Tree House I Have Promises To Keep

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 7.9%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.46/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.42/5
- RateBeer: N/A

BREWER'S DESCRIPTION
"In 2014, I brewed an American Pale Ale - Beneficiaries of Chance - to celebrate marrying the love of my life, Lauren. Over the years time it has become a perpetual tradition to honor our bond with a new, celebratory beer to mark the occasion. For our fourth anniversary, I am pleased to offer a new Double IPA, I Have Promises To Keep! It is brewed with copious doses of Nelson and Citra in both the kettle and the dry hop. It tastes and smells strongly of citrus, sweet sauvignon blanc grapes, and gooseberries. It is loaded with flavor and yet maintains an easy drinking, mouth watering appeal. As the years pass by, and bonds grow deeper, it’s vital to reflect upon, and give thanks for, the special people in your life. I sincerely hope that this beer may serve as a vehicle to do so."

APPEARANCE
Pours out the typical golden yellow/brilliant orange with that familiar murky body and two fingers of solid, white head.

AROMA
I love that distinct Tree House yeast smell. This is a grapefruit and orange sherbet nuke for sure as this reeks (in a good way) of fresh-squeezed juice and some white whine. Juicy Fruit gum and orange sherbet are fantastic additions to the aroma and again, that yeasty smell is great. Not much in the way of bitterness, but the smell is so pleasant, I can forgive it for not being balanced.

TASTE
The taste retains a lot of the juicy goodness from the aroma, but has the addition of the bitter bite that was missing from the nose. Orange juice is a big flavor throughout and is accented on both the front and back by the aforementioned sherbet and grapefruit. The back end contains even more of that bitter hop flavor and it is what remains in the aftertaste. A Juicy ride with bitter bookends.

MOUTHFEEL
The body is full and creamy, buy maybe not as creamy as you'd expect. It's never watered-down at any point, but it should still feel fluffier. ABV is non-existent and it drinks easy.

OVERALL
I Have Promises To Keep Delivered on the Citra and Nelson in big ways, but a lighter-than-expected body keeps it from reaching elite levels. Still, this is another stellar IPA from a brewery with an entire catalogue of world class offerings. This one fits right in with the family and could be a welcome addition to their rotation.

Rating
8.9/10

Widowmaker Boubron Barrel Aged ComRAD

The Stats
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 11.6%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.31/5
- Beer Advocate: N/A
- RateBeer: N/A

BREWER'S DESCRIPTION
"As we culminate our first year at our brewery, we offer you this warm, big, textured Russian Imperial Stout aged in Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels. A play on our Donut Shop utilizing additional hops, Belgian Candi syrup, lactose and of course coffee, we could not be more pleased with the results! Cold Brewed by Widowmaker Brewing, using roasted beans from Red Eye Coffee Roasters: 3 Otis Street in Hingham MA"

APPEARANCE
Pours pitch black with just the slightest ruby red on the edges with less than a finger of almond-colored head.

AROMA
The aroma is dominated by sweet, sticky bourbon. It is almost sugary sweet with maybe notes of caramel and toffee. A bitter, dark coffee smell is also just as big, but then there's also big cherry and dark chocolate. Additionally, I'm picking up a small bit of tobacco and some boozyness is definitely present.

TASTE
Not surprisingly, the bourbon is first and foremost and it is followed by that caramel and sugary sweetness from the aroma. I get almost a molasses and tree sap flavor from this with a small influence from the wood from the barrel. As it warms, fluffy milk chocolate emerges for some relief from the darker, more bitter flavors, but it still keeps in line with the overall confectionery theme this one has going on. If you can get past the sweeter moments, you'll find some smoke and char from the barrel and maybe even a little black licorice or anise. I must say that this doesn't have a burning, alcohol taste, but it is considerably boozy and that often is the exclamation point on each sip.

MOUTHFEEL
The body is thick enough to be called an Imperial Stout, but I can't help but feel it should be much more thicker and viscous for an 11.6 % BA beer. Still, it meets the requirements. As I said before, booze is noticeable, but it doesn't do enough damage to ruin the beer. It's a sipper for sure, and would come in handy as these nights in New England start to get colder.

OVERALL
BA ComRAD is a flawed, but satisfying Imperial Stout. It hits all the items on the checklist of what you are looking for in a bourbon barrel aged beer, but I personally feel the booze was a bit too prominent. It's not without its imperfections, but as a big, warming beer with good barrel character, it's mighty fine in my book.

Rating
7.9/10

Peak Organic Coconut Lime Kolsch

The Stats
Style: Kolsch
ABV: 4.7%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 3.38/5
- Beer Advocate: 3.68/5
- RateBeer: 3.04/5

Commercial Description
"Bringing a wave of tropical notes and a touch of citrus, this beer is beautifully designed. A crisp, bready, German-Style Kolsch serves as the foundation for this beer. Then we add a splash of organic coconut and organic lime. This Kolsch is very complex, but remarkably refreshing. It’s like we put the beach in a can. We hope you enjoy!"

Appearance
Straw yellow color with a transparent body and lots of carbonation bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass. It poured to a finger of white head.

