Dragonmead Under The Kilt Wee Heavy - Dragonmead Microbrewery

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Dark ruby grape juice brown with good amount of bubbles and head. Vineous and booze and smell of bourbon and barrel. But it's not that version, it's just aged 1.5 years, picked up from Whole Earth in Detroit. Mildly sour and spicey and so smooth and malted.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2006 04:09:34 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.48/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

"Is there anything worn under the kilt? No, it's all in perfect working order."

--Spike Milligan

Muddy chestnut brown that becomes marginally lighter at the bottom of the glass. It took an increasingly high-altitude pour to generate even a slim one finger of foam, so I wonder about the level of carbonation. The head is nothing special and there's barely any lace.

The nose is full of dark caramel and cocoa, but delivers none of what I like best about beer of this style. Where's the brown sugar, the butterscotch, the dark rum, the peat?

This is either an old bottle (although a 7.8% wee heavy should hold up fairly well) or this was a less than typical batch. There's a strange sourness that doesn't belong and that intrudes of the usual suspects when it comes to the flavor profile. Thankfully, there's enough malt present to take the edge off the tartness.

Caramel and chocolate, in that order, are still upfront. Unripe fruit and brown sugar syrup aren't far behind. This is still drinkable beer, but it has some flavors that it shouldn't have and doesn't have some that it should. And here I was, all set for what I had hoped would be Dragonmead's best beer.

The mouthfeel is okay with respect to size. However, the expected lack of bubbles keeps mouth excitement to a minimum. While I don't need much carbonation, I need more than this.

It tastes and feels like this bottle of Under The Kilt Wee Heavy Scotch-Style Ale is a bit worn and is not in perfect working order. I've decided not to comment on the obvious association between advanced age and flacidity because no one wants or needs that mental image. The search for a second bottle has now officially begun.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2008 14:28:42 | More by BuckeyeNation

brentk56

North Carolina

3.18/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Appearance: Pours a cola brown color with ruby highlights and a Brobdingnagian head with excellent retention

Smell: Odd, fruity aroma, like tamarind juice that has gone a little sour

Taste: Opens with a sour, fruity taste that has sweet, brown sugar undertones; the flavor profile becomes a little sweeter after the swallow, but the sour element persists

Mouthfeel: Full bodied with high carbonation

Drinkability: A very odd Wee Heavy, lacking in the appropriate butterscotch, smoke and peat and replacing that with an unusual sourness; drinkable, but way off style and not particularly tasty

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2009 21:26:08 | More by brentk56

oberon

North Carolina

4.28/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the tap a dull tawny brown with small off white head,aromas of caramel malt and roasty and some unsweetened chocolate.Flavors are pretty vibrant big juicy fruitiness and caramel sweetness with a light smoky peaty character in the finish.Very chewey mouthfeel but glides down smoothly.A very well made heavy rich and flavorful.

Serving type: on-tap

05-07-2006 22:36:39 | More by oberon

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.33/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Tawny color, a deep russet, nearly opaque, caramel brown at theedges, thinnish layer of cocoa-tan foam.
Aroma: creamy, light cocoa and slightly toasted, nicely roasted, nuts and coffee...nice...
Taste: smooth, velvety feel on the tongue, rich, malty flavor, sticky toffee and maple-ish tones. this gets busy in the mouth, coats the palate, occupies the senses with a roasty, abundant earthy pleasure. This is tons of fun.
Full-bodied, with a smooth, dark, tasty finish...so nice.
My first Dragonmead beer. If they're all this good, I can't wait to try more of their brews. Very delicious!

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2005 09:45:59 | More by feloniousmonk

emerge077

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Single from Siciliano's cooler.

Deep dark brown, compact head of tan foam. Spotty lacing here and there. Seems to have good head retention.

Trace alcohol, wood and sour dark fruit in the nose. Something mildly funky as well, like wet hay. It takes on a downward turn when it produces a whiff of pasture. Weird.

Overripe and decaying fruit, astringent tartness, antiseptic notes. A hint of roasted malts, wood and cola, but none of the sweet maltiness or peat you might expect for a Scotch ale. Really off for the style, this one was unfortunately hard to finish. I'll re-review when I can find another sample.

edit: Had some on tap at the Great Taste '08 and it was significantly fresher. More richness in the flavor, no astringency. I'd get this on tap again, but would avoid the bottles.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2008 02:00:18 | More by emerge077

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A 12 oz bottle from a Dark Lord day trade with brewcrew76.

A: The ale pours with a whole lot of head. The first pour, quickly aborted, resulted in a mammoth head that exceeded 6 (!) fingers. The head to beer ratio was a solid 4:1. Even on settling, the second pour created a 2 or so finger head. The wee heavy's body is a dark brown, almost stout, color that allows almost no light through.

