They say don't meet your heroes, but sometimes that statement doesn't follow through. Also, when…read moreyou're talking about a brewery, perhaps the statement doesn't match up correctly. What I'm trying to get at here is Tree House Brewing Company, for any avid beer drinker who knows their stuff, lives up to all the hype and wonder that it is. My wife and I visited Tree House last weekend and had a fantastic time. I'm just sad it's over. Can we go back? Now?
First, I gotta give the wife a shoutout because it was her idea to swing up to the OG spot of Tree House in Charlton, MA when we were going to be near-ish by. Between not being a beer drinker and also being currently pregnant, my wife normally has minimal drink options at a place that makes its name in alcohol, but Tree House is all encompassing when it comes to liquid love. Beer, spirits, seltzers, sodas, and coffee can be found here all under the moniker of Tree House. Plus this place is so massively wonderful in seating indoors and outside that it can be a place to take a few small cherubs as you partake in the wonder of it all. Something to note for the future.
The true wonder for me comes in two waves. Wave 1 is just the sheer amount of beers available from Tree House right on tap. Two bars split you up between the go-to IPAs and stouts while the other bar has more traditional lager and beer options. There aren't flights at Tree House, but no staff member (all were so friendly and welcoming) will stop you from tasting a whole bunch of brews before landing on your full pour. Wave 2 is the can ordering and pick-up. If you're like me, when you catch Tree House cans around the area at a beer distributor, it can be like seeing a unicorn. You grab them and you'll pay any price to obtain a few because you know how coveted they are and how tasty they're going to be. If you're not aware of this, it might amaze you to watch people take handcarts full of beer off to their car. For the selection and price, this is a must...well, I got 20 cans (and some coffee cans too) so maybe not a full handcart for me, but it's so tempting to not want to.
Beyond those waves of wonder you'll just find everything you want at a brewery and more. Tree House swag runs rampant and you could easily walk out with Tree House garb from head to toe via shirts, stickers, keychains and stemware. As mentioned, the setup is so stellar with Adirondack chairs spread around overlooking the whole Tree House campus. Nothin' is better than that, except maybe their pizza. Come during the week and you can experience some really stellar slices at their slice shop. This is apparently closed on the weekends, but food trucks take their place so you'll definitely still find some grub to offset the hops. You'll win at Tree House no matter what.
Overall, Tree House Brewing Company is everything you hope to get from a brewery with aspects you might not even expect. I mean, I probably should mention I came on a Friday right at opening and experienced all of this wonderment early on so perhaps, as some report, later on a Friday evening or a weekend day might result in a more crowded feel, but I'll vouch for a during the week trip if you can make it happen. Because once you stroll up and get a whiff of what is being brewed inside of Tree House, you'll know it truly is your beer hero...even if it's not a person.