Tree House Force
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Tasting Notes
Force pours with the hazy, pillowy body typical of Tree House's house style, and the aroma leans heavily into tropical fruit — think ripe mango, passion fruit, and a low hum of citrus zest. On the palate, the hops are juicy rather than bitter, with a soft, rounded mouthfeel that comes from heavy dry-hopping and the brewery's characteristically silky water profile. Bitterness stays restrained through the finish, which trails off with a faint sweetness and just enough resinous hop character to remind you this is still a serious IPA. The 7.5% ABV is present but well-integrated, never hot.
About the Brewery
Tree House Brewing is based in Charlton, Massachusetts, and has built one of the most dedicated followings in American craft beer since opening in 2011. They're closely associated with the New England IPA style — arguably among the breweries that defined its modern form — and their releases regularly draw long lines at their farm-based taproom. Their lineup centers on hop-forward ales, with Julius being their flagship, and they've maintained a reputation for consistency and quality that's unusual at their volume.
Food Pairings
The beer's tropical, low-bitterness hop profile works well with spicy Thai or Vietnamese dishes, where the fruit-forward character cools heat without clashing. A simple roast chicken lets the beer's soft malt backbone come forward without competition. Aged cheddar or Gruyère provides a savory, nutty contrast to the juicy hops. Fish tacos with mango salsa mirror the beer's tropical notes in a complementary rather than competing way. Buttery, lightly salted popcorn is a low-key pairing that lets the hop aroma do the heavy lifting.
Style Guide
New England IPA — sometimes called hazy IPA or NEIPA — is defined by its deliberately cloudy appearance, soft mouthfeel, and hop character that skews toward tropical and stone fruit rather than the piney, resinous bitterness of West Coast IPAs. The style emerged from New England breweries in the mid-2010s, with Vermont's The Alchemist and Massachusetts brewers among its key popularizers. Where a West Coast IPA prioritizes dry bitterness and clarity, a NEIPA leans on late and dry-hop additions for aroma and flavor, with lower perceived bitterness and a fuller, rounder body. ABVs typically range from around 6% to 8%.