Lone Tree Brewing Vanilla Caramel Amber combines flavors that, while a seemingly natural pairing, is a relatively rare one in the beer world. According to Lone Tree co-owner John Winter, few other breweries use these flavors in combination.

“It’s in a category all by itself for the most part,” Winter says. “I don’t see things that even come close to this out in the marketplace.”

Comfort Beer

At first glance the beer comes across as a typical amber, with a coppery-orange color and a solid head. Likewise, the scent carries malty and lightly sweet notes. However the serious vanilla aroma sets it apart, inviting further exploration.

Drinking the beer really differentiates it from the pack of plain old ambers. The vanilla pops on the palate and blends with the malty, sweet caramel flavors. There are also noticeable biscuit, cracker and bitter notes that help provide structure beneath the softer vanilla and caramel.

The overall combination gives a very rich, supple sensation. It feels like a comfort beer, similar to wrapping yourself in a warm blanket to sit outside and enjoy the fall chill.

“It’s not super-sweet,” says co-owner Jerry Siote. “There’s lactose in there to round out some sweetness. I think it’s highly drinkable.” He adds: “I think vanilla plays well in any maltier style … it rounds out a lot of the other flavors.”

Its All About the Vanilla

Vanilla is clearly the key element tying the beer together from beginning to end. According to Siote, Lone Tree uses an entire kilo of Madagascar vanilla powder in each 40-barrel batch. The brewery switched from whole beans to powder to ensure a consistent and predictable flavor profile from year to year. The brewery also adds lactose to the boil to soften the flavors even more.

While the vanilla flavor is clear-cut, drinkers often become confused by the caramel. “We have gotten a few reviews saying, ‘You guys need to put more caramel into it,’” says Winter with a laugh. He explains that there is no caramel in the beer. “This is all natural. It’s just from the grains.”

Winter and the brew team have worked to perfect his original caramel-forward homebrew recipe by experimenting with various grain bills. According to Siote, the current grain bill uses two-row Crystal malt with a little flaked wheat.

A Brewer in a Candy Store

While today’s Lone Tree Vanilla Caramel Amber recipe has enjoyed a decade-long run at the brewery, the idea originated many years earlier in a candy store. Winter explains: “I went into a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store and I saw caramel with vanilla and I thought, ‘Huh, that might be interesting to throw some Madagascar vanilla beans in there. I’ve never tried using those before.’”

These days, Lone Tree produces the brew seasonally from now through the spring. However according to Winter, some Lone Tree customers can’t get enough. “We get customers who will buy four and five cases at the beginning of April so that they can last through the summer.”

Lone Tree Brewing Vanilla Caramel Amber is on tap at both the Lone Tree and Parker, Colorado, taprooms. It’s also available in six-packs at both taprooms and at liquor stores. For those planning to attend the upcoming Great American Beer Festival, Lone Tree will be pouring Vanilla Caramel Amber there as well.

Feature image credit: Scott Grossman

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