Aroma
The lime is unquestionably the most prominent and has a puckering, zesty kick. There's a small toasted note, which I attribute to the coconut, but Kolsch characteristics are hard to find as they are masked by the title ingredients, but a subtle herbal quality is noticeable if I try hard enough.

Taste
The lime is still here, but definitely muted when compared to the aroma. The coconut actually came through big, which was a nice surprise. It has a sweeter quality to balance out the lime zest. The base beer itself doesn't lend much flavor as it has more of a generic, wheat, corn, or grain taste. I get a very tiny bit of a spicy hop note, but it fades away quickly. If it wasn't for the coconut and lime, it would taste like a subpar Kolsch.

Mouthfeel
Still, thanks to the lime, this managed to be a refreshing experience. The light feel and carbonation also helped make for a crisp body and it was easy to drink.

Overall
As I said before, the added coconut and lime steal the show and help elevate an okay Kolsch into something with a semblance of flavor. It's an Americanized version of the style, but it turned into something enjoyable.

Rating
7.1/10

Greater Good Pulp Daddy

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.18/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.14/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"PULP DADDY is an 8% ABV IPA created as an extension of the popular PULP (Pauls Ultimate Lupulin Protocol) brand; like PULP, this “juice forward” IPA has a predominant citrusy aroma and tastes like nectar of the hop gods!  We made one modification to the base process for PULP with a single objective in mind:  dial up the haze. Objective accomplished.  PULP DADDY is easy-drinking and refreshing with perfect nebulosity and mouthfeel."

Pours out a glowing orange with hazy body and a finger of white head.

Sweet tangerine is first on the aroma. It has that thick, syrupy presence you get with a lot of big DIPAs, but it isn't too much that it becomes a turn off. Deep down are clean orange zest and grapefruit peel.

If you read my review of GG's Pulp (of course you did), I was pretty harsh on it for being a big, syrupy concoction. Pulp Daddy on the other hand has brought in a lot more juice befitting of the "New England IPA" style.

Fresh oranges burst forth out of the glass and onto my tongue and then there's a THUD of pine coming in like someone dropping an anvil on your head. It's impressive how the flavors changed on a dime. Going back to the sweeter notes from the aroma, I get more tangerines and then there's that creamy orange sherbet flavor that is a hallmark of this style. It has small moments of bitterness, but that isn't the overall goal here. While leveling up the juice with this version, this still lets you know it is a hefty DIPA that shouldn't be trifled with.

Mouthfeel is lighter than standard Pulp, but it does manage to retain some of the thicker and more syrupy feels from the base beer. Still, it drink much easier thanks to a lighter body. While it feels big, the alcohol is never a concern.

Pulp Daddy managed to stay a big, resinous Doule IPA while also morphing into a juice-forward New England IPA. Greater Good Brewing sure does do a great job of making big beers easy to drink and this is one of their best.

Rating
8.8/10

VERSUS: Tree House Green vs Trillium DDH Congress Street

The Stats
Tree House Green
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7.5%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.49/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.59/5 (Top 250: #38)
- RateBeer: 4.07/5
Trillium DDH Congress Street
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7.2%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.53/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.6/5 (Top 250: #40)
- RateBeer: 4.09/5

This is a battle of Galaxy IPA's. I have previously reviewed both the Tree House Green and the Trillium DDH Congress Street. Since I have been fortunate enough to have both of these beers cross my path at the same time, I would be a fool to pass up the opportunity to have these beers have an all-out battle to the death. 

BREWER'S DESCRIPTION

Tree House Green

"Our cross-continental IPA! Made with Australian and American hops, this tropical heavy IPA opens up in the glass with notes of hugely flavorful notes of lemon-lime, pineapple, orange sorbet, and tangerine. It has a soft but pointed bitterness and a rich, velvety mouth feel. Intensely kettle and dry hopped yet balanced and flavorful, Green is a beloved crew  favorite here at Tree House!"

Trillium DDH Congress Street

"This amplified version of our flagship American IPA, Congress Street, is a focused exhibition of the Australian Galaxy Hop."

APPEARANCE

Tree House Green

A hazy body with light orange color and almost two fingers of bright, white head that retained beautifully and left tons of lacing on the glass.

Trillium DDH Congress Street

A sunset orange color complete with a body that is a bit more murky and opaque. No light getting through this (on an IPA!). The pour produced a finger and a half of white head that leaves no lacing.

AROMA

Tree House Green

A clean hop dankness with Juicy Fruit gum and a sprinkling of pine and grapefruit. Some orange rind and a biscuity malt presence round it out nicely.

Trillium DDH Congress Street

Much more aggressive with the hop bitterness. It has the same grapefruit aroma, but much more acidic. Hints of creamy orange sherbet add some sweeter notes. Some potent dank hops too.

TASTE

Tree House Green

That bubblegum and Juicy Fruit from the aroma starts things off on the taste. Subtle hop bitterness starts to shine, but the more I sip on this, this has a creamy sorbet flavor and tons of pineapple. There's maybe even some tangerine and clementine as well. The back end actually pops with more bitterness and dank flavors.

