Wee Heavy - Belhaven Brewery Company Ltd.

BeerAdvocate

Massachusetts

4.38/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Presentation: Impressive wide 500ml brown bottle with raised lettering, "Belhaven est. 1719." Old Scottish Lion on the label, with a big dull gold "Wee Heavy."

Appearance: Dark crimson with an off-white chunky head that retains.

Smell: Earthy dark malt aroma, with wood in the back.

Taste: Rich fruit flavours, like spirit soaked raisins. A note of spicy bitterness is overtaken by a true smoked flavour that permeates the mouth entirely.

Notes: A delicious Scottish Ale with depths of flavour. Indulge and spend the $3+.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-1998 00:00:01 | More by BeerAdvocate

pin

Australia

3/5  rDev -26.1%

05-21-2013 22:32:45 | More by pin

JackRB

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

05-19-2013 02:21:59 | More by JackRB

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%

05-16-2013 11:30:05 | More by Slatetank

BenLikesBeer

California

4.03/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Well, color me shocked, really - this beer is wonderful. And that surprise is of course, I admit, due to ignorance; after attempting to study a collection of British Isle beers and being consistently underwhelmed, I dismissed this one in the same line. It'd be harmless, but vaguely metallic, light bodied, and somewhat boring.

But man was I wrong (sorry Belhaven!)

When the first word you utter is a surprised "Wow!" (paired with the stereotypical holding of the glass away from you as you look on in disbelief) you know you have a keeper. Like an English Barley wine stripped of much of its alcohol and hop bite, Wee Heavy is deceptively friendly and, pardon the vernacular, tasty.

The color - a ruby amber - is truly gorgeous, with perfect clarity and a bubbly creamy head that unfortunately dissipated a bit quicker than I would have liked (the glass was clean I swear!)

The aroma is delightfully unique, with a great caramelly-biscuit thing going on, while something truly unique hides in the background. Cola, maybe? Ice tea? It kept me guessing. It's a fun thing to experience.

There's almost no hops here, and only the faintest touch of bitterness in its finish. Medium-to-heavy body with a nearly syrup-like quality, the beer is deceptively light - "clocking in" at a mere 6.5%, when I would have readily accepted something a few percentages higher. But it's genuinely delicious, a pleasing beer that doesn't try to do anything extraordinary or gimmicky and rises as one of the greats because of it. Do not relegate it to something second tier or boring; this must be experienced.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 22:18:16 | More by BenLikesBeer

Knuckles_Nuclear

Missouri

4/5  rDev -1.5%

05-13-2013 13:31:44 | More by Knuckles_Nuclear

Eaglefan344

Missouri

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

05-03-2013 04:18:57 | More by Eaglefan344

Duff27

Illinois

4/5  rDev -1.5%

04-28-2013 00:16:33 | More by Duff27

kjkinsey

Texas

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

04-26-2013 18:25:35 | More by kjkinsey

abex44

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%

04-24-2013 05:13:18 | More by abex44

J_Dub

Texas

2/5  rDev -50.7%

04-23-2013 14:52:07 | More by J_Dub

scmoore81

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +17%

04-19-2013 15:04:26 | More by scmoore81

cosmonick

Indiana

3.5/5  rDev -13.8%

04-16-2013 02:48:45 | More by cosmonick

Lynn1451

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +4.7%

04-06-2013 22:09:35 | More by Lynn1451

HawkeyeJosh

Arkansas

5/5  rDev +23.2%

04-06-2013 02:45:54 | More by HawkeyeJosh

Maillard

California

4/5  rDev -1.5%

03-31-2013 08:02:16 | More by Maillard

Jamison85

Indiana

4.75/5  rDev +17%

03-27-2013 16:15:36 | More by Jamison85

6thstreetbrewpub

District of Columbia

3.5/5  rDev -13.8%

03-23-2013 13:43:37 | More by 6thstreetbrewpub

BGsWo22

New York

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

03-20-2013 22:56:28 | More by BGsWo22

UCLABrewN84

California

3.54/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear super dark reddish-brown with a foamy khaki head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt, grain, and caramel covered fruit. Taste is much the same with a roasty flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer but the aromas and flavors are quite mild.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 02:13:51 | More by UCLABrewN84

DrunkinYogi

Connecticut

4/5  rDev -1.5%

03-02-2013 16:52:15 | More by DrunkinYogi

jibjib513

Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +10.8%

02-28-2013 02:42:39 | More by jibjib513

owend

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -7.6%

02-27-2013 20:30:10 | More by owend

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

4.16/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: Mine is in a clear bottle and the beer looks a lot darker in the glass than in the bottle. It's a clean dark ruby with a creamy, intricate, small beige head.

S: Fruity esters and a metallic maltiness.

T: Doesn't taste metallic. There's a fair bit of porter-like smokey malt and plenty of rich caramel sweetness. The fruit is less prominent and it's like a dark plummy flavour which is not easy to pin down.

M: Very smooth and silky. Quite sticky. Fizzy enough but in a soft way and balanced.

O: My first wee heavy and what a surprise. It's more akin to a Belgian dark ale than anything I've ever had in England. Tastes to me exactly like Leffe Brune with a bit of porter smokiness.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 04:30:11 | More by Hoppsbabo

Cincy_Joe

3/5  rDev -26.1%

02-17-2013 04:51:26 | More by Cincy_Joe