A Winter’s Respite

The holy night is startled by crackling in the dark as he makes his way like a cannonball, tunneling through the trees. Moonlight spills onto his path, still smoldering from his route, where littered twigs of powder blue stick straight as hackled quills.

That knocking sound, like bone on bone—his horns dragging beneath the branches. That threshing note of silver—his robe of chains masking cloven steps. His gait is slow and weary from doling righteous blows, the dirty work of saints relentless as the cold. Peeking through the window whose fog is frozen stiff, the winter chill trapped within, steaming from his breath. His burden rests where flames are stoked, his deeds engraved above. A Winter's Respite, warm at last, filled within his cup.

Brewed in Massachusetts by Tree House Brewing Company

A Winter's Respite is a barrel-aged Barleywine crafted for a much-needed rest amidst the coldest stretch of the year. Inspired by the mulled wines of the Nordic region known as Glögg, we used a blend of fruit and spices to accompany the complex notes from specially selected barrels.

The barrels we procured had first been filled with fresh sherry in 1997, where it aged until 2017. Once emptied, the barrels were then refilled with a striking vintage of sherry from 1948. Beyond the incredible flavors and aromas that were immediately apparent from these vintages, the opportunity to add a thread of our own story to these history-steeped barrels was a reflective and magical endeavor. 

We also added a portion of Barleywine to the final blend that was aged in second-use chocolate bitters barrels to further enrich the already complex notes imparted by the sherry.

Finally, once moved from oak to steel, we conditioned it on sweet orange peel, clove, ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla beans. The result is a dark amber-colored Barleywine with sweet aromas of toffee and oak that meld with notes of chocolate-covered almonds, sweet grape, mellow winter spices, and cozy mulled wine. We imagine drinking this singular ale when the hubbub has subsided and we can steal a moment of rest for ourselves.

Barleywine Ale with orange, clove, ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla beans, 15.2%