Trillium DDH Congress Street

Like the aroma, this has a much more aggressive approach to the hop bitterness, but that's a good thing. Acidity is the name of the game once again as tart grapefruit and citrus tend to dominate. Once more, this is not being said in the negative. More of that creamy sherbet adds a dessert-like feel with faded moments of pine and spruce to boot. The lingering effect is dank bitterness and it is quite appetizing.

MOUTHFEEL

Tree House Green

Despite the creamy taste, the body is lighter than the taste would lead you to believe. There's some lingering astringency with each sip, but a good bitter aftertaste is welcome anytime.I'd say this has a lighter feel than others in the same 7.5% abv range, but it gets the job done.

Trillium DDH Congress Street

The body is full and creamy and leaves a delectable combo of dank hops and orange sherbet. The abv is well-hidden, and despite having a strong bitter bite, the drinkability is sky-high for me.

OVERALL

When comparing these two Galaxy-saturated IPA's, it is a tale of two cities.

If you want a lighter feel that still has solid dank flavors, and a ton of tropical fruits, you go for the Tree House Green. Green is (again) lighter in body, but packs in a lot of flavor with a smooth feel and easy drinkability.

Trillium DDH Congress St manages to smack you in the face and kick you in the balls with a ton of dank bitterness, but still manages to be just as drinker friendly as the TH Green.

It's a battle of delicious Galaxy IPA's, but since DDH Congress had more complexity with the same drinkability as Green, I am giving the nod to DDH Congress Street.

RATINGS

Tree House Green
8.8/10

Trillium DDH Congress Street
9.0/10

Trillium Peanut Butter PM Dawn

The Stats
Style: American Stout
ABV: 10.1%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.39/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.49/5
- RateBeer: 3.54/5

"What started as a special treatment to celebrate our 5th Anniversary, is now a small scale batch! We started with the base recipe for PM Dawn American Stout, then slightly dialed back the ratio of cold brew Italian Roast from Barrington to allow the heavy dose of Peanut Butter to find it's perfect place in the flavor profile and balance the beer."


Poured out pitch black in all aspects and produced a towering two fingers of frothy, mocha-colored head.

The aroma is a liquid peanut butter cup, but with a big, bitter dark chocolate influence. There's plenty of black coffee too as well as coffee grounds and roasted malts, but hot damn, this is a peanut butter overload. They did not skimp on the PB here.

Much like the aroma, I am getting a lot of bitterness. It's not the coffee, but it is that dark chocolate flavor with help from the roasted malts. The coffee itself, once again, has a strong influence, but this is really all about the peanut butter. My experience with peanut butter stouts is limited, but even I can tell this was legit made with an ungodly amount of PB. I compare it more to a chocolate and peanut butter bar as I am getting a baked or bready feeling to it, maybe like fresh brownies. I will say that, at times, that bitter flavor I get can get to be a little cloying or biting, but the peanut butter helps fight that off.

Mouthfeel is as full as it should be. It is not the most viscous or fluffy stout I've had, but it isn't getting points deducted for the body. The alcohol is non-existent and this would be an ideal dessert beer.

PB PM Dawn added a blast of peanut butter to an already great coffee stout. Again, it had it's bitter, burnt coffee ground moments, but the abundance of peanut butter more than made up for it. It's a decadent dessert stout sure to satisfy the sweet tooth.

Rating
9.2/10

Henry & Fran Painting with Bob Ross

The Stats
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7.1%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.33/5
- Beer Advocate: N/A
- RateBeer: N/A

Henry & Fran Brewing aren't even open for business, but are already gaining a lot of hype. Based out of West Boylston, MA, this small operation is packing big flavors into small batches of beer. I bought my Eventbrite tickets last month and made the drive to pick up my IPAs. I do not know their plans to expand and open a commercial location, but after one sip of this beer, I can say they are worth the hype.

Pours out sunset yellow in color with a murky body and a little over a finger of bright white head.

The aroma...the aroma...is...orgasmic! This is my last can and each pop of the top has resulted in a smile on my face when I dig my nose in. My dear Bruce Almighty, this is a glass of Juicy Fruit gum smothered in pineapple, and total dankness. Tropical candy and gum with peach puree and a big yeast presence explodes like Mt Vesuvius. I want to Febreeze my couch with this.

If the aroma was Mt Vesuvius, then my mouth is now the city of Pompeii and is buried underneath 20 feet of molten flavor. Pliny the Younger himself may have not survived this eruption of ecstasy.

Up front, the same candy and gum intensity from the aroma is just as big, if not bigger, here with the assist from so many tropical notes of peaches, mango, pineapple, and lots of orange peel. The orange isn't too juicy, but it tastes more like orange pulp, and plenty of it. Towards the middle, it transitions to a burst of pine and sap which reminds me of walking through a damp forest after a rain storm. Yeah, taking a hike through the woods with a glass of pineapple juice sprinkled with weed, and then you will have the same experience. The finish goes back to another injection of tropical juice, but has a kick of bitterness and hop juice. I'm getting Mrs. Doubtfire-level hot flashes drinking this.

Mouthfeel is creamy and so soft and the pine and bitterness linger for so long it's like having two sips for the price of one. Drinkability is scary high with no alcohol anywhere.

Painting with Bob Ross was a magical experience. My mind is blown by a 7.1% IPA that is so intense on aroma and flavor that I can't believe this isn't a hop-saturated DIPA. If this is just the start from Henry & Fran, then the future is so bright, I gotta wear shades.

