Wee Heavy-er Scotch Style Ale - French Broad Brewing Co.

maximum12

Minnesota

1.4/5  rDev -60.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 2 | overall: 1

Thanks to gford217 who sent me this as part of a four-French-Broad package within a much larger BIF package this spring. My wife has been on the scotch ale train, so here's the second night in a row with a scotch in hand.

Ummmm...let me say before I start that I've really enjoyed the first two French Broads we've opened. This one, not so much.

Pours a dusty amber, little to no head. The smell sends red-flag-shivers up my spine. It's nothing like a typical and/or good scotch ale, but a wave of buttery badness. Ugh.

This...is...terrible. As if someone took a scotch ale & poured a panful of melted butter into a vat of beer. I haven't been formally introducted, but this could only be a terminal case of diacetyl.

Drain pour. I know these guys make good beer, this was a huge disappointment.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2009 01:18:42 | More by maximum12

fsvan

Tennessee

2.1/5  rDev -40.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Bomber poured into New Belgium globe.

A- Brown, with only tinges of red. Doesn't look like a wee heavy at all really, thus the 3. Minimal white head.

S- After the first smell I checked the bottle to make sure it is what I thought it was. Lots of roasted malts, but smells like a porter or a stout with a good dose of coffee. None of the peatiness that I expected. To me that peaty smell is a must for the style and it just isn't there. The smell isn't bad, but judging by style, it is not what it should be, and I rated it accordingly.

T- Again not much peat to it. Taste is of light roasted malts, again like a coffee stout. Taste is subdued vs. the nose. No real hop presence, but a slight coffee like bitterness. No alcohol to note, which is the best part of it, and that isn't good.

M- Medium, but light for the style

O- If I was given this beer blindly and asked what style it was by BA listed styles, it'd take at very least double digits to guess wee heavy. It tastes like an average stout. It just isn't what it claims to be (and isn't very good otherwise) and I judged it accordingly.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 01:35:26 | More by fsvan

bboven

Texas

2.15/5  rDev -38.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2

Murky brown body with a crescent moon of extremely thin head. Looks like a dunkle!

Very sweet grape-like malt character in the aroma, not much else.

Very noticeable oxidized right off the bat (wet cardboard) Hot alcohol.

Mouthfeel id moderate/high carbonation.

This is the first thing I've tried from this brewery; and it's not good. Overwhelmingly oxidized to the point of being undrinkable.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2009 23:22:21 | More by bboven

BeerSox

Virginia

2.2/5  rDev -37.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

22oz bomber into pint glass.

Deep brown hue, changing to mahogany toward the bottom. A one finger light tan head that settles to a thin cap.

Light sugary aromas meet an out of place sour cherry aroma (found in other reviews).

The tartness is back in the flavor, with an interesting contrasting sweetness, and a maltiness like dark brown bread. Medium bodied, high carbonation.

Not sure what the deal is with this one. Rather than a smooth malt bomb, this one is a tart and fizzy brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2009 00:25:12 | More by BeerSox

SuperSpy

Georgia

2.25/5  rDev -36.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Poured from a bomber into a pint glass.

This beer pours up a big beige head and has a very dark bronze color when held to the light. It is very clear before pouring the sediment into the glass and still beautiful once the sediment is stirred up. The aroma has plenty of caramelized malt, a nice toasted aroma and a wonderful earthiness.

The flavor completely threw me for a loop. There is only a hint of the expected caramel flavor and plenty of sour flavor. Not quite puckering but definitely along the lines of many sour Belgian beers I've tried in the past. Nothing at all like a wee heavy and honestly almost undrinkable. The mouthfeel is also off. It's too thin for a big Scottish beer. I think I'll be able to finish this glass but there is no way I'm pouring another. Hopefully this is just a bad batch and all will be well when I try this again in a few months.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2010 23:59:15 | More by SuperSpy

evilkalla

Alabama

2.35/5  rDev -33.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Serving: Bomber into a tall glass.

A: Poured a clear caramel brown with about half an inch of thick head. A fairly good amount of carbonation is visible.

S: This beer has sort of a sour smell to it in addition to the maltiness. I'm not really a fan of the smell.

