*Pairs well with An arcade game; a game to kill time with.

Welcome to another craft beer review for Games And A Glass! This week I am reviewing a beer, provided by my coworker, from Tree House Brewing Company, located in Charlton, Massachusetts. Their beer for this week will be their Bear, an American Brown  Ale. But of course before going into the review, let’s talk about Tree House Brewing.

It took some time to find some info on Tree House Brewing, but I found the right page and what they’re about is fun and interesting!

“Passion.  Friendship.  Beer.

Tree House Brewing Co. is a brewery located in a small red barn overlooking the Pioneer Valley in Monson, Massachusetts.  We create articulate and flavorful ales that contribute character and finesse to the burgeoning local movement – ales inspired by a deep respect and awe for the landscape surrounding us.  We think great beer can enrich lives in countless ways.  We think the good life is about the experiences you have and the friends you laugh with.

We have a humble retail shop located at 160 East Hill Road in Monson, Massachusetts.  We offer retail sales of our beer to go in refillable swing-top bottles along with small tasting flights.  We have peanuts.  They are salty and delicious and free.

I have a great joke to make about Dean right now but I know how sensitive he is.   But I digress.  We love a good story and we love beer even more so stop by one Saturday and introduce yourself.  We are open from 11 AM to 6 PM. . .  also Thursday & Friday from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM!”

Their notes provided for Bear, provided on an archived page, reads:

“Bear is Tree House brewer Brendan’s recipe and his first scaled commercial beer. It has all the characteristics of a classic English Brown Ale with a distinct American twist.  Bear pours a nearly opaque dark brown with a sticky caramel colored head.  Aromas of toffee, caramel, chocolate, and earthy hops prep the palate for the wonderful flavor to come. We taste toffee, brown bread, caramel candy, varied nuttiness, and a melange of dark fruit. The earthy hops dance throughout and are balanced beautifully by a brown sugar sweetness.  Delicious. Bear is one of the best food beers we have ever had – it pairs brilliantly with nearly everything… including nothing!  A lovely and unique example of a brown ale.  Brewed in honor of those who leave a lasting and influential impression on our lives.”

And now onto my thoughts!

Nose: Immediately, I get heavy notes of coffee that rounds out with a chocolate finish. It leads me to believe this could be a tasty beer. Its dark brown color suggests it will have a complex combination of some kind of coffee and chocolate. I think it could work well, because I like a darker beer that has a balance of smells and flavors, lead by coffee and some kind of chocolate, caramel or sweetness on the back end.

Palate: Right off the bat, I get a significant taste of unsweetened, or bitter coffee. In my experience with dark beers, the coffee is usually less bitter so this isn’t something I’m used to. Unfortunately this bitterness dominates the beer, and I’m finding myself disappointed in the lack of other flavors. I was hoping the chocolate would have some kind of role in the taste, but the unsweetened coffee lingers on the tongue and it doesn’t leave room for other flavors.

Overall: I wished this beer didn’t feature the coffee so much. To me, it smells better than it tastes, and while I can appreciate the bitter coffee, I ultimately wanted something to balance it out. This beer definitely has its crowd, though, because someone who likes this style of beer or this flavor profile will probably enjoy this beer. A coffee beer fan will appreciate this more than I did.

I’d like to thank you for reading my craft beer review. If there’s ever a craft beer you’d recommend I try and/or review, please let me know and I will try, to the best of my ability, to acquire it! And remember, like a fine alcoholic beverage or a memorable video game, please enjoy in moderation.