Happy Little Tree indeed! Bust out some Van Dyke Brown and Titanium White and as always, I'd like to wish you Happy Drinking, and God bless!

Rating
9.8/10

Trillium & J. Wakefield Tiramisu

The Stats
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.6%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.45/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.51/5
- RateBeer: 3.7/5

"We teamed up with Miami's J. Wakefield Brewing to create another Italian dessert inspired decadent stout! This time we captured elements of Tiramisu in this Imperial Stout with five hundred pounds of Lady Fingers from Salem, Massachusetts based AJs Bakery, Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans, Brown Sugar, and coffee from Mostra & Barrington. Tiramisu leads with powerful aromas of deeply roasted coffee, rich dark chocolate, vanilla, and a backbone of freshly baked cake and subtle caramelized brown sugar. The palate continues with more dark chocolate, vanilla, brownie batter, and heavy, creamy coffee. A thick, viscous, latte-like mouthfeel leaves a coating on the glass and lingering, satisfying sweetness in the mouth"

Pours out and sits pitch black. The photo doesn't show it, but it had over two fingers of dark brown, volcanic head. The head actually disappeared in seconds much like soda.

On the aroma, I am immediately hit with fresh coffee beans and something similar to peanuts. Vanilla cookies ("Nilla Wafers) with very subtle bourbon heat also come to play. I'm imagining a fresh bundt cake covered in vanilla frosting.

The taste is a bit more aggressive with the bitter coffee notes, but at the same time, it is (not surprisingly) very sweet with the bourbon vanilla beans. When combined, they form the tag team Coffee Liqueur who are undefeated with 14 successful title defenses and 89 cage matches to their credit. So, yeah, pretty strong I'd say. Back to reality (oh, there goes gravity), it has a similar taste to a Black Russian with the vanilla beans almost pushing it into White Russian territory. Fresh cake, I keep going back to fresh, crumbly, Angel Food cake, but it is topped with Kahlua. I think that's the best way I can sum this one up: Cookies, cake, coffee liqueur. Oh, maybe even some honey sweetness and some molasses and maple syrup too.

Mouthfeel is thick and viscous like a 10% stout ought to be. I mentioned some boozy heat, but it is ok in this case. Despite being a big beast of a dessert stout, I am having no issue getting through the 750ml bottle.

Tiramisu was another great collaboration between these two breweries. As compared to the other Wilfred Brimley stout pushed out by Trillium, I found this one to have less cloying sweetness and a bit more complexity with it's flavor profile. I wish I had more bottles...I guess with this one gone, I really Tira-miss-U!

No, please come back. I promise no more puns!

Rating
9.2/10

Foundation Galacticon

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA, Triple IPA
ABV: 9.4%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.39/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.47/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"Galacticon Triple IPA pours a hazy gold color, showcasing the beautiful flavors of papaya, melon, mango and white grape layered over an underlying dankness that is the hallmark of Australian Galaxy hops. Exclusively and aggressively hopped with Galaxy and Citra both in the whirlpool and the dry hop, Galacticon unleashes all of the intensity of these hops with little bitterness. The flavors and aromas of Galacticon are best enjoyed as soon as possible."

Pours out golden orange in color with a murky body and a finger of white head.

The aroma has a good amount of orange rind and citrus acidity. Some subtle dank bitterness is here too as well as a tiny bit of creamy sherbet and grapefruit.

The taste is bitter up front, bitter in the middle, and bitter in the back. However, it is also balanced with delicious citrus at the same time. Up front the dank Galaxy provides a good hop bite, but that is quickly rushed away by intense citrus zest and pulpy orange juice. As it hits the middle of the mouth, some sweeter citrus notes of clementine and tangerine take over, but the back end goes immediately back to some lingering bitter flavors and a big thud of hops on the finish. There's a minor fusel alcohol taste on each sip, but it is nearly undetectable.

Mouthfeel is full with a creamy texture. It is nearing 9% abv, but the body is in no way syrupy or thick. It drinks more like 7.5% and that can be deadly.

Galacticon was a flavorful and incredibly drinkable Double/Triple IPA. Every step of the way, the bitterness ran rampant, but it was so easy to drink that you forgot this was knocking on the door of 10% abv. The bitterness and citrus matched perfectly in this beer and it has earned its place alongside some of the better New England IPAs out there.

Rating
9.1/10

Trillium Permutation 39: Double IPA with Lactose

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.34/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.24/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"Permutation 39 is a Double IPA brewed with lactose that delivers a hazy golden orange hue. A rush of fresh cut pineapple, orange and a sweet Mosaic hop nose set the tone, while the flavor of oranges and grapefruit pith meld into a honey character and creamy, full mouthfeel on the finish."

Pours out golden orange in color with that dirty milkshake body and a finger of slightly off-white head.

Dank hops and berries are most prominent on the aroma. The bitterness is appetizing, but is equally matched by berries, melon, and citrus zest. Lactose is hard to come by.

