The Next Draft

THE NEXT DRAFT Tree House will reopen taproom, bar ... soon

Brewery shows prudence in measured approach to reopening

Tree House Brewing in Charlton will open when it’s good and ready.

MATTHEW TOTA

After some exhaustive reporting, I have determined when

Tree House Brewing Co.

will resume draft pours and dust off its fleet of cozy Adirondack chairs.

Get ready.

Charlton’s brewery on a hill will reopen its bar and outdoor oasis to the public when … founders Dean Rohan, Nate Lanier, and Damien Goudreau deem it safe enough to do so, for their thousands of customers and 125 employees.

If this wasn’t the earthshattering reveal you hoped for, I apologize. I intended for my column this week to offer valuable insight into Tree House’s plans for reopening to the public.

The unfortunate truth is I’ve never had much luck reaching Tree House for comment. I’m not sure why I assumed this time would be different, especially when inquiring about one of the most important updates it has ever given, perhaps second only to when it announced plans for the Charlton brewery.

I get it, though. Tree House’s founders want complete control over its story and don’t want to worry about some local beer scribe botching the narrative’s crucial details.

I’m not mad. Actually, I’ve always respected Tree House’s leaders for how they immerse themselves in every aspect of their phenomenal brewery, even the most menial things, like Lanier taking all the photos for their website and social media accounts or when Rohan used to man the cash register in Monson and ring a cow bell every time you left a tip. That’s a big reason why Tree House is among the greatest breweries in the world.

And I’m not here to whine over missing out on another Tree House exclusive; it’s probably karma because I took home a growler of Good Morning on my first visit to Monson. I also won’t bore you with speculation on when Tree House will return to usual can and draft sales.

Instead, I want to praise Tree House’s founders for their reservation and prudence, for understanding that they operate one of the most popular beer destinations in the country and for not rushing to

FILE PHOTO/CHRISTINE PETERSON

reopen amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. Imagine the line with social distancing? It would snake down the hill into Route 20.

From the start of the outbreak, Tree House has been extremely cautious and willing to change up in the name of safety. Well before breweries, bars and restaurants were ordered closed, Tree House took extreme steps to mitigate any potential for the virus to spread, erecting makeshift barriers for can sales and asking customers to bring their own pens to fill in their can orders.

Rohan, Lanier, and Goudreau have treated their employees as family members. The brewery closed indefinitely on March 15, but they pledged to continue paying all 125 members of their staff and forgo their own paychecks.

In announcing the closure, Lanier wrote a letter to customers, thanking them and laying out in detail the brewery’s reasons for shutting down.

“The pain of having a cooler full of the most excellent beer we have ever made and a production team that is singing as it has never sung before—a team that has worked virtually unabated for eight straight years, at time padding the greatest depths of the human spirit to arrive at this point—makes this decision immensely difficult in a way that is beyond articulation,” he wrote. “We know many people reading this are facing the same decision—one we never expected to face — and our hearts are with you. We find solace in knowing wholeheartedly that we are doing the right thing and at the right moment.”

We next heard from Tree House when it launched its contactless pick-up system, which it has been refining and expanding ever since. The brewery has never struggled to sell beer, so there was little doubt that it could run an overwhelmingly successful online can shop.

Tree House could likely keep its taproom closed forever and thrive from online sales alone. As I said before, I know nothing of Rohan, Lanier, and Goudreau’s plans. Still, I’m confident they would dismiss that scenario out of hand. They care more about the Tree House community than they do the brewery’s bottom line. And I bet they feel a profound hurt every time they see the bar and pavilion empty.

We’ll be back at Tree House sooner than later, with a stamp on one hand and a plastic cup of peach Haze or that tantalizing Oreo version of I Will Not Be Afraid or some other exclusive draft pour.

Until then, we can take heart in the brewery’s relentless efforts to churn out fresh, stellar beer and how its founders have always thought globally and passionately about their next move.

“We miss you dearly but please know we are laying low at the moment and finding new vigor & inspiration in our work,” Lanier wrote in one of Tree House’s latest tweets. “We believe these efforts are showing, especially in our core beers & classic styles.”

Draft Notes

The Boston Celtics last week announced their latest roster signing: a 9-year-old brewery out of Framingham.

Jack’s Abby and the Celtics have entered into a unique four-year partnership that will include a new beer collaboration. It’s the first time a major Boston sports team has worked directly with a small brewery, including allowing use of the Celtics’ official team logo. (I don’t count the Boston Beer Co.-Red Sox partnership).

Jack’s Abby will brew a hoppy lager dubbed “Pride and Parquet” in honor of the Boston Garden’s famous floor. The cans will come in two colors, white and green, for the Celtics’ home and away jerseys.

Pride and Parquet will be released at the start of next season.