before (w/ Sumatra Mandheling coffee), but have you had Cigar City's Caffe Americano? I liked Double Shot, but LOVED Caffe Americano, which you can currently buy online @ luekensliquors.com for $14.99/bomber + shipping.

 

No. Here's why: The problem isn't Tree House or the traders asking the farm for a couple of beers. The problem is this "I must have it" sensation that many fail to control that compels them to even seek out certain beers and feel they must have them. I'm as guilty as you or the next person. I definitely got caught up in the ticking, need-it-must-have-it mentality. Took me a long while to realize that the hype and flavor-of-the-month makes zero sense when everywhere you look there's good beer.

Long story short, take a step back and ask why it frustrates you so much. You live in Cali. There's good fucking beer every 1/4 mile. Zero reason to be obsessing over these buzz beers.

 

Yes - you did!
I think I actually squealed like a little girl when I found it in the box...

 

From what I've heard Treehouse beers aren't even that special. You're right about the hype. Locals like to bump up ratings and brag about beers they get and others can't, simply so they can get rare beers in trade. I guarantee you a fresh shelf IPA from most smaller breweries is just as good or better than Treehouse. I can't tell you how many awesome IPAs I've had from local breweries here in San Diego and other parts of SoCal. Modern Times City of the Sun (shelf beer) is insanely good. Three Weavers Expatriate (just started bottling and distributing) is up there with Noble and Trillium. All can be found at bottle shops here.

Trillium is also pretty hyped but their lines aren't ridiculous like I hear TH is. Although, I traded a guy a BASS (rotational, BPT release) and a Pugachev's Cobra (also rotational but hits shelves) + extras for basically $4$ Trillium which is way more reasonable.

 

then simply don't trade for treehouse.. it's not rocket science. They trade high and that is that. no skin off your back if you don't want to pull trigger on trading for those particular "hype" beers

 

You're partially right about they hype, but i respectfully disagree. Treehouse is making IPAs that 99% of breweries can't hold a candle to IMO. Even other highly desired beers from new england like heady and SOS can't compete with some treehouse beers.

edit: i see you mentioned trillium in your edit. Trillium is part of the 1% haha.

 

I lived in FL during grad school a few years back and Maduro was my go-to sixer. Enjoy!

 

Heady isn't even that great IMO. Glad I've gotten the chance to try it, but there's a reason the hype has died down.

 

Its gotten to the point where im from mass and i just rather trade for the beer.. but its impossible because like the OP said people want BC rare for a couple of cans of julius. Like i get it you probably drove 3 hours round trip and waited in line for another 3 just to get 8 cans of beer but that doesnt make it worth 60$..

 

Disagreed. Respectfully, of course. Taste is SUBJECTIVE. I'd still take a fresh Pliny, Heady, Dreadnaught, Alpine Bad Boy over Julius ALL DAY LONG. But I'm an old 420 head, so when Simcoe is done right, that's my jam. If I wanted to drink juice, I'd buy juice. Although Julius is DAMN GOOD!! Would never kick it out of bed.

IMHO it's up there with the heavy hitters, but no where near "above and beyond" better than the rest.

 

Can't you both be right? Can't Julius still be better than 99% of IPAs out there but maybe not the four you mentioned?

 

To answer OP's question, the insanity started when ebay didn't disallow the auctioning of beer on its site, and folks started to see dollar signs. It turned a hobby that was greatly about generosity to share our beer, and excitement to try beer out of our own distro, into the beer equivalent of the commodities market. Many of us railed against ebay back in the day, and many folks argued that auctioning beer like that is fine. Maybe it is fine, but it definitely ruined trading as the fun hobby it once was. I do BIF's now, and a few boxes here and there, but it has gotten nuts for sure, and I have little interest now.

 

Thats a good point, it is also worth considering that the huge influx of treehouse beer has possibly changed the palate or prefernece to us new england hop heads, i think my opinion of alot of IPAs has changed since i started drinking treehouse. I would still prefer julius (i like green more!) over fresh dreadnaught, heady, pliny, never had bad boy, but OG alpine nelson would be right up there with julius. I haven't had it in awhile, so it would be interesting to try it again and test my theory.