The taste still retains the citrus from the aroma and I get more grapefruit and other sweeter citrus notes. What else has survived from the nose? The honeydew melon is still clean and juicy, and the bitterness is produced by a delicious hop juice flavor. The lactose is much bigger here than it was on the aroma. The "milkshake ipa" craze has hit the beer scene hard and Trillium is putting their horse in the race. I do find similarities with others of a similar style with subtle vanilla notes which play off the sweet citrus flavors. It isn't the boldest example of an IPA with lactose, but the rest of the beer is fantastic, so I don't care.

Mouthfeel is creamy and so soft. No alcohol is to be found and that 8% is nowhere to be seen. Drinkability is high, but that's not a surprise with these Trillium IPAs.

Permutation 39 was a a subtle entry into the Milkshake IPA world. This one really just dips its toes in the water, but as I said before, the beer is a home run on its own without the lactose, so I am a happy camper.

Rating
9.0/10

Steel Brewing Steel Reserve 211

The Stats
Style: American Malt Liquor
ABV: 8.1%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 2.04/5
- Beer Advocate: 2.39/5 (Bottom 100: #54)
- RateBeer: 1.5/5

"The two eleven mark, based on the medieval symbol for steel, appears only on Steel Reserve(R) High Gravity lager. We use nearly twice the ingredients of many normal lagers & brew for over twice as long as many quality beers."

Pours out light orange in color with a transparent body. The picture doesn't show it, but it formed a solid two fingers of white head.

The aroma is reminiscent of many typical adjunct lagers with noticeable sweetness, grain, and corn. I do detect a hint of fusel alcohol, but nothing too overpowering.

The taste is sweeter than most other adjunct lagers due in part to a big butterscotch and caramel flavor that I am getting. It actually tends to mask the less desirable flavors, which to be honest, really aren't that bad. Yes the standard grain and corn from the aroma are here, but this isn't skunky-tasting or too off-putting, especially when drank cold. Even when it does warm up the taste never gets too sour or bitter. I think one of my only negatives is that the aftertaste is overly sweet with some metallic qualities, but that's only when the beer has reached room temperature.

Mouthfeel is light and surprisingly crisp for being over 8%. The "high gravity" has made for some cloying sweetness, but at the same time, this is still light and easy to drink.

Steel Reserve is one of the best malt liquors out there. Condescending assholes would say "Yeah, that's like being the tallest midget", but say whatever you want, but this was not as bad as I was expecting. If the abv was knocked down to standard macro lager territory, then this would be a go-to for those who are into these beers. In its current form, it goes down too easy for such a big beer and it will knock you on your ass in a hurry. Overall, I'm pleasantly surprised.

Rating
6.0/10

Barreled Souls Stay Puft

The Stats
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.9%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.27/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.37/5
- RateBeer: 3.53/5

"An Imperial Stout made with marshmallow Fluff. Chocolate, cotton candy, and vanilla aromatics with flavors of marshmallow and dark chocolate."

So last December, I made an attempt to drive two hours north to Saco, ME for the Barreled Souls Stay Puft release. On a prior trip the year before, I visited the brewery on a Friday night and just casually walked in and saw they had the Barrel Aged version in bottles for purchase. Now, I applied this logic to this past December and figured that I could do the same for a Saturday release. I hypothesized that since the BA version lasted a few days, then the base beer would easily survive a few hours after opening this time around.

As I made the turn off of I-195 and onto U.S. Route 1, I was patting myself on the back for "outsmarting" everyone and getting to the brewery a full 20 minutes early in order to guarantee my allotment. I soon neared my destination and saw that beautiful wooden sign beckoning to me. It was at this moment that my admiration for my own advanced thinking was surpassed only by my utter astonishment at how poorly I had completely underestimated the hype.

Oh yes, packed into a relatively small parking lot fit for most insurance agencies were almost 100 of New England's finest beer enthusiasts waiting to suckle at the marshmallow teet known as Stay Puft and Peanut Butter Stay Puft. I swallowed what was left of my pride, found a spot half taken up by a snow bank, and got in line. Needless to say, I was about still 60ish deep even 20 minutes after opening when they announced the bottles were gone. Still, I got my pours and spent the rest of the day exploring the beer scene in the Pine Tree State.

Due to the unexpected demand, Barreled Souls announced they'd do another release and on a bigger scale. Upon hearing this, you bet your sweet ass I was going to guaran-damn-tee I would be left holding more than just my dick in my hand on this release day. So again, I made the drive one Saturday morning to the brewery and made sure I got there early enough to set myself up for success.

Luckily I was victorious this time around and walked away with this elusive beauty. After all the heartache and hype, what will I think of Stay Puft?

Pours out jet black and has some ruby red hues when held up to the light. A solid finger of dark brown head sits on top like the proverbial cherry on a sundae.

No surprises on the aroma as marshmallow inundates (what's with the $2 words?) my nostrils with a  vanilla and Fluff bomb. A nice helping of dark chocolate syrup and muted graham cracker notes bring the s'mores dream to life. I also get a fruity, cherry flavor too. Maybe this has some Russian Imperial Stout qualities to it, but I can see where the candy aromas are coming from on this one. As it warms, brown sugar, some toasted coconut, wood, and more of those fruity notes (now more strawberry) come to the front of the line. It is a decadent-smelling beer.