T: An immediate, sharp sour note gives way to an earthy, bready flavor. I like the secondary flavors but I do not like the sourness at all. Definitely not what I was expecting.

M: Feels ok in the mouth but the sour gives rise to a pucker factor.

D: I do not like this beer at all and I will not finish or buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2010 21:27:38 | More by evilkalla

elgiacomo

Georgia

2.4/5  rDev -31.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

22oz bottled May 11, 2010.

Pours clear dark copper, brown & ruby in the glass with a one finger light tan head that leaves a few drippy spots of lacing and reduces to a foamy cap and ring.

Aroma is...odd and overall unpleasant. Rubber, smoke, leather, wood...quite yeasty, grassy, herbal, maybe some caramel and fruit underneath but the funk generally covers most of that up. As it warms up the dark fruits, cherries and grapes come out a little better.

Flavor is some caramel and dark fruit, smoke, somewhat metallic, spice, toffee, better than the aroma but still not that great.

Mouthfeel is medium to full, sticky, medium to high carbonation.

I can't quite put my finger on it but there is something in the aroma that really turns me off on this one, the flavor and mouthfeel don't do much to save it. Glad it was only a bomber and I didn't get stuck with a 6-pack.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2010 03:13:03 | More by elgiacomo

joepais

Maine

2.4/5  rDev -31.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

22oz bottle, Early/Mid May 2010 bottling
Yup I think we have problem Huston. The bottle split two ways into Sam Addams glasses the brew had a good two finger tan colored head. The brew had a clear brown colored body.

Now things go down hill the brew defiantly had a sour smell to it as well as a taste it did come of as a sour Brune to me. So I will say it was drinkable but, not as a wee heavy. I will revisit this one if fortune allows .

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2010 14:42:56 | More by joepais

dc55110

Minnesota

2.68/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a 12oz snifter.

Pours a deep amber, almost crimson. A flurry of head quickly rises, but dissipates just as fast. A decent amount of lacing rings the glass.
The smell is some what bright and fruity. There is a bit of the normal caramel maltyness in the background. Sweet is what I smell...
The taste is very similar to the nose, bright tangy sweetness with an underlying amount of the caramel malt I am looking for.

Rather thin, carbonation while looking full, is not very present.

Overall this is OK at best. I think this bottle may have been well past its prime.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 04:33:23 | More by dc55110

busterwhite

Georgia

2.78/5  rDev -21%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured into a pint glass. Dark brown with little to no head. No lacing.

Smells of malt, some raisins and spice.

Sweet malt flavor with a little bitterness. Not a very strong flavor, almost watered down.

Mouthfeel is too thin and watery.

A little dissapointed, the taste that comes through is good but there was not much of it. This was too weak and thin.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 15:32:27 | More by busterwhite

everetends

Alabama

2.98/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

22 oz bottle I picked up a bit back at the good ole Hop City in Atlanta, GA. This continues my exploration of what French Broad has to offer. Served up in my Terrapin pint glass.

A: Foamed up on initial pour?! Wierd and not expected from a Scotch Ale at all. Head was a good three fingers and I was pouring pretty gently. It is a light tan, maybe closer to a cream color. It actually doesn't hand around for long, falling to a quarter finger of foam. The body is a very good looking dark brown. Held to the light it is very dark but lightens iwht nice effect further down to the base. The body is not clear, maybe a bit hazy. Just a nice dark body.

S: Interesting here as well. First thing that hits me is that this smells almost like a Doppelbock. Very much a seemingly German influence on the malt bill. Then comes a ligh touch of peat that is more prevalent when the beer is colder, seems to fade more as it warms. Little bit of caramel and nut aromas coming out. Other than that, there is a light floral or fruity type aroma in the very back. Its nice, but strange . . . if that makes sense.

T: The hits just keep on coming. Yet again, the malt bill is very German in the flavor and really throws me. Just doesn't have that in your face Scotch Ale maltiness. Then it gets a bit wierder. Then you get a pretty prominent cola type flavor. Yeah, cola. Behind that is some peat and spice. Maybe some caramel and a touch of apple hidden in the back. This is not bad, but its off to say the least.

