Wet Willy Scotch Ale
New England Brewing Co.

12 oz. bottle poured into a thistle. I can't remember who sent this to me, but it was one of my first trades, so this bottle is well over a year old.

Appearance - Pours a murky, sedimenty, chunky, fairly gross looking dark amber. No head. Huge chunks of sediment pour long before the bottom of the bottle. Looks icky.

Smell - Wow, it's quite a turn around. This isn't listed as oaked or barreled, but it sure tastes like it. Oak and bourbon come through a ton. Sweet caramel malts and some buttery aromas as well.

Taste - Buttery, as a scotch ale should be, but it's got a nice complement of oak and bourbon flavors. It's really interesting and more complex than I was expecting. It's a bit on the sweet side and finishes with a slick butterscotch flavor reminiscent of more traditional wee heavies.

Mouthfeel - I must confess to not liking the feel of scotch ales. The oak treatment (that I may or may not be imagining) masks it a bit, but it's still there. Buttery and slick. Not a lot of carbonation and it's pretty boozy too.

Overall - I am pleasantly surprised. This is not a beer I expected to enjoy this much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pours a lovely dark auburn color with an off white head that laces the glass. The smell is full of wood but also some sweet flavors such as plum and toasted brown sugar. The taste starts off sweet with molasses and some dark fruits but wasn't too syrupy and finished rather smooth and with a nice semi-sweet aftertaste. Would highly recommend for lovers of big flavor beers.