The taste is a little muted when compared to the flavors from the aroma, but they all still answer role call during 1st period History...

VOICE IN MY HEAD: You doin' ok?

...The Marshmallow Fluff is clearly the intended star and it has found a cozy spot on each one of my taste buds. There is some booze on the taste and it is a slight tick above "noticeable", but I'll allow it (Mills Lane voice) with a nearly 11% stout. Dark chocolate-covered cherries come at me next and make for a nice, romantic evening in my mouth. Some leftover oak and wood from the aroma pick up near the middle and even some tobacco and char come in for good measure. The back end come in with a refined alcohol taste and some moments of dark fruits, but the alcohol seems a bit too strong for my liking here, especially on the finish.

Mouthfeel is full and fluffy. Again, alcohol presence isn't shy, but I can power past it and forgive all sins. Being a big beer with boozy tendencies makes it a sipper, but the marshmallow and chocolate flavors are able to keep it in the dessert beer category.

Stay Puft has an intoxicating aroma and a flavor profile with solid dessert stout qualities and the alcohol to match. The s'mores experience was faithfully recreated, but I do wish the alcohol was dialed back a bit in order to have the taste match the aroma. Still, it's a dessert stout worthy of an after dinner indulgence.

Rating
8.6/10

Trillium Permutation 33: Double IPA with Vic Scret & Citra

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 7.6%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.37/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.45/5
- RateBeer: 3.49/5

"Permutation 33 present a milky light straw color with a slight orange hue. A dank nose of mango skin, honeydew, bright hop, strawberry, and lemon leads into a palate of cantaloupe, grapefruit pith, and fresh hop. Permutation 33 has a full body and mouthfeel."

Pours out orange in color with that creamy, murky, milkshake body and a finger of white head.

Dank hops, orange juice, and tart lemon come forth on the aroma with orange sherbet, pineapple, and some grapefruit.

The typical Trillium IPA characteristics are all here as this is forward with the big orange and citrus notes from the aroma, and, also like the nose, the orange creme and sherbet flavors are not being shy. The Vic Secret though is what accounts for all the bitterness and it is a smaller dank bite than, let's say, Galaxy hops, but here, they are just as robust as Galaxy complete with mouth-watering dank qualities. Believe it or not, some of that lemon swoops in and adds a refreshing splash of flavor to a beer that is being dominated by sugary sorbet and dank bitterness. The back end finishes with more of that bitter bite and the hops linger for days on the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is full and creamy. It feels so smooth from start to finish and it is highly drinkable.

Permutation 33 was one of my favorites of the series thanks to the teamwork of heavy citrus and delectable bitterness. Some of the more recent offerings in the series, while good, were a bit too big to be what I would consider easy-drinking beers. This however provides just as much (if not more) flavor, but you can attack this one with ease.

Rating
9.2/10

Trillium Permutation 32: Double IPA with Galaxy

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9.2%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.48/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.57/5
- RateBeer: 3.53/5

"Permutation Series #32 beckons with a powerful pineapple, melon, and orange creamsicle nose. A cantaloupe and pithy grapefruit palate with soft bitterness is complemented by a pillowy, full mouthfeel."

Pours out slightly dark orange in color with a murky body and a finger of white head.

I get a lot of ripe stone fruit on the aroma, but it has its fair share of dank hop bitterness and a small kick of sweetness.

The taste is creamy peach puree up front and then dank bitterness on the back end. It opens with big stone fruits like the aroma with the aforementioned peaches contributing the most. The middle of the mouth picks up almost a piney sensation, but not too big. That goes away immediately as a flood of oranges and even mango converge at the apex, but again, the back half belongs to pure hop bitterness and hop juice. That is until another rush of peaches and even a little bit of creamy orange sherbet sneak in to add to the complexity. A honey sweetness creeps in as well to ease up on the thud of bitterness being put out. That honey flavor really lingers in the aftertaste too.

Mouthfeel is full and creamy. At almost 10%, this drinks so easy and the body doesn't weigh the palate down at all.

Permutation 32 was a great display of Galaxy hops. It definitely felt like the big beer that it was and the amount of hops and sweeter flavors made for a complex brew.  I can see how it might be a bit sweet for some, especially near the end, but I enjoyed how it all came together.

Rating
8.7/10

Tree House Impermanence

The Stats
Style: Milk Stout
ABV: 9%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.63/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.53/5
- RateBeer: 4.07/5

"Impermanence is an imperial milk stout brewed with coffee, chocolate, and maple syrup. Below these additions lies a complex base of chocolate, caramel, and dark crystal malts. A gentle pour yields dense mocha colored head that emanates succulent dark chocolate aromas and and a hint of maple sweetness that seems to stick around on the senses. The flavor is decadent, featuring a luxurious chocolate mocha character balanced by a delicate yet ever present maple finish that builds as the beer is allowed to warm in the glass. Impermanence is dense with flavor and rich on the palate yet maintains a certain fluffiness that makes drinking a big glass a true delight!"

Pours out pitch black and sits in the glass the same. I got almost a finger of dark brown head. 