S: The nose has an undercurrent of thicker, smoky malts that is dominated by a stronger caramel aroma.

T: The flavor seems to more stout-like, chocolate and burnt, than wee heavy-like, smoky and malty. It also finishes with a slight sourness that conjures up a low-key flanders red. The finish kicks back to a sweet caramel malty body. There is an absence of smoky flavors that I often look forward to in a wee heavy.

M: The mouthfeel has a lot going on, too bad none of it screams wee heavy.

D: One bottle is enough for me, the flavors are intriguing, even boundary-pushing, but they just don't do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

07-04-2007 00:50:20 | More by akorsak

ppoitras

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle obtained via trade with CRJMellor. Thanks for the opportunity...

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/2" of dense tan head over the raspberry-brown hued brew. Head is fades slowly down to a layer of bubbles, and lacing is average. Aroma is malty with peat, and notes of alcohol. Taste is as well of medium to dark malts, with peat notes apparent, and alcohol warming on the outset. Mouthfeel is good and incredibly smooth, and drinkability is excellent. Makes for a sessionable scotch ale, which is always a scary, yet enjoyable proposition.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2004 23:48:15 | More by ppoitras

DrJay

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Hazy dark chestnut with a light brown/yellowish head. Some lacing, good retention. The aroma was chocolatey, a little dry cocoa, light roast with a bit of lactic character. The flavour was quite sweet, very malty, with plenty of caramel and toffee, nuts, a bit of chocolate, and some dry roastiness. Creamy texture, full bodied, and lightish carbonation. Very nice, the full maltiness really works here.

Serving type: on-tap

04-06-2007 01:36:03 | More by DrJay

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Deep, dark, leather brown, nearly black with a inch high capping of dark tanned foam that keeps breifly before settling to an always present fluffy collar. Drippy lacing with some large spots sticking.

Aroma of dark molasses, dark chocolate, firmly roasted, mostly chocolate with a peaty herbalness and a slight figgy/date, dark fruityness, black licorice, and coffee notes.

Taste is bold and flavorful with a good load of chocolate tones across the palate laced with dark cherry, fig, and dark, damp wet wood. Very leveled flavors and tones are set along the path of yummy goodness with a subtle drying finish where the roast makes its way in with slivers of coffee and more chocolate cream.

Smooth, efficient, solid medium body with a creamy flow of soothing maltyness thats enriched with chocolate and dark fruity undertones.

A solid Scotch Ale! Drinkable and surely enjoyable.

Thanks Tim!

Serving type: bottle

08-22-2006 00:24:27 | More by tavernjef

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Comes out of the tap an opaque dark brown with a pale tan head. Aroma is rich, malty, woody and slightly honey-sweet. Mouth filling malty flavor has undertones of molasses and honey and just a hint of woody taste. Texture is fizzy and tingly, quite satisfying.

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2010 00:50:56 | More by Cyberkedi

cokes

Wisconsin

4.75/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Growler.

Black cherry colored, and I think it's clear, but I can't quite see through the shadows. Light rays shimmer and reflect rather than penetrate. The head is short and tan, and flees quickly to grabs an edge, then grips tight and slides down.

Potent nose stimuli. Cedar boxes filled with topsoil, black liquorice, molasses, swamp water (complete with green algae), chocolate chips, scattered dry herbs, and Dewars.

This seems to have two beginnings, depending upon which nerve impulses reach the brain first. There's the dryish and earthy, bitter malted chocolate. And there's the much sweeter molasses and brown sugar. They don't exist in unison; rather, they are quite separate.
But they compliment each other something fierce.

Make sense?
Sorry.
This would be much easier if I could draw a diagram.

Beyond the blissfully divergent beginnings, this streamlines and morphs into something full of red grapes and vinous cues. Then, it gains some earthy footing. All full of dirt and peat and moss. Growlered bogs. Regardless, it remains sweetish throughout. Take everything I've mentioned and caramel-glaze it. But don't over-do it. That would be inaccurate.
Bitter herbs add crucial levity and wipe things partially clean.
Traces of caramel-vanilla nougat seep in post swallow and join with a continuation of the soiled earthiness. Ends with a minor red, spicy alcohol jolt. Like a bottle of Shiraz filtered through several inches of backyard, earthworms intact.

It gallops across the mouth and down the throat without impediments from uneven carbonation or boozy rough ground. This seems like it should feel bigger, and be less easily consumed.
It should be. But it's not.

All told, it's just a gorgeous Wee Heavy.

Thanks inebrius.

