Pretty Things Baby Tree

There are many reasons to love quality beer including the diverse flavor profiles, sharing bottles with friends, the excitement in finding something new and delicious and the great memories that come rushing back with the first sip of an old favorite. That last one is a big reason that I was so disappointed to hear that Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project was closing. Jack D’Or will always be a special beer for me, I was anti-Belgian beer styles for years (didn’t like the first few I tried, needed to develop a taste for the estery yeast) and that was the beer that changed my mind. The review that convinced me to try Jack D’Or, and the subsequent exploration of Belgian styles was a turning point that eventually led to the start of this blog. Meadowlark also brings back a number of memories. My wife and I started planning our wedding over pints of Meadowlark at Sunset Cantina after a Red Sox game, a memory that we discussed while we shared one of our final bottles last week. I will also always remember my first taste of Pretty Things Baby Tree, a friend shared a bottle with me and I was blown away by the complexity and how easy it was to drink. At that point I was trying beers at random, just grabbing things off the shelf. Baby Tree convinced me to do more research about breweries and the beers they produced, and made any beer produced by Pretty Things a must-buy. Baby Tree is a Belgian style quadruple and was one of Pretty Things year-round flagship beers. I highly recommend buying some if you still find it around, I have a number of bottles aging and I might need some more.

Pretty Things Baby Tree pours a deep amber with a mild off-white head. The scent is a mixture of fruity Belgian style yeast and some rich malt. The beer is very smooth and well balanced, no one part dominates the flavor. The expressive yeast contributes notes of apple, apricot and pear. The malts add touches of raisin, date, caramel, honey and just a hint of booze. The hops are minimal, just enough to keep the beer from being too sweet. Baby Tree is full bodied but drinks very easy for 9% ABV. The finish is clean with a little lingering fruity yeast and malt. Baby Tree is an amazing example of a Belgian quadruple, tons of flavor but not overdone, easily one of my favorite takes on the style. Hoppy Boston score: 4.75/5.

Previous Pretty Things Reviews:

Pretty Things East Kent Saison, Pretty Things Babayaga, BREWERY OVERVIEW, Pretty Things Jack D’Or, Pretty Things Lovely Saint Winefride, Pretty Things Bocky Bier, Pretty Things/Naparbier There’s No Place Like There, Pretty Things Grampus, Pretty Things Barbapapa, Pretty Things Meadowlark, Pretty Things/Yeastie Boys Our Turn, Your Turn.