As anticipated, the aroma bursts out of the glass with maple syrup and iced coffee with cream and sugar. Dark chocolate and even some cherries show themselves with even a strawberry ice cream aroma...almost like Neapolitan ice cream. Comparisons to fudge and brownie batter also come to mind and even hot cocoa powder and chocolate ice cream. That's two ice cream moments for me, so this really is a dessert beer, but the maple makes it suitable for breakfast too. It's a very rich and decadent-smelling beer.

Maple and chocolate seem to be the power couple in this one. The maple is sugary, but not overdone, so this one treads Wilfred Brimley Stout territory, but does not cross the line. This lets me enjoy the flavors rather than making my body shake from too much sugar. I repeatedly mentioned ice cream on the nose and the same rings true on the taste. I assume it is from the combo of chocolate and lactose/coffee and lactose that is doing this to me, but hell, I am all for this being a new trend in the craft beer scene (if it isn't already one). The coffee still gives off an iced coffee impression and it isn't too dark and bitter. Maple starts and finishes each sip and it is what lingers the most in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is thick, but not a slow-moving Blob across my palate. This makes sense since it is a Milk Stout after all, so the job gets done accordingly. As previously mentioned, this isn't an overdose of sugar, so this one is easier to guzzle down as compared to other dessert stouts.

It took me a while to come up with a solid comparison for Impermanence, so bear with me. Years ago, Denny's had an ice cream sundae topped with maple syrup and bacon. This beer reminds me of that. The heavy amount of ice cream flavor and the maple syrup brought back memories of a greasy, dirty, late-night eatery where I indulged on what should have been the cause of cardiac arrest. Instead, I was whisked away to my own little paradise of ice cream and syrup and now Tree House has recreated that experience in Milk Stout form. God bless them for that.

Rating
9.4/10

Exhibit 'A' Fifteen

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 7.7%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.22/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.25/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"Originally released as Demo Tape Fifteen, this beer has made it into our regular rotation. It features Australian Ella and Vic Secret hops"

Pours out brownish/orange in color (think apple cider, but more on the orange side) with a murkier than murky body and a finger of white head.

The aroma gives off dank hop notes and something reminiscent of rye as I get a distinct kick of spice. A big blast of spruce and even berries are also huge as is a sweet, caramel (malts?) flavor. One of the bigger aromas coming at me smells like a combination of orange sherbet, fusel alcohol, and Juicy Fruit gum.

The taste yields some big orange and pineapple notes, but everything from the aroma also makes a return.  Believe it or not, the spice and sweet malts seem to be the biggest contributors here. You'd think it would be an odd combo, but I am really into it. Not to be outdone, there's a thick, pine sap taste, but the hops also kick in some dank flavors and even some flowers. On the transition, it switches to some more of that orange sherbet with big grapefruit acidity, but the aforementioned Juicy Fruit gum taste comes in to close it out like Goose Gossage. The finish has a clean, bitter bite to go along with a malty sweetness.

Mouthfeel is full and creamy with no sign of the alcohol. The sweeter flavors tend to stick around long after each sip, but so does a delectable bitter flavor.

Fifteen was a unique IPA experience thanks to a wide array of flavors that may not look like a good match on paper, but it all worked out in the end. When an IPA is fun to drink, but also complex at the same time, then you have a winner on your hands.

Rating
8.8/10

Tree House Very Green

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8.3%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.71/5 (Top Rated: #11)
- Beer Advocate: 4.68/5 (Top 250: #18)
- RateBeer: 4.05/5

"This classic Tree House Double IPA is created with a massive kettle and dry hop punch of Australian and American hops.  It opens in the glass with huge notes of ripe pineapple, pithy citrus, and dank saturated hops. As it warms it shows its depth and complexity. . . Sweet bits of malt intermingle with straight Tropicana. It has a soft but pointed bitterness and a rich, velvety mouth feel. She drinks much like Green, but with more of everything to love - including a greater potential to get carried away.  Proceed with caution!"

Pours out light orange in color with an incredibly murky body and a finger of white head.

A juicy aroma of pineapple and grapefruit open the show. A sweeter lemon candy and bubblegum note add some diversity. I get lots of oranges and orange rind with each whiff and this is just a glass of citrus juice.

The taste reminds me a lot of the standard Green with its massive pop of tropical fruits and a creamy sherbet character. With each sip, a delicious bitter flavor closes things out on the finish. It's a great transition from nothing but citrus on the front and then bitterness on the back. I'll admit right now that my first few sips were merely ok, but giving it a few minutes has done wonders. Loads of pineapple and oranges swirl around my palate with even some lemon zest and faint bits of lime and kiwi. I mentioned orange sherbet, but there's almost a Milkshake IPA character of vanilla here too. Juicy Fruit gum also comes to mind and mixes in well with the citrus and sherbet feels.

Mouthfeel is full and oh so soft and creamy. Every sip is a tiny hug for my tongue. The abv is nowhere to be seen and this is almost too easy to drink for a Double IPA.

Very Green did the Tree House reputation well. It's a big, drinkable Double IPA with one of the softest bodies you'll experience in a DIPA. I love that creamy, dessert-like orange creme taste and the bitter finish with each sip still lets you know it's not meant to be taken lightly. Stellar stuff as always from these guys.

