Heresy - Weyerbacher Brewing Co.

BeastLU

Virginia

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Serving - Growler, drank within an hour of being filled.

A - Black. Brown substaintail head on an aggresive pour. Head sticks around for at least half the beer.

S - Aggresive boozy smell. Sweet malts manange to come out. Defenatly an agressive beer.

T -Tastes like a huge abv stout.Not one of those that gets praise for masking the alcohol taste. But this isnt a problem. In your face big boy stout.

M - The mouthfeel unfourtnatly cant hold a candle to the smell or the taste of the booziness. you will hate this beer if your a fan of smooth tasting big abv stouts. Its rough and tumble.

O - Good Aggresive stout. Not an every day beer. I'll drink it many more times but its certianly not an old stand by...

Serving type: growler

12-25-2012 00:37:04 | More by BeastLU

TheSupremeAJ

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

From the Weyerbacher brewery in Easