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

Stone Xocoveza

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REVIEW# 400! Tree House Hold On to Sunshine

The Stats
Style: Milk.Sweet Stout
ABV: 7.6%
Current Ratings...
- Untappd: 4.6/5
- Beer Advocate: 4.57/5 (Top 250: #204)
- RateBeer: 4.09/5

"Hold On To Sunshine is a rich and delicious stout intended to be savored and enjoyed as we enter the cool Autumn months here in New England. Brewed with Pale and Chocolate malts, Lactose, Coffee, Cacao, and Peanut Butter, it exhibits notes of rich milk chocolate, dark brown sugar, creamy espresso, and chocolate covered peanut butter cups. A luxurious mouthfeel and creamy body contribute to a beer that feels much bigger than it is - a decadent treat and one that won't overwhelm you with heaviness, yet is loaded with delicious bold flavors that express themselves as it warms. Life can come at us fast and hit us with unexpected hardship, inducing stress, fear, anger, confusion, sadness, and uncertainty. But together we must find solace and comfort in each other, and in something wonderful, equal, and free for everyone to hold on to - Sunshine. For Lauren."

Sits pitch black in the glass and I could just barely make out some dark brown edges. The pour produced a finger of brown head.

The aroma is decadent with peanut butter/chocolate cookies reminiscent of Girl Scout Peanut Butter Patties. The chocolate is rich, but not too fudgy or dark. Lots of mocha and fresh iced coffee and a small amount of vanilla sweetness are also here with a overall peanut shell aroma. This is a peanut butter cup in a glass.

The flavors don't explode as much they did on the aroma, but they are all present and accounted for and are still delicious. The peanut butter is most noticeable, but with more of a straight peanut and peanut shell taste. The chocolate is more dark and bitter here akin to Hershey's syrup. The dark chocolate bitterness tends to counteract the natural sweetness of the base Milk Stout, so there is a good balance here with the flavors. Oddly enough, the chocolate changed from lighter, fluffier milk chocolate on the nose to bitter and dark on the taste, but the coffee did the same thing. Coffee on the nose was darker, but here it is fresh and reminds me of a cold brew coffee with no bitterness. Again, very much in balance. A nice thud of bitterness takes over the aftertaste with residual coffee grounds left behind for days.

Mouthfeel is soft, very soft. The body coats the tongue and leaves some stickiness. It feels like a much bigger beer than 7.6%, but the Milk Stout base stays true with lactose sweetness sticking to every inch of my mouth.

Hold On to Sunshine was an ideal match for the peanut butter and chocolate lovers out there while staying grounded in it's Milk Stout roots. Tree House was wise to choose a Milk Stout for a base rather than going for an Imperial Stout as this keeps the beer more drinker friendly and allows the ingredients to shine more while not having to fight any overpowering roasted character for screen time.

Rating
9.3/10

That's 400 down and many more to go! See you at the next century mark!

Re-live past landmarks...

Review #100
Review #200
Review #300

Angry Chair Woke

The Stats
Style: Milk/Sweet Stout
ABV: 10%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.46/5
- Untappd: 4.34/5
- RateBeer: 4.01/5

"Milk stout with vanilla beans, coffee, and maple"

No real commercial description on this one, but if I may provide a small spoiler alert: When the beer is this phenomenal, you don't need one.

The appearance can get none more black as this one is lights out in all aspects. The pour produced half a finger of tan head.

Now if that ain't breakfast in a glass then I don't know what is. Massive, MASSIVE amounts of maple syrup on the aroma makes me wish I had a stack of pancakes to pour this on. Even more sweet flavors of vanilla, whipped cream, and chocolate syrup add to the confectionery overload, but I'll be damned if it isn't bring a huge smile to my face. Oh, and then there's the fresh roast coffee component to bring it all together. Seven thumbs up on the aroma alone.

The taste follows suit and what a glorious time it is to be alive. I will say that the lactose was missing from the aroma, but I definitely pick it up here as it accompanies each individual swig. This is nearly all maple everything and I don't think I've had a beer this maple-forward since Tree House Good Morning. Much like the nose, there's tons and tons of vanilla, marshmallow, and whipped cream in addition to a heavy chocolate syrup presence. It tastes like a chocolate frappe with maple syrup squeezed in. The coffee makes its return, but this time it carries a good amount of bitterness much like dark roast or black iced coffee. I think it's apparent by my previous ramblings that this is an incredibly beer, but it is surprisingly not too cloying and won't give you diabeetus.

Mouthfeel is thick and viscous, but also soft and cloudy. The sheer amount of maple surely gives this a sticky, lip-smacking feel, but it doesn't stop it from being easy to swallow. I can't find a drop of alcohol in this one and the heavy dose of lactose also doesn't hinder the experience.

Woke was one of the best maple-infused stouts that I have ever had. Not only were the maple, coffee, and lactose great additions, but that base imperial milk stout would be a winner on its own. Call it a breakfast beer, a dessert, beer, or whatever, but this was an amazingly delicious assault on my palate that few others have been able to duplicate. Mind bottling!

Rating
9.6/10

Smuttynose Rocky Road

The Stats:
Style: Milk/Sweet Stout
ABV: 7.3%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.12/5
- RateBeer: 3.8/5 (5 ratings)

How come most big ice cream chains or brands don't do a solid rocky road ice cream anymore? Do I really have to go to beer to satisfy my sweet tooth? Well, ok, you don't have to twist my arm on this one. Brewed with cacao nibs, marshmallow creme, and then aged on oak chips, Smuttynose is pulling out all the stops to deliver a decadent dessert beer.

Sits pitch black in the glass and there is no existence of brown or red on the edges. Truly a dark beer. The pour produced two fingers of light brown head.

I must say that I am surprised at how dominant the oak chips are on the aroma. In addition, there is some bitter dark chocolate and black coffee. No marshmallow to be had.

A pleasant, fluffy milk chocolate taste envelopes the tongue and creates a dessert-like atmosphere. I'm happy to report the marshmallow is here on taste. It may not be as bold as I had hoped, but it is still noticeable enough to leave its mark. A lot of dark coffee or coffee grounds are also taking over midway through the mouth and those oak chips are just as big as they were on the aroma. When the oak combines with the burnt coffee taste it creates almost a char-like flavor. I think maybe the aging on oak chips was supposed to add a nutty flavor, but I just get char and wood.

Mouthfeel isn't as thick as a big imperial stout, but it isn't thin either. No alcohol at all and the only thing that really lingers is that coffee ground taste which stick to the back of the tongue.

In terms of comparing this to rocky road ice cream, I would say that while the cacao nibs did exactly what they needed to do, the marshmallow and the nuttiness needed to step their game up. It is still a fine after dinner beer to have with dessert, but I think Sloth from The Goonies would not fully approve.

Rating
8.1/10

Stone Xocoveza Charred

The Stats
Style: Milk/Sweet Stout
ABV: 8.90%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.5/5
- RateBeer: 4.23/5 (mean)

In 2014, Stone released a beer from their famed collaboration series which was a take on the "Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout" that a lot of breweries have been trying over the past couple of years. The beer was "Xocoveza": a milk stout infused with chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg, and chili pepper. It seemed to receive mostly universal acclaim and was seen as one of the best of its style. Naturally Stone wanted to take it to another level, so they took Xocoveza and subjected it to their barrel program (The "Quingenti Millilire" program). Stone released two variants on Xocoveza and I have in my possession the bourbon barrel-aged version (the other being a tequila/red wine version) known as Xocoveza Charred which was aged for seven months in Kentucky Bourbon barrels. This was a brewery-only release, so a big thanks to Rick for doing a trade with me for this one.

Pours pitch black with ruby red on the edges. Practically no head, maybe a quarter of a finger which was tan. It looks like flat coke.

Cinnamon, pepper skin, and nutmeg come first on the aroma. Then there's a slight lactose strain and nothing much else as I don't get bourbon, but there is some oak and char from the barrel.

The taste has much more vanilla, especially right at the front of my tongue. Some more of that pepper skin and heat from said peppers is all over the inside of my mouth. Bourbon is much more noticeable here, but it is still underwhelming and might be the 4th or 5th strongest flavor in this beer. A little bit of lactose emerges on the finish as does a little bit of nutmeg. Overall, the flavors are pretty bland and nothing stands out. Seven months in a bourbon barrel? I have my doubts.

Mouthfeel is a little light, but it is a milk stout, so it is understandable. Surprisingly this finishes clean, but maybe a little too clean, which is disappointing considering this is a BA stout with so many spices.There is a slight warmth and a miniscule alcohol taste which is a bummer for a 8.90% stout. No carbonation is to be found at all.

Maybe the base beer allowed the flavors to shine better before being mellowed out by barrel-aging because I can't help but be let down by Xocoveza Charred. I really don't think the barrel brought anything to the table on this one. If anything it took away from all of the spices, vanilla, and chocolate that people raved about a year ago. It's not a repulsive beer to drink, it's just meh.

Rating
7.3/10

Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout

The Stats
Style: Millk/Sweet Stout
ABV: 5.30%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 4.15/5
- RateBeer: 3.73/5

I had this beer at a bottle share several months back and remember being enamored with it. I recall it being one of the highlights of the day and couldn't wait to get my hands on more. It's a milk stout made with "natural flavors", which is code for completely artificial, but hey, if it tastes great, then who cares?

Pours pitch black with just a tinge of dark brown on the edges when held up to the light. I got a finger of light brown head, but is disappeared quickly.

The best way to describe the smell is peanut butter Twix candy bars and probably I'd say peanut shells more than actual peanut butter. Maybe a little bit of lactose, but the peanut butter flavoring is winning out big time.

Disappointingly, the peanut butter is heavily subdued on the taste. It actually taste more like a straight up milk stout without any flavoring, but it is still there. What little peanut butter is here tastes completely artificial. I know this is not made with real peanut butter, but whatever flavoring they used doesn't even attempt to pull itself off as legitimate. I can barely pick up lactose and even a slight graham cracker flavor too. It has an odd, dark fruit or even black licorice taste on the finish that I'm not happy with (possibly infected bottle?).

This feels perfectly-bodied for the style, but still not all that mouth-coating. The unpleasant flavors from the finish really do linger as does the sticky mouthfeel. It has a bit more carbonation than I'm used to and if you're not careful, it can fill your belly up in a hurry.

I was hoping for a sweet dessert beer with this PB Milk Stout, but the flavors were off and thin with tons of carbonation and less than favorable lingering flavors. I think peanut butter in porters and stouts is a great idea, but in this case, it did not turn out that well.

Rating
7.1/10

Southern Tier Crème Brûlée

The Stats
Style: Milk/Sweet Stout
ABV: 9.50%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.89/5
- RateBeer: 3.76/5


My latest foray into the Southern Tier Blackwater Series gives me Crème Brûlée. This Imperial Milk Stout is brewed with caramel malt, vanilla beans, and lactose sugar. These big, imperial beers from the Blackwater Series have been good for the most part, so let's see if this lives up to the reputation.

Pours jet black with a one finger of off-white head that disappears quickly and doesn't retain.

I could smell this as I poured it into my snifter. Tons of cream and burnt caramel. Vanilla is also huge. Any standard roasted malt presence is eradicated by the sheer sweetness of this beer. It really does smell like a crème brûlée.

Holy crap is that sweet! A sweet cream flavor is at the forefront followed by caramel malts. Kind of a burnt brown sugar feel to it and the lactose sugar is disappointingly not working well with the other flavors. That's not to say it makes the beer repulsive, but it did make me take a step back every now and then between sips.

Much like myself, it has a full, thick body. It feels just like an imperial milk stout should feel and that is thick and sweet. It has a surprisingly bitter finish, but the palate isn't destroyed by the sweetness of it all.

Southern Tier Crème Brûlée is a full-bodied, lactose-driven, burnt-caramel roller coaster ride full of hyphenated adjectives. Without question it dances on the line between sweet and too sweet, so if you fancy the sweeter beers, this one is for you. For the more casual drinker, this could be a bit overwhelming. I did find the lactose to be a bit of a turn-off, especially if the beer warms up even just a little bit. As you sip this one (and trust me, it's a sipper), the cream/lactose flavor becomes hard to swallow (literally and figuratively). The flavor clings to your tongue in an unpleasant way and the smell won't leave my moustache. I could probably down a 12oz glass no problem, but a bomber is too much for me to handle.

Not bad in small doses, but I wouldn't tackle a lot of it at once.

Rating
7.7/10

Tree House That's What She Said

The Stats
Style: Milk Stout
ABV: 5.60%
Current Beer Advocate Rating: 4.16/5

Our last trip to Tree House this week ends with "That's What She Said" a 5.60% milk stout. After having the Double Shot earlier this week, I'm curious to see how a lighter, sweet stout holds up against it.

Pours nearly pitch black, maybe an extremely dark brown. It gave off a considerable, khaki head that nearly spilled over the top of my glass.

A huge roasty aroma greets you on the nose. Following that is a light milk chocolate and lactose.

I wouldn't necessarily call the first sip akin to roasted coffee. Instead, it's more smokey than roasty. It's pretty flavorful for the style with hints of chocolate and dark roast coffee. The lactose gives it a smooth mouthfeel and takes away a lot of the bitterness of most beers associated with the style. At 5.60%, it drinks bigger than it should be, but remains an easy-drinking experience.

Most milk stouts tend to be watered down with an unpleasant lactose sugar aftertaste, but That's What She Said has emerged as one of the best of the style. It's surprisingly robust for a milk stout and thanks to it's 5.60% abv, it remains drinkable while containing plenty of tongue-pleasing, cofee and chocolate flavors.

Rating
8.8/10