Rating
9.3/10

Trillium Permutation #27: Double IPA Aged on Peaches & Apricots

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.13/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.21/5
- Untappd: 3.87/5

"Permutation 27 presents hazy orange with a floral nose of pine, pineapple juice, and stone fruit Permutation 27's palate conjures flavors of dried apricot & mango, subtle peach, pineapple, and a juicy yet moderately dry finish."

Pours out light orange in color with a hazy body and a finger of white head. I got a ludicrous amount of sediment poured into my glass.

Orange rind and acidic grapefruit pop on the aroma and they smell like fresh juice. Following that is a heavy stone fruit aroma with a good amount of doughy malts.

The taste retains a lot of the acidic qualities from the aroma and they bring a tart character to this portion. Lemon peel, grapefruit, and zesty orange come to mind first, but it is still influenced heavily by those peaches and apricots as the flavor keeps getting noticeably sweeter as time goes on. Maybe it's acidity of the hops, but some distinct black pepper and spices are definitely here and they mix in with some dank hop juice for a nice little combo. I keep saying to myself that this is "zesty" and my mind has not changed over the course of drinking this. The back end is definitely sweeter with remnants of the doughy malts trying to clink to the back of my tongue. The finish is more bitter than the rest of the beer, but it is nice to see it contributing.

Mouthfeel comes in a little lighter than I'd expect for an 8% DIPA, but it isn't watered down. Sometimes the acidity I get makes my mouth pucker, but there's enough sweetness to neutralize those feelings. The finish has some burning and warmth, but maybe that is the acidity talking.

Permutation 27 was a good Double IPA on it's own, but the apricots and peaches added a little more depth. It seems like the fruited IPA craze has died down, but this is a good example of one that didn't let the fruit aging take over the natural flavors of the hops.

Rating
8.3/10

Sierra Nevada Hop Bullet

The Stats
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 8%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 3.81/5
- Beer Advocate: 3.97/5
- RateBeer: 3.61/5

"Hops are the name of the game with a Double IPA, but we knew we had to take it one step further. With Hop Bullet, we’re using a new technique, hitting the beer with a double-barreled blast of Magnum hops and lupulin dust—pure, concentrated hop flavor—directly into the tank to emphasize the intense pine and citrus flavors of classic West Coast hops."

Pours out rusty and dark orange in color with a moderately hazy body and two fingers of white head.

The aroma is fresh with herbaceous mint and green tea. Some subdued orange rind and faint garlic/onion are also here and it has a good malt presence.

There's a decent amount of pine on the taste, which I didn't pick up at all on the aroma. It is akin to a pine tree air freshener. The other big flavor I get is caramel (probably malts) and it adds a sweet element to the beer. Fruitier notes develop as the beer warms with sugar-sprinkled grapefruit adding flavor and some tartness and it is joined by sporadic moments of pineapple. There's a good shot of bitterness near the back and it has a dank sensation to it, but at the same time, it is a very clean-tasting hop presence with noticeable acidity. This leads into the finish as the back end and aftertaste have that lingering hop oil flavor.

Mouthfeel comes in a bit light for an 8% DIPA, but it's serviceable. Some alcohol rears its head from time to time, but is more spicy than stinging.

How effective would Hop Bullet be as actual ammunition? For comparison sake, I think this would have missed JFK from the book depository, but would have hit him from the grassy knoll.

VOICE IN MY HEAD: What the hell kind of reference is that?
ME: Like, you couldn't hit your target from long distance; you'd have to be in front of your target to be effective.
VOICE IN MY HEAD: Huh?

Hop Bullet may not be the strongest or most bitter Double IPA, but it still has classic elements of West Coast IPAs and still feels like a big beer at the right times.

VOICE IN MY HEAD: Your analogy still sucked.

Rating
7.1/10

Vanished Valley ISO7

The Stats
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.12/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.23/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"Formally known as XPerimental Batch #7, we knew this popular New England IPA from our XP Series had to be brought into our regular lineup. ISO7 contains a generous amount Ella hops and another one of our all-time favorites, Amarillo! It's soft mouth feel gives way to a variety of citrus and melon notes."

Pours out golden yellow in color with a hazy body and a finger of white head.

The aroma comes forth with acidic grapefruit juice and melon. Spicy black pepper and a little bit of mint are also noticeable. Maybe even some gooseberry and mild doughy malts too.

The nose wasn't particularly bitter, but immediately, on the front of my tongue, a high level of acidic hop oils and juice attack my taste buds. The bitterness is washed away quickly by a flood of pulpy orange and grapefruit juice with some sherbet sweetness and even white grapes. It's amazing how bitter it was initially, but the middle and back end is nothing but juice. Tossed in for good measure are floral notes and even some grass. Moments of a lemon or strawberry Jolly Rancher influence the sweeter moments and the finish has some of the malts from the aroma.

Mouthfeel is soft like a cloud with a full body. Some heavier moments remind you this is 7%, but at other times it can be so refreshing and drinkable.

ISO7 was a soft, juicy, and refreshing IPA. Acidity from both citrus fruits and hop oils combined with a fluffy body to make a complex and drinkable IPA. I don't get the chance to try Vanished Valley often, but I hope to get my hands on some more of their stuff soon.

Rating
8.8/10