M: Medium bodied with a HUGE carbonation level. I mean big time. This doesn't help the cola flavors because it has a cola feel. Very fizzy. Not really getting any heat from the ABV at all which is a plus, well hidden for the level. Aftertaste is a bit of peat and cola. Weird.

D: Well, I have to say that this beer does suprise. Don't know if that is good or bad. The flavors, look, feel and smells all have suprises that kinda toss you a curve. This does taste more like a German style than a Scotch Ale. Has a bit of an identity crisis if you ask me. That carbonation level is just way too high and needs to be tamed. With all that said, it went down easy and was refreshing. I give it that. What a strange experience.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2009 03:15:23 | More by everetends

Metalmonk

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Color is rusty garnet with a half-inch soapy head that thins quickly to a crown, leaving jet-trails of lace here and there.

Aroma is disappointing. It's very faint, and what's there is mostly mineral, steely and lightly roasted. Smells like a not-very-exciting ho-hum brown ale, more so than a wee heavy.

More mineral in the flavor, like sucking on a penny, along with faint traces of peat and smoke, with a gentle roasted flavor coating the mouth. Weird, overripe, unattractive berry flavor mingles with light smoke in the finish. Ultimately a pretty bland scotch ale. Where's the beef?

Decent mouthfeel. Somehow I dig it despite being a tad more carbonated than I like this style to be. It balances a soft smoothness at the same time, so at least in this category it exhibits some depth.

An unfocused scotch ale with very little to recommend it. I'd heard good things about French Broad, and since they're somewhat local, I'd pick their stuff up again in hopes that they usually do better. Jury's out.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2008 21:42:00 | More by Metalmonk

prototypic

Ohio

3/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Many, many thanks to the legendary kkipple for the bottle.

Wee Heavy-er is a nice looking, dark copper color. It looks slightly hazy, and penetrating light reveals really nice garnet highlights. The head is cream colored and rises to nearly two fingers in height. It takes its time receding, leaving a moderate lacing behind.

The nose is a little below average. It's woefully short on aromatics. There are some malty notes. It's mostly caramel, but there's also a bread-like or cracker scent, as well. Roasted malts seem to be present, but they're very subtle. That's honestly about it. For what it's worth, alcohol isn't noticeable. Needs some work here.

The flavor is easily a notch or two above the nose. It kicks off with a rich, malty flavor. Caramel seems to be the centerpiece, but roasted malts are definitely there. They have a stronger presence here. It's a little cracker-y and yeasty. About mid-way through, a strong acidic flavor emerges. It's not very endearing, and seems out of place. It doesn't completely ruin it, but it does have a negative effect on the flavor. Alcohol is never much of a factor. Finishes malty and acidic.

The body is on the light side of medium. Carbonation seems a little high, but doesn't hurt things too much. It doesn't feel smooth at all, but isn't bad. Drinkability is rather average. The flavor isn't very good, and doesn't leave you pining for more. It definitely grows tiresome quick.

Well, my second experience with French Broad Brewing Co. wasn't anywhere close to the first. Wee Heavy-er pales in comparison to Rye Hopper. This one needs work. The biggest problems are the weak nose and the weird acidic flavor. Remedy those two things and this one might be headed in the right direction. I'd take a pass on this one for the moment. Nonetheless, thanks for the opportunity, Dan!

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2011 03:24:51 | More by prototypic

SaCkErZ9

Florida

3.03/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a pint glass. Pours slightly hazy Sugar Daddy color with a large, sufficient white head. Not sure if it is due to infection, but this one was almost a gusher. Loads of lacing.

Aroma is somewhat fruity; green apple and caramel malts.

Good flavor. Fruity and malty. Some slight berries and red delicious apples. Slight bit of chocolate and other roasted malts. Hints of smoke. Pretty tasty.

Mouthfeel kind of ruined this for me. Way too carbonated and pretty thin for the style. Aside from the carbonation, pretty drinkable, but I feel bloated after only 10oz or so :(

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2009 20:39:50 | More by SaCkErZ9

argock

Virginia

3.03/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from 22oz brown bomber into a clear pint glass. No freshness date. Purchased at Peabody's Wine and Beer Merchants (Boone, NC) for $4.29.