Serving type: on-tap

05-17-2004 00:10:29 | More by cokes

tpd975

Florida

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A: Pours a deep brown with shades of amber showing through. Nice tan head that quickly dies leaving behind a few chunks of lace.

S: Aromas of sweet candy malts, dark fruits, and earth.

T: Nice and sweet. Molasses and dark brown sugar stand out. Rich sweet dark fruit push through with notes of dark tobacco.

M: Medium in body, lots of bubbles on the pour, but this one feels a bit flat on the tongue.

D: Pretty good wish it had a bit more mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2010 01:52:09 | More by tpd975

alexgash

Connecticut

4.38/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Have thoroughly enjoyed this on tap in the past, but have not tried a bottle until now.

Dark cola-leather-brown body with caramel edges. Small, lacy, light cocoa brown head. Lightly roasted, caramelly malt nose accented with peat, rummy brown sugar, and smoked meat. Taste starts out big and malty. Rich sweetish chocolate, toasted/roasted malt, caramel/toffee, and dark fruits with a peaty, smoky edge throughout. Deliciously malty. Slight roasted bitterness (dark chocolate-ish) in the malty finish. Full-bodied with a creamy, smooth mouthfeel. One of the best U.S.-made wee heavies I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2007 00:49:51 | More by alexgash

superspak

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into snifter, no bottle dating. Pours hazy dark reddish brown color with a fairly dense 1 finger khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Some nice soapy lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of huge raisin, grape, plum, molasses, caramel, toasted malt, bread, and light earthiness. Pretty nice aromas, that are much fruitier than I was expecting. Taste of big raisin, plum, tart cherry, caramel, molasses, toast, light chocolate, bread, earth, and a bit of a metallic twang. Lingering notes of dark fruit, molasses, caramel, bread, and earth on the finish for a good bit. Flavors are quite balanced; but there are a bit of off flavors noticeable. Medium carbonation and body; with a very creamy and slick mouthfeel as expected. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed well after the finish. Overall this is a good wee heavy. It was certainly fruitier than I was anticipating; but it was still quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2012 05:03:04 | More by superspak

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle to a pint glass. What a terrific name!

A: Dark chocolate brown, showing amber highlights when held to light. An ungodly amount of rising carbonation rising to tight head of tan cream. Head starts maybe only 1/2-finger but never really sinks to more than 1/4-finger. All that carbonation keeps it pretty constant - an immovable object. Splotchy bits of creamy lace left down the glass.

S: A light aroma, sweet and malty. Reduced sugars, Karo syrup, cocoa, raisin, and tobacco. Sweet fruits and more earthy peatiness develop as the beer warms.

T: Dark roasted malts dominate, emphasizing the dark; surprisingly bitter and mildly sour. Sweeter flavors of molasses, cocoa powder and pit fruit are there in this rich set of flavors, but that dark/burnt malt leaves a bitter/chalky finish that didn't really appeal to me like I kept expecting it to. Good, but hoped for 'great'...

M: Creamy, generally smooth with a rich, layered texture. Active carbonation, grainy malt stickiness and the aforementioned bitter finish clings for many minutes after finishing the glass.

D: Likable Wee Heavy, but with some issues that I couldn't quite get over. In particular, the dark bitterness and slight sourness; I guess I was looking for more malt sweetness. Still, it's good and one I'd have again.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2007 00:59:15 | More by msubulldog25

Mitchster

Michigan

3.45/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

$2,70 for a 12oz bottle, which is a ridiculous asking price for this beer, as are Dragonmeads other bottled brews. Pours out to a cloudy dark mahogany, forming a modest dark tan head with average retention and sparse lacing. Medium carbonation. Unfiltered. The aroma is quite interesting...a distinct port wine grape nose with the suggestion of sour fruit (rotting raspberries?), mixed with dates and prunes and dark chocolate. Mouthfeel is kinda tangy with a big body for the style, approaching (and in some cases, exceeding) that of a stout. The taste begins with the port taste and then is followed by a big dark amber malt body, an odd fruity sourness, a touch of smoke, and then some fusel alcohols. Aftertaste of chocolate, herbal hops, distant smoke, and fusels. The fusels are really pronounced, especially in the aftertaste, limiting it's drinkability, giving me a near instant headache.

Hrmm, I seem to remember this being better on tap at the brewery. Not my cup of tea, with quite a few faults, and totally out of style. Pass on this, especially if you're getting charged up the wazoo for bottles. A heavy, intense, and totally inappropriate interpretation. Rated as 'a beer', not as a Scotch Ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2007 00:21:42 | More by Mitchster

morimech

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very dark reddish brown with minimal head. What was the head settles to a thin skim of suds. Virtually no lacing is left on the glass.

