I decided to bookend my week of Tree House beers with another Green beer, this time the American IPA Green. There is no doubting the traditional juiciness of a Tree House IPA is present but there is certainly a more pronounced bitterness. It doesn’t detract from the drinkability like some hops bombs but it is a noticeable difference.
What surprises me most about this beer is the first word I have written in my notebook from when I last had this beer, resin & grapefruit. Most people associate Tree House with juicy tasting profiles. The citrus flavor of this beer comes second to the hoppy-ness. This IPA is a great blend of citrus and pine. I am much more a fan of fruity, juicy IPAs than bitter earthy ones but when combined correctly that extra complexity is really what makes IPAs so much fun to try.
This beer is done right, it’s smooth from start to finish and gets a 4.60 out of 5.
Cracking open one of these cans is like entering a citrus orchard. The level of hops and citrus you get is absurd. In my tasting notes I wrote oranges, tangerines and pineapples. Poured into a tulip glass it appears cloudy golden and has a thick white head that lasts. The mouth feel is surprisingly light and nicely carbonated. The heavy, almost sweet, aroma carries into the taste along with some additional notes. I tasted bitter orange zest, pineapple and a slightly piny at the end.
This is a luscious brew. Of all the beers I’ve tried from Tree House this one seems the most luxurious. It’s rich with dank fruity goodness. Pungent sweet tropical and stone fruits come to mind, think nectarines and peaches. The smell is juicy as expected with a touch of bitter grapefruit and a floral, pine aroma that is just enough to make sure you know this is a IPA. It pours a cloudy pale yellow and lives up to its name. Julius (Link to previous post) may be the beer that really put Tree House on the map but Haze is what sets them apart. The mouth feel is silky smooth but the amount of flavor that has been packed into this beer is awesome. As with the way it smells Haze tastes of tropical fruits like pineapple and passion fruit with a faint dry finish.
My second beer from my Tree House Brewing haul is Sap. Having had several Tree House beers I think I can safely say this is the least Tree House-y beer I’ve had from them. It verges into traditional American West Coast IPA territory. It’s still hazy but there is more of a pine, resin presence and it’s a dryer less juicy beer. This is not to say the traditional Tree House juice forward flavors are missing they just aren’t as pronounced. It pours a tight white head that dissipates quickly leaving a lite lacing of little bubbles around the side of the glass. The color is a hazy pale yellow. My nose picked up hints of tropical fruits like pineapple, and sweet mango with a clear presence of earthy pine.
