Newcastle Werewolf - The Caledonian Brewery Company Limited

DarthKostrizer

California

3.45/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Look: Reddish brown not quite sure it's blook red like it says it is but maybe. 1/4 inch head and no retention

Smell: Very funky caramel and roasted malts has a bit of dark red fruit smell to it

Taste: Um am I missing something here?? Oh yeah the taste there is the slightest traces of caramel berries and honey

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with high carbonation

Overall: Boring taste and too much carbonation, dont think I need to say anymore

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 22:18:30 | More by DarthKostrizer

zaphodchak

Virginia

3.45/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Thin whide head, amber brown body.

Malty nose, some tartness, some nut.

Slightly tart taste, lots of nutty, roasty malt. A bit acrid. Pretty standard.

Mouthfeel a bit prickly and foamy.

Decent, not a letdown, but by no means extraordinary. Little to say overall.

Serving type: on-tap

11-03-2011 01:33:10 | More by zaphodchak

mrfrancis

Kentucky

3.45/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a ruby-tinged amber with a puffy white head.

S: The aroma is decidedly malty, and with an emphasis on rye malt. So, the expected aromas of black pepper and rye bread are here in abundance, joining subtle scents of tobacco, moist earth, and caramel.

T: Notes of black pepper, caramel, toffee, rye bread, tobacco, leather, lemon zest, minerals, earth, moss, and roasted barley. The finish is grainy with an impressive caramel, earth, leather, and black pepper kick.

M: On the lighter side of medium in body, prickly, and dry. Carbonation is very active. Filling, but very drinkable.

O: I've always been partial to Newcastle products and some of the other mainstream U.K. brews, so I don't find Newcastle Werewolf to be disappointing. For what it is, it is a good, solid ale that would be perfect with a basic dinner of roasted meats and vegetables. Classifying this as an Irish red ale, though, is a bit misleading in my opinion. This ale doesn't have enough of a caramel malt sweetness to be an authentic Irish red, and so, it is likely best to view this ale as a bitter. Reviewed as an Irish red ale, Werewolf is lacking, but taken as a bottled bitter, it is a pretty good effort for a mainstream commercial brewer.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 20:49:00 | More by mrfrancis

davecavemaster

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

It is marketed as a "blood red ale," due to the Rye Malt that is used in its brewing. In reality, it is more of a orange/brown with maybe a bit of red highlight if you hold it up to a light.

It pours with a decent beige head that sticks around while you drink it. There is minimal lacing, but some.

There is a berry, fruit smell to this beer. You can also smell the malt and European hops (this is after all an ale.) Some earthy traces as well.

I got a deep fruity taste from this beer first. It is quickly followed by the toasty malt and then a slightly bitter finish.

The beer has low carbonation, and a refreshing mouthfeel to it.

At the end of the day, I found this to be a pretty tasty beer. I think I would have enjoyed a bit stronger of a taste..maybe more hops, or maybe just have one of the flavor profiles be more pronounced. But overall, a good beer. It won't be at the top of any of my lists, but I can see buying another six of this somewhere down the line.

Serving type: bottle

08-12-2012 22:49:19 | More by davecavemaster

lilnardey

California

3.48/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured a dark amber color. Not really red as the label suggests. Decent looking head with a good amount of lacing.

Really earthy aroma from this one. Also smells a bit roasted.

Tastes similar to the smell. Toasted nuts, earthy hops, and a little bite.

A decent beer, but once is probably enough for me unless its free.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2012 01:16:20 | More by lilnardey

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Translucent dark brown/maroon. Bubbly eggshell white head.

Aroma: A clean bready smell. Pretty sweet in the nose with caramal/crystal malts, assuming this will be a very malty palate. Smells very similar to a Scotch or 90 Schilling Ale.

Taste: Lots of that sweet malt and breadyness from the nose here. Nothing mind-blowing but a decent example of the style. There's a moment in the finish where you almost get a roasted quality, but that feeling disappears too quickly. No hop presence or bitterness here(unless you count the dryness in the finish), however there is a peppery spice that lingers on your tongue that I think is evidence of the rye malt used in this one.

Mouthfeel: Effervescent but pretty smooth. Average drinkability. The peppery spice starts to get a little cloying after a while. Between light and medium in body.

Final Thoughts: For the style, Werewolf beats Killian's in my book. Newcastle has definitely put some work into this brew. Having said that, I don't think this is a beer worth seeking out or getting overly excited about. It's just an interesting seasonal release that pairs well with a cool autumn night.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 00:10:35 | More by JamesMN

shand

Florida

3.5/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a nonic.

Newcastle Werewolf pours a brown-red color with a finger of head. Wet grain and earthy malts come through on the nose, with a touch of fruitiness. The taste is pretty good, it's got some fruitiness until the rye starts to cut through. The finish brings back the fruity flavor with a touch of the rye and some grain. The mouthfeel is lightly carbonated and drying, and the drinkability is good. Overall, this is pretty much the definition of good. There's nothing wrong with this beer, it tastes good, but there's absolutely no wow aspect here.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 00:14:46 | More by shand

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.51/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has an amber color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is strong with caramel and malts. Taste is mild compared to the smell. Some malts and caramel, a hint of hops are present, kind of light. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 12:25:43 | More by tone77

Nerudamann

Arizona

3.53/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a stein glass.

Look – red/coppery color, clear, with about a finger and a half’s worth of off-white colored foam that dissipates somewhat slowly.

Smell – fairly malty. I can somewhat smell the rye, but I can’t pick out the other smells. But the aroma is fairly nice and floral.

Taste – well-textured taste, and again, the rye taste is noticeable but mostly because it tastes different. There’s a hint of bitterness in the finish and aftertaste, but mostly it’s fairly sweet.

Mouthfeel – pretty well-balanced, but leans just a little more toward the watery side.

Overall – very good brew, with an interesting taste and easily acceptable/approachable quality.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 16:04:22 | More by Nerudamann

JayQue

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Much better than regular Newcastle. Not as sweet and cloying. Poured a clear copper color with a reddish tint into a pint glass. Nice size white head, good retention (all the way to the end of the drink) and good lacing. A good looking beer. Aroma is mild maltiness.

Taste is malty, some caramel, some earthy tones and a little floral aspect. Some balancing grassy hops. Mouthfeel is crisp, no annoying sweetness or weird aftertastes. Goes down easy, a nice mild malty beer with most of the flavor coming out as the beer warms.

Would be a nice session beer, would like to try it on cask or on tap sometime. A big improvement over the more well known Newcastle.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2011 00:24:31 | More by JayQue

kylehay2004

Florida

3.53/5  rDev +9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: single finger head with some lacing on a clear amber body.

S: strong cola presence, caramel and some mild dark fruit, mostly plum, raisin and fig.

T: definitly pick up on the caramel malt base familiar to standard newcastle brown. Some chcoolate, mostly late in the flavor

M: medium body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: its different from the standard, mostly sweeter. wouldnt rush out to buy this one though.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2012 00:59:14 | More by kylehay2004

UCLABrewN84

California

3.55/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear reddish brown with a 2 inch puffy light tan head that settles to a small cap. Foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of a dark bread that is baked with berries in the dough. Taste is of malt, slight berries, and a bitter hop flavor on the finish. The bitterness is fleeting on the tongue. A lower level of carbonation with a smooth mouthfeel and a slight crispness. Overall, this is a pretty good brown ale from the Newcastle brand. I had never seen this one before so I picked up a single to try but I wouldn't get this one again.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 00:05:27 | More by UCLABrewN84

GregBlatz

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Very clear copper red with a tan head. Head is fluffy and has big bubbles.

S - Butter, toffee, sweet grain and a faint whiff of earthy hops.

T - Buttery, metallic and somewhat bitter. It finishes very clean and maybe a bit astringent. The rye adds a nice touch of spice to a pretty sessionable ale.

M - Thin with light carbonation.

O - This seems like it might be best categorized as an English Mild. It is a very drinkable beer with some nice flavor. I'll try it again for a change of pace. This would really excel if you are having a good afternoon session at the pub.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2012 22:33:37 | More by GregBlatz

zeff80

Missouri

3.55/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Poured out a clear, dark burgundy color with a one-finger, off-white head of foam. It left thin rings of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled malty and slightly earthy/grassy.

T - It tasted fairly malty with caramel and toffee flavors. Some slightly grassy bitterness.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A light to medium bodied ale with a dry finish.

O - This is an okay Irish red ale. Fairly typical for a Newcastle brew.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 02:23:04 | More by zeff80

socon67

New York

3.55/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a rusty brown with a reddish tint. White foam is highly carbonated and settles fast.

