Tree House Brewing Co. Bought a Farm in Woodstock: Go...Drink Some Cider

Ahh! Remember the good old days when standing in long lines at breweries was something people actually did?

Me too. And thinking back on it now, and despite making snobby craft beer small talk, that legitimately sucked. What were we thinking? I’ve even heard tales about people sleeping on the street overnight just to get stouts at Other Half.

A quieter, different Tree House tasting room experience awaits you in Woodstock.

While driving to the farm through Woodstock, you might find it hard to believe that ANYTHING could be out here.

Perhaps the undisputed king of waiting in a beer line took place in the first half of the 2010s when Tree House Brewing Company moved to Monson, Massachusetts in 2013 and you hoped with all you had in your soul that you could get a growler fill or even a couple cans of Julius, Haze, or Green. IYKYK.

Hell, let’s take it even further to the days of making your non-beer drinking friend, mother, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, and possibly someone you didn’t even really like that much to go up with you, stand in line behind you, and you could potentially double your allotted Tree House haul.

Well, friends, aren’t we glad that’s over?!

Much like Tree House’s other taprooms, your pours are limited to usually three. Order your on premise drinks ahead of time (they act as your reservation), check in when you arrive, and they’ll slap an admission bracelet on you, give you whichever cider or beer for your first pour, and hand you your remaining two drink tickets. Pretty easy.

Besides hunks of cheese, some crackers, and cured meat, that’s about all there is for food. You are welcome to bring your own.

Ever since Tree House expanded to their magnificently gorgeous brewery in Charlon in 2017—which was the beginning of their growth—little by little those lines dissipated and you probably didn’t have to beg that one guy at a party who whipped out a can of Julius in front of everything to claim beer supremacy if you “CoUlD pLeAsE hAvE a LiTtle TaSte!!!”

Following Tree House’s Charlton campus were openings of two more facilities in Deerfield, Sandwich (on Cape Cod), plus another in Tewksbury in 2022 and in 2024, they should have a new addition in Saratoga Springs, NY.

And you’re more than welcome to walk around the farm. You might find some friends.

But…in the midst of all of that, Tree House bought a 100-acre farm right here in Connecticut, Woodstock to be precise, in 2019.

Thanks for bearing with me on this one. We’re here, and that’s what matters.

So, Woodstock. I recently made the drive up with my friend, Rob, and in my circle, I think we’re the only two people that have been. In fact, I haven’t even heard anyone talk about it. And yeah, it’s a hike from Fairfield County, around two hours for us, but let me tell ya, friends, it’s worth the pilgrimage.

But stop right there! If you’re looking for a beer heavy experience like Tree House’s other taprooms, this isn’t it.

Show up on the right day, and you might get to watch them press apples in this vintage press.

Or be a witness to a parking lot filled with Ford Broncos…it was a Facebook meetup group.

First off, this one’s cider-focused, and when they first began serving pours, it was all hard cider. They’ve since added Woodstock exclusive beers—think pilsners, pale ales, and we saw an IPA, a brown ale, a hefeweizen, and a milk stout, but don’t let that stop you from trying the cider. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Now, keep in mind, this is a different, quieter, farmy (not a word, but you get it) experience. You’re welcome to walk around the farm, grab an Adirondack chair by the pond, and maybe even nod off. I almost did, especially after a couple ciders on a mid-70s spring day.

Beer! Cider! Cheese! Eggs! That’s not the usual Tree House to-go order, but I am here for it.

What you’ll discover, cider wise, is everything from their standard Vibrant Apple—a good starter cider that’s semi-sweet, crisp, and refreshing on a warm day—to herbal, floral ciders, and even a few barrel aged quaffs, one that rested in bourbon barrels, and another sat in barrels that once contained orange bitters. The latter sipped like a wine with citrus and herbal notes really shining through. It’s a sneaky one, so sip this one slower than the Vibrant Apple or the peacefulness of the farm when paired with “Bitters” may cause you to drift away to dreamland. Actually…Go ahead. You deserve it.  

Besides growing the apples on location for their ciders, Tree House is growing a whole lot more. Raspberries, gooseberries, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, pears, plums, and a bunch I’m probably leaving out. They’re also growing vegetables, they have egg laying chickens, and they’re selling their own coffee (just like all the locations do) and locally made cheeses and cured meats. And best believe they’re planning to, and already using, some of those stone fruits in their oak aged ciders.

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The way it all works is similar to Tree House’s other breweries: you purchase your draft tickets (usually a limit of three pours per person) and your to-go order ahead of time, just to be safe. On this particular day, though, it was less crowded, so we approached the bar and did our to-go ciders and beers on the spot and not through Apple Pay. If I had one tip to offer you, even though we probably could have snagged our draft tickets upon arrival, it’s best to at least do that before you get there. Your draft tickets act as your reservation, as Tree House is all about providing you with a low stress, low maintenance, chill visit.

And if you still have a hankering for their flagship juicy IPAs, I’m certain that alongside the cider, a handful of Woodstock exclusive beers, and farm fresh fare, there’s a good chance you’ll find four-packs of those orange, purple, and green cans respectively. You won’t even have to wait in line.

54 Joy Road, Woodstock
treehousebrew.com/farm