Tree House Brewing Co: Visiting Tips

It’s been a good many years since we visited Tree House Brewing Co. In fact, the last time we did make the trek to get those tasty beers, the brewery was located in Monson, Massachusetts. And, how can we forget waiting 5 hours to get our growlers filled?

Fast forward to present day, and the brewery has grown beyond belief in their huge Charleton facility. It was about time that we checked it out for ourselves. We were hoping and praying that there wouldn’t be long lines.

We heeded the advice of those who visit Tree House Brewing regularly. Plus, we kept up to date on the brewery’s social media posts + website for updates closer to our trip. So we were well prepared.

As we rolled up to the brewery “campus” (because is has a few different parking lots) in the late afternoon, we grinned from ear to ear as we found a parking spot close to the entrance. Then we walked inside to see just 5 people ahead of us ordering Tree House Brewing cans. Eeek!

Will this happen each visit? Maybe not. But we have some helpful tips, notes on what to expect and some sneak peek pics of the interior for planning your Tree House Brewing Co. visit.

Preparing For Your Visit

Figure out what day of the week you want to go. We recommend that if you want to avoid super long lines, it DOES matter what day or what time of day you arrive. Monday – Thursday tends to be less busy. Also, don’t feel like you have to line up outside before they open. There’s plenty of beer to go around.

Want to drink AT Tree House Brewing? Again, which day you choose to visit DOES matter. Here’s your cheatsheet of the days the bar is open and when it’s not: Monday: 4-8pm Cans & Draft (last call for pints is 7:30pm) Tuesday: 2-8pm Cans & Draft Wednesday: 12-8pm ! Cans Only ! Thursday: 12-8pm ! Cans Only ! Friday: 12-8pm ! Cans Only ! Saturday: 11-9pm Cans & Draft (last call for pints is 8:30pm) Sunday: 12-6pm ! Cans Only !

NOTE: We visited on Thursday afternoon at 4:30pm and knew the bar wouldn’t be open. EXCEPT we got lucky. That day Tree House Brewing Co. made special beers for a beer garden event in Boston. But the forecast changed to rain and the event was cancelled. So to our delight, Tree House opened their taproom bar and served those special beers + some classics. There were like 20 beers on tap.

Again, which day you choose to visit DOES matter. Here’s your cheatsheet of the days the bar is open and when it’s not:

Keep Up with Can/Bottle Availability & Make a Wishlist. Tree House Brewing’s website will tell you what’s on tap, can/bottle availability as well as beer descriptions. There’s also a Facebook Group that you can join to keep tabs on things. Plus, you can follow their Twitter feed to see what’s available, when things sell out, surprise taproom bar openings, etc.

Set a Budget! Please take this seriously. Or you’ll be wheeling out 10 cases of beer in the excited frenzy of ordering. At $4-$5 per can, that’s a hefty credit card charge. I mean, if that’s your budget, then cool. But if you’re like most people, you’re not looking to spend $1,000+ at 1 brewery.

Figure out Fridge Space for when you Come Home. This will also help you figure out how much to buy at your Tree House Brewing visit. Almost all the beer you’ll buy there needs to be kept cold. Which brings us to our next point…

Take Coolers to Keep Your Beer Cold. We were gone for a few days and knew we’d hit several breweries. So we figured out how many cans we could put in each of our coolers. COOLERS, plural! We also bought bags of ice each day to keep our beer chilled since we didn’t have a fridge to use where we were staying.

While at Tree House Brewing

Wear Comfortable Clothes & Shoes if you’re going on a busy day that will inevitably have a line at both the taproom bar and To Go beer line. While the lines tend to keep moving, there can be very long lines on Saturday when Tree House Brewing opens. Ladies, your feet will thank you later if you leave them heels at home. (wink)

Parking Can Be Tricky! On busier days, it will be hard to find a parking spot. And, you may have to park in the lower lot and walk up the hill to the brewery. Sometimes they run shuttles from that lower lot but don’t rely on it. See above tip.

Dress Appropriate to the Weather. Lines can extend outside the brewery and along the parking lot. I’ve seen pics of hundreds of people in line. Be prepared.

Carts are Available to Haul Your Beer to Your Car. There are several on hand. But with how busy it can get, you might want to consider bringing your own cart if you plan to purchase several cases. We have a folding cart that continues to pay for itself!

Have Your ID ready! You will be carded in either line. Don’t wait until you get to the front of the line to dig it out. Plus, everyone with you will have to show ID.

Get in the Right Line. There are 2 lines: 1 for To Go Beer (to the right) and 1 for the Taproom Bar (to the left) – if the bar is open on the day you visit.

Drink Limits are a Thing. 2 drink tickets per person can be purchased to use at the taproom bar. That is all. Don’t argue. Just accept it.

Know What Beer You Want to Order at the Taproom Bar. Don’t wait until you get to the bar to figure it out. Several tap lists are printed and on display throughout the taproom. Or you can look at their taplist webpage on your smartphone.

Leave Your Growlers at Home. We had hoped that by now, this policy would change. But we understand how filling growlers will create a serious backlog for the taproom bar line.

Food can be purchased when a food truck is on the premise. Be sure to check out the schedule on Tree House Brewing’s website.

A Peek Inside Tree House Brewing