S - Scent of english malt is present. Very strong wood smell; like varnish. A subtle smell of plums is in the background.

T - A considerably malt-foward flavor. Has some flavor of caramel. Finish has a dry-hop flavor. Slight bitterness is balanced by the malt.

M - I didn't find this all that sessionable. The malty notes gave this a chalky feel that I felt was stuck in my mouth before I finished the bottle.

O - Interesting though not noteworthy beer. I'm more of a fan of a good ole' Newcastle Brown than this.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2012 01:52:07 | More by socon67

AgentMunky

Alabama

3.58/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a BrewDog cervoise glass. No date, but this one is probably pretty old...I bought it for $5/6-pack about three months ago.

A: Substantial, bubbly head (three fingers). The beer is not quite blood-red, but is red-gold. Clear, with good lacing.

S: Bright berries and bready malts. Lightly sour, lightly dry.

T: Much the same as the smell, but with the addition of chocolatey dryness at the endtaste. Berry sweetness combined with the relatively thin body and understated carbonation makes this taste a little bit like raspberry lemonade. Then the drying malt and subtle hops remind me that this is definitely an ale, and a pretty good one at that.

O: I like it, especially for the price. Nothing that's going to knock your socks off, but a solid beer, and a damn sight preferable to Newcastle Brown.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2012 04:30:47 | More by AgentMunky

Darkmagus82

Montana

3.58/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle into a pint glass

Appearance –Pours a light brown color with a billowy two finger off white head. The head has very nice retention but fades over time to give a good level of lacing.

Smell – The aroma is sweet and roasted. It has a nice dark fruit aroma of cherry and some caramel as well as a roasted malt smell.

Taste – The taste starts roasty. There is a lighter sweetness associated with the front of the taste. The sweetness is mainly of a caramel nature. As the taste advances some roasty and bitter hop flavors come to the tongue and diminish some of the sweetness. While the sweetness is overall lessened, some light dark fruit flavors come to the tongue. In the end a rather smooth and moderately roasty flavor is left on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the beer is on the thinner side with a carbonation level that is rather average. A bit of a heavier body may have suited the flavor profile a bit better, but for the abv at 4.5% and the moderate carbonation it did make it more refreshing.

Overall – A very nice affordable and good session brown ale. It had a good flavor as well being rather refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 00:48:41 | More by Darkmagus82

Megahertz

Missouri

3.6/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

11.2z bottle dated May 31, 2012.

A - Impressive deep red pour, crystal clear with high carbonation. Moderate very light colored head forms and falls quickly. Very good, as described.

S - Caramel. Lots of caramel. English ale esters - traditional dark fruits. Mild funky english hop note - fuggles?

T - High carb hits hard with the english hops up front. Mild toasted bread and caramel in the mid, followed by a nice english hop flavor. Old-style bitter hops in the end help balance the sweet finish.

M - Light body with high carbonation. Spritzy. Helps to enjoy at english temperatures.

O - What a nice fall beer. A different take than an octoberfest or pumpkin. I like it. It is hard to find here in St. Peters.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 20:16:29 | More by Megahertz

Slatetank

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this at Anthony's served chilled in a nonic.
The color is deep bronze/garnet with a translucent clarity and thin white cap.

The smell is very fruity with a plum aroma and currant vinous odor with slight spice and gentle dark grape acidity apparent in the nose

The feel is good w/ toasty texture and moderately carbonated with slight tinge of spice with mild earthy dry and moderate bitter finish. The taste is good with some roasted coffee nuttiness and light spice tinges with mild earthy notes and light woody aspect with yeasty flavor and mild tinge of pepper. The overall impression was a nice mix of flavors, but basic red ale with drinkable overall quality

Serving type: on-tap

11-21-2012 17:19:34 | More by Slatetank

chinchill

South Carolina

3.63/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle served in a Sam Adams lager glass.

A: Reddish mahogany color with a very durable tan head that leaves a nice coat on the glass when tilted: Not “blood red” but still a fine looking pour.

S: A rather earthy and slightly musty aroma, suggestive of dark breads, is a somewhat poor preview of the flavor. Tasting reveals a clear presence of some earthy hops, but these are also spicy and overlay a solid, roasted malt base with some nice rye flavor. Decent aftertaste with a nice notes of spicy rye and dark roasted malts.