A: Flat-appearing copper with scant chemical head with no retention and no lacing.

S: Diacetyl is super strong to make a buttery and weak caramel aroma with none of the earthiness you expect from a Scotch Ale. Smokiness is barely present with swirling the brew, but the butterscotch aroma is far too strong.

T: The flavor is predominantly butterscotch as well, which makes me wonder if something is wrong, as the French Broad ESB I had recently also was too much butterscotch as well. There is a tinge of smoky peat and caramel malts, but everything is pretty well blanketed by the diacetyl flavor. Too bad.

M: Medium-bodied with low, low carbonation. Upping the CO2 would help to increase the creaminess I think.

D: Both French Broad beers were diacetyl-laden and characterless otherwise. I would try them again, but will probably wait until I can get to their pub to sample again.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2010 12:30:58 | More by argock

nrbw23

Ohio

3.03/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Pours a copper color with a fairly small tannish colored head. Head has pretty much no retention and lacing.

S- Bready, buttery, caramel and very Earthy. A touch of peat and smoke.

T- Bready, grainy, touch of smoke, peat, chocolate and butter. A very light touch of floral hops.

M- Medium in body and carbonation seemed a touch higher than normal for the style.

O- Nothing terrible, but nothing awesome either. I enjoy this style so I guess I was a little disappointed in this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2011 20:09:59 | More by nrbw23

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.05/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a dark brown body with a thin, fizzy-looking off-white head.

Smell: The aroma holds some fruit, some peat, and some nuttiness. All of it quite faint, though.

Taste: It's a parade of hints! Mild pale maltiness. Faint, almost imperceptible sweetness. Soft peatiness. One drop of sorghum syrup. Just a bit of fruit. Finishes dry and clean.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Fairly mild and thin for supposedly being so much more heavy-er.

Serving type: on-tap

10-05-2007 17:07:27 | More by ChainGangGuy

gford217

Georgia

3.05/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a deep, clear copper with a large creamy off-white head that sticks to the glass well on the way down to a small cap.

The aroma seems a little odd for a scotch ale, and is dominated a fairly nondescript smoky aroma, not really the peat I was expecting, just some smoked grains.

The taste follows the aroma unfortunately and has some smoked grains and hints of caramel, though very faint. Maybe some fruit, though it's tough to get much out of the taste. There's also an unappetizing bitterness in the finish.

The mouithfeel is fairly thin and almost watery.

I'm fairly unimpressed with this one. There just isn't enough flavor or body to make this much more than average...if that.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2009 02:04:00 | More by gford217

MbpBugeye

Ohio

3.05/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A beer from a brewery that I've never heard of, brought over by ryan011235.

A- This is a pretty heady looking beer, at least when I first got my glass. It faded down while I wasn't looking but it left a big trail of lacing in it's wake.

S- Eh, the smell is moderately weak with a sustained grainy quality. Caramel and perhaps chocolate make a concerted effort in the background.

T- Lightly floral hops share equal ground with a toasty and carmelly malting. The middle houses a brief sweetness that is pretty nice. Some butterscotch is there but nothing that goes beyond this style. The finish is florally hoppy

M- The carbonation falls into place soon enough. This beer tries to be dry but a dollop of butteriness gets in the way.

D- In all I can't bash this beer but I can't praise it.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2011 04:36:49 | More by MbpBugeye

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Thanks johnqvegas for the bottle.
Bomber into nonic pint.

Looks like a cream soda... With ginger ale clarity. Reddish brown body-- foamy 1 finger head.
Smells of toasted caramel and just a touch of earthy peat.
The taste is pretty bland too. Really hoping this would be a really amped up version of a scotch ale... But alas, it was not to be.
Some sweet bread notes and peat with and caramel.

Body is light and watery. Low carbonation... Almost too low.