Rather weak aroma. A touch of toffee and caramel that gets overshadowed by the booziness.

Caramel and toffee malt flavor. A little earthiness as well. Alcohol did not dominate the flavor like the aroma indicated. It was a nice compliment to the malt.

Medium body with low carbonation. Nice texture that aids in consumption.

Nothing wrong here, but it sure was not interesting either. It was easy to drink with its clean malt flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2011 21:50:23 | More by morimech

Pencible

Virginia

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

This poured a cloudy dark mahogany with almost no head. It smelled like caramel and roasted barley and fig, with some balsamic vinegar and pear. It tasted like wild flower honey and burnt sugar and blackberry, with some sweet caramel and oak. It was thin with some carbonation, and had a sharp bittersweet aftertaste. Overall this was a pretty interesting beer that used not sweet versions of naturally sweet flavors (i.e. burnt sugar). It had weak body, but it hid the alcohol fairly well, so it was easy enough to drink. This was good to try once, but wasn't something I really care to drink again.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2010 17:00:40 | More by Pencible

mcallister

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I've decided that Dragonmead has the best tasting freshest cask beer I've sampled and they sure know how to pour them too perfection. Another awesome looking cask pour. Deep russet with ruby edges. Head is tan, creamy, retentive, and a sure winner.

Very sweet caramel and candied malts. Hints of peat with a freshly picked plum and gooey toffee note. Milk chocolate galore. Very high RS in here. Nice different aroma.

Good but a little too sweet for my liking, just not full enough to balance making it slightly cloying. However it is still a very tasty Scot. Hints of peat, smoke, melted chocolate of the milk variety, bing cherry, raisin, toffee, and thick sweet, gooey toffee.

Serving type: cask

05-01-2007 19:58:09 | More by mcallister

lackenhauser

Maryland

3.65/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Deep mahogany color with a decent tan head atop. Aroma of sweet malt and a slight trace of smokiness. Caramel and chewy malt flavors. Slight bitterness in the finish with some trace of an alcohol flavor. Has somewhat of a homebrew "wang" to it-sort of a sharpness/bitter flavor. Good body. An enjoyable beer though the sharpness in the flavor detracts a bit for me. Well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2006 00:22:28 | More by lackenhauser

WoodBrew

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a very dark brown color with a tan head, some lighter brown highlights. Some filmy pools on the top. Lots of junk in the bottom. Fairly mild nose is mainly chocolate with some light dried fruit. Taste is likewise. Strong, roasted malt, and chocolate. Breadiness and raisins. A touch of grain. Stronger, spicy caramel shows through in the after-taste. Feel is think and creamy, although the aftertaste is hort and doesn't really coat your mouth. This one's tasty, although not as good as some scotch ales I've head.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 02:26:30 | More by WoodBrew

Bierguy5

Ohio

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle. Darker chestnut color, with some amber edges. Tan head disappeared immediately and completely.

Toffee, with a slight hint of smoke. A bit of a rum raisin feel, as there is a bit of booze present.

Lots of darker, toffe-like malt up front, leaving no doubt about the style. Again, a slight hint of smoke. Fruit is minimal, as the toffee and caramel flavors linger. Earthy hops keep things from getting out of hand. Great malt character.

Medium body, with a slightly chewy feel. Alcohol lends some warmth, which is nice for the style. A pretty well made beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2011 19:18:53 | More by Bierguy5

Bung

North Carolina

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle 2008. A cloudy rusty pour with a miniscule tan head. Aroma is some sweet malt and caramel/toffee with a little spicey hop accent. Sweet malts, caramel and only a hint of chocolate/coffee/smoke. A little more lively than I would like, but not terrible. Finishes clean with just a slight hop note. Lingering in the throat is the caramel malt. All in all, not bad and a little unique for the style.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2009 03:49:36 | More by Bung

Phatz

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a dark cola-like brown almost black with birch beer red edges and a tan brown head that rises high and fast and fades slowly to a thin cap and ring around th collar. A few spots of lace.

Smell: Sweet roasted caramel, collar syrup, brown sugar, roasty with and earthy hop attribute and an indistinct fruit.

Taste: A spiced rum flavor with a bourbon woody edge. Flavors of cocoa, with cola, toffee, touch of vanilla, anise, and and a roastyness. Then there is an earthy almost peat. Malty and rich with fig and molasses but smooth and easy with a dry finish.

Mouthfeel: Exceptionally smooth; nearly perfect texture with a full smooth body.

Drinkability: This is a very easy drinking Scotch Ale. I wish they distributed to PA!

Hope this is helpful.
Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2007 04:16:31 | More by Phatz