With the exception of those of you who live in the direct vicinity of Massachusetts, and/or those of you who have a propensity to travel long distances for beer, the chances of you getting to experience Tree House Brewing anytime soon is slim.
And that’s a bloody shame. Because, frankly, Tree House’s beers will bring a tear to your eye.
So, why am I writing this post, you may ask? To tease you? To taunt you? No. I am writing it because it’s #IPAday, and I feel like I have a duty to write about the best new IPA in America: Tree House Brewing’s Julius.
When I say “new,” I am referring to the fact that Tree House is just a little over a year old. Of course, it took me until a few weeks ago to get out to their beautiful brewery site in Western Mass, which I would argue is about a year later than I should have gone. But, too my credit, the “brewery” is about an hour and a quarter drive from Boston. That qualifies as a trek for beer.
And speaking of beer… let me just say this: everything that this small, upstart brewery produces is outstanding. Eureka is a 3.9% American Blonde Ale that may just be one of the best session beers I’ve had in the last year. But, seeing that the theme of the day is IPA, let me get to the point… Julius. Pop open a fresh Julius and what you will find is a massively ripe burst of fresh hops, juicy citrus, pamelo, mango and grapefruit. The palate is just as fresh and juicy as the nose, a little malty resin and bitter rind on the finish, perfectly balanced, earthy, spicy, crisp, and so damn drinkable! Oh, yea, and it’s only 6.5% ABV which is right where I like my IPAs.
The thing about this beer is that it isn’t the biggest, it isn’t the hoppiest (though it is quite hoppy), it doesn’t have any crazy ingredients… What it does have, though, is complete precision when it comes to balance, flavor and aroma. The brewers at Tree House have adjusted all of the levels just right. It’s so fresh, so burstingly plump and delicious, so exquisitely hopped. I don’t know what else to say, this is just one hell of an IPA – perhaps one of the best I’ve ever had. 97 Points.
If you do decide to take a ride out to Brimfield, MA to visit Tree House, check their current tap list. This is a very small production facility, and as you could imagine, they’ve already created quite a buzz in the local area. So, if you’re looking for something specific (i.e. Julius), scope it out ahead of time. Although, like I hinted at, there’s a whole lot more to Tree House than one IPA.
Want to learn more about Tree House? Check out this article in Dig Boston from earlier this year.
Cheers for now. And, hey, happy #IPAday.