Tree House Distillery

Kort om destilleriet

Tree House Distillery is the mash-to-bottle part of the well-known Tree House universe in Charlton, Massachusetts. The distillery combines local, often organic grains and fruits from its own fields with input from the brewery- and coffeehouse's expertise. The result is a program of rotating spirits — from eau de vie and liqueurs to rum, vodka and an ambitious bourbon and whiskey program — prioritizing ingredient integrity and creative craftsmanship.

Historie

Tree House began as a small brewery in 2011 and has grown into an organization with multiple facilities, where the primary brewing, coffee, and distillery activities are consolidated in Charlton, Massachusetts. With the aim of bringing the same uncompromising approach from brewing and the roastery into spirit production, Tree House Distillery was established as a mash-to-bottle program. John Charles Britton leads the work; he came via an apprenticeship at St. George Spirits and the role of head distiller at Ann Arbor Distilling, combining technical prowess with hospitality-industry experience. Among early highlights is his Cherry Eau De Vie, which won Double Gold at a San Francisco spirits competition. The ongoing development of the program draws on farm ingredients, in-house coffee, and a wealth of experimental techniques.

Råvarer og produktion

The production philosophy in Charlton is clear: everything is distilled from its own mash, without the use of purchased neutral spirits. The base mashes consist mainly of corn, wheat, rye, and barley, many of which are organically grown and malted in New England (including malt from Valley Malt in Hadley). Yellow dent corn for the bourbon program is grown in northern Connecticut, and the majority of the fruit for eau de vie comes from Tree House’s own farm in Connecticut. In-house coffee roastery enables precise roasts and infusions, such as the custom-malted Kola liqueur, where roasted and chocolate malts are used in the mash before distillation to create a chocolate-forward profile. Fermentations range from very clean to characterful ferments to build estery complexity; for rum, a Jamaican stillage solera practice is used, wherein return material (dunder) is incorporated into subsequent fermentations to build depth and fruity-ester character.

Modning og fadtyper

Maturation occurs in a range of barrels and vessels with a focus on iteration and experimentation. Examples mention the use of third-pass bourbon-barleywine casks for apple brandy, as well as a solera approach in a foudre for a barley port, where occasionally it is tapped and refilled over the years. Tree House also plans to let spent bourbon barrels from the bourbon program find a new use as vessels for barrel-aged beer, creating a cycle between brewing and distillation.

Whiskyer

The portfolio is intentionally rotating: flagship categories include rum, vodka, liqueur, gin, seasonal eau de vie vintages, and whiskey. The program includes both fruit brandy vintages from the farm’s harvest, specialized liqueurs such as Kola made from a custom-malted mash, and longer-term projects like bourbon and solera-aged products. Many releases will be natural-driven and ingredient-focused rather than standardized bulk product lines, reflecting the distillery's experimental profile.

Whiskyernes stil og smagsprofil

Flavor expressions run the gamut: fruitiness from apples and berries dominates in eau de vie variants, a clear chocolate- and malt-character is highlighted in the Kola liqueur through custom-malted roasted and chocolate malt, and estery complexity is a throughline aim, especially in the rum where a stillage-solera practice consciously builds such aromas. Additionally, there are smoky elements in some single malt projects that use smoked coffee chaff.

Besøg destilleriet

Spirits and canned cocktails can be purchased at all Tree House locations in Massachusetts, and the Charlton Main Bar offers a rotating selection of frozen cocktails based on the distillery’s offerings. Tree House taprooms are open without restrictions; for Charlton the hours are Monday–Saturday 11:00–21:00 and Sunday 12:00–20:00. General visiting rules include first-come, first-served seating in taprooms and family-friendly policies; there is no requirement to reserve for ordinary taproom seating.

The stated opening hours are Charlton taproom hours: Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm; Sunday 12pm-8pm. Taproom seating is first-come, first-served; no reservation for ordinary seating.

Filosofi og håndværk

Tree House Distillery is built on a field-to-glass and mash-to-bottle principle: local, often organic raw materials, internal malt and coffee supply, and an uncompromising flavor standard. The work is characterized by patience, creative experimentation, and close integration between farm, brewery, and roastery to promote unique, ingredient-driven spirits.

Priser og anerkendelser

• Double Gold (Double Gold, Cherry Eau De Vie)