Overall. Meh. This beer isn't terrible, but it leaves a lot to be desired.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 02:28:23 | More by AleWatcher

Ryan011235

Ohio

3.2/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a snifter on 1/1/11

Thanks to CruisaC & PDXHops for the bottles; split with MbpBugeye

Rusty brown in color with copper & ruby hues. It looked murky while being poured but once in the glass, not so much. One finger cap of foam thinned quickly. Lots of tiny specs of lace that converge into large swaths.

The nose is fairly straightforward; notes of caramel, bread & some earthy overtones. As it opens up dark fruit tones emerge. It's a fairly clean aroma. The taste leans a bit toward the hoppy side; earthy with a bit of bite but not too bitter. Caramel & toasted bread in the mid-section, carrying on to the finish. Subtle overtones of juicy, dark fruit on the peripheries. As it warms it begins to exhibit roasted notions; a welcomed addition. Maybe a hint of cocoa. Medium-full body. Carbonation is moderately prickly; a tad too much, I think, in this instance. Finishes with caramel, fruit & residual bitterness.

Warmth finds this beer gelling better & offering more depth of flavor. Seems more like a Scottish ale than a wee heavy to me. Pretty decent overall.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2011 01:38:02 | More by Ryan011235

RBorsato

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Solid brown color with a low beige head and nice active slow carbonation. Sugary sweet malt aroma with some walnut-like nuttiness in the back. A bit too much on the sweet side with some spicy malt in the finish. Medium bodied with a toasty oaky malt finish and a bit of sweetness and spice on the side.

Definitiely on the light side for a Wee Heavy -- more of a traditional Scottish Heavy (70) or Export (80) in flavor... maybe my growler was just missing the "-er" ;-)

A decent Scottish Ale though.

Tasted: 09/11/06

($10.99 / Growler)

Serving type: growler

09-28-2006 17:55:13 | More by RBorsato

bamadog

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I picked this one up on a recent trip to Boone, NC. Review is from notes taken on 3/26/2011 and poured from the bottle to a snifter.

Appearance: Pour is a dark cola brown with a touch of mahogany and ruby to it when held up to the light; starts with a 1/2 finger light tan head that fades to a thicker frothy ring and a large, but thin skim rest on the surface; body is dark, but I can see through it and it shows moderately strong carbonation bubbling up

Smell: Upon cracking the bottle, plenty of mulchy peat scents pour out of the bottle and there's just a touch of smokiness to it; some warm caramel/butterscotch maltiness hides out behind the blast of mulch; smell is pretty strong overall.

Taste: Definitely a bit of a letdown after the robust smell -- the mulchiness is there, as well as the a bit of the sweeter caramel or even cola-like malt; touch of warming alcohol to it all and a bit of a toasty graininess -- however, overall there is a definite watered down sensibility about it all and while the flavors are good, they don't seem as robust as they should.

Mouthfeel: Not as good as I would hope -- it comes across as watery and a little loose; carbonation is soft, and it even comes across a little flat; a moist and thin stickiness left on the roof of the mouth. Nothing really special about it.

Overall: Meh. I could take it or leave it. There are definitely better offerings of the style. Glad to say I got to try it though as I've never had anything from this brewery, unfortunately, I likely won't be as excited to see anything from them in the future based upon this one.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 02:29:51 | More by bamadog

csparace

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

So from the start the smell seems a little off. Its like a wetish peat smell. The taste is super super mild. Overwhelmingly mild. I have to look for the scotch for sure and it doesn't have that warming quality that I like in better scotch ales. Carbonation levels are appropriately low, but since the taste is, well watery, it doesn't really satisfy me. You can get a bit of an earthy woody feel with this beer, which is kind of attractive, but should be much stronger.

I picked this up at a gas station for $4 bucks so I'm still content. Definitely not a bold beer by any measure, but probably a good beer for anyone starting out with the genre or with micro brews in general.

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 03:55:17 | More by csparace

hopdog

Pennsylvania

3.28/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

22oz bottle acquired in trade with enacgee (thanks!).

This one poured all head, and I really mean all head. Settled into a deeper amber color. Aromas of earthiness, wood, roasted and toasted caramel, and some chocolate. Tastes of caramel, roasty, lighter earhy, and chocolate.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2009 00:39:51 | More by hopdog