It's hard to describe that first sip of Tree House Beer. It's something I'd been waiting for for months so my expectations were high. Maybe it was all of the hype surrounding the beer, I'm sure the building anticipation influenced my senses a bit, but damn if that first sip wasn't one of the best beers I've tasted. The only similar experience I can remember was my first time trying Heady Topper from Alchemist Brewing. There's nothing so inherently different about these beers, they just taste so "fresh." That's the only way I can think to describe it. As soon as you open the can, Julius is bursting with a floral aroma packed with citrus notes chased by an equally complex and juicy first sip that packs a punch of tropical flavors. I'm already trying to figure out the next day I can get away to Monson, Massachusetts to grab another stash!

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So, we drank our beers, ate our BBQ, and got back on the road home. Maybe it was the exhaustion of the day, but the trip home felt much longer than the drive there. We also hit a fair amount of traffic heading back towards New York which didn't help, and we had one pit stop to make along the way. Wanting to take some killer photos of our newly acquired beer, I scoped out a waterfront park on the drive back that was just off the interstate. After stopping, we spent 10-15 minutes taking pictures, but then hung around a while to walk on the beach and watch the sunset. It was here that we looked back on the trip and asked the most important question of the day. "Was it worth it?"