M: crisp and lively with rather aggressive carbonation. Medium body. Semi-dry finish

O: good session beer: it has some complexity, no annoying off-flavors, decent mouthfeel, limited ABV, and relatively low price. The most interesting and appealing Newcastle beer in my experience.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 00:41:57 | More by chinchill

Hex

3.65/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Right off the bat, this beer is a beautiful reddish brown... but has no real head. maybe a quarter finger, practically no real lacing either. It just falls down.

S - doesn't smell like newcastle... actually smells like an Irish Red, one thats really far away. They scents are so faint it is hard for me to tell any of them apart but that just may be me.

T - Nice flavor of berries, and just maybe some plum or prune.This beer's flavors really save its butt. Also has a bitterness that reminds me of Guinness. Here you may fall in love.

M - Also an amazing aspect of this beer is its mouthfeel. For flavors this bold the beer is remarkably light bodied, with a medium carbonation. Goes down dangerously easy.

O - over all this is a seasonal beer that i personaly am glad to have tried. If it never went away it wouldnt be as good so get while you can this fall.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 02:52:14 | More by Hex

justinjj1280

Georgia

3.68/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Saw this as a single at my local liquor store today. Newcastle Brown was a gateway beer for me, and a go-to beer before I got heavily into craft. My last few experiences with it have been mediocre, but I was intrigued to see a new offering from them on the shelf, so I had to pick it up.

Pours a deep, transparent amber to red with an off-white somewhat creamy head that retains well. Fair amount of lacing.

Right away, it smells of berries and bready malt, nothing that blows you away, but it is pleasant.

Rye malt and berries are prevalent in the flavor. There isn't as much bitterness as the bottle said to expect, just enough to make it balanced.

It's smooth in the mouth, starts off creamy, then seems to dry a bit and finish more crisp. Very drinkable.

Enjoyed this one. It's a bit of a nostalgia trip that takes me back to a time when Newcastle tasted (to me) like a top-notch beer. I would welcome this every fall (it's a fall beer I'm drinking in late summer) or even year-round, and would be happy to buy a sixer.

Serving type: bottle

07-26-2011 01:00:24 | More by justinjj1280

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

3.68/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Picked up a 12-pack of bottles at a local bottle shop, and poured into a tumbler pint. The beer pours a ruby highlighted, copper coloring that is bright and vibrant, with a slow bubbling of carbonation. The head starts out pretty massive, as the beer pours with a ton of foam. An early three inches of foaming, frothy, off-white colored head eventually settles out into a dense, thin film. Good cling along the glass as the beer goes down. Supersweet nose of malt, nut, and plum/raisin. The beer has a smooth, rich flavor profile that comes through initially with hazelnut sweetness and a slight roasted coffee bitter to blend. Dark fruit highlights throughout the brew's flavors, with a wine-like character, as well. The aftertaste is mostly the wine and dark fruit characteristics from the end of the taste spectrum, and the finish is slow to clear, but clears completely. Interesting brew, and not too shabby. I'm not crazy about it, but it's something I would drink again.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2011 03:26:43 | More by GarthDanielson

TheSixthRing

California

3.68/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a beautifully deep reddish copper with a white, frothy 2-finger head. Great retention. Resulting lace is thick and sticky as all hell. Fantastic looking beer.

Smell - Aroma is a nice deep caramel, a touch roasty, and some european dry hops, not uncommon in Newcastle beers.

Taste - Follows the nose. Light caramel and lightly roasted malts, hints at toffee, and a touch of metallic twang. Slightly earthy and nutty. Finishes with a nice, smooth and caramel sendoff.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium bodied. Slightly undercarbonated. It's smooth, in the very least. Finishes fairly dry.

Overall - On second go around, this is a decent release, especially from Newcastle. Drinks close to a brown, and is significantly better than the more popular Newcastle offering.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 07:00:18 | More by TheSixthRing

palma

New York

3.68/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A nice aroma on this beer. Caramel, burnt sugar, melted butter, rye bread, strong English hops. Very complex aroma.

Taste is like a very mild rye ipa. Malty, medium hops profile, semi dry to dry in the end. Complex enough flavor and the dryness keeps you coming back. Becomes somewhat astringent. A good beer. Better than expected. Impressive.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2012 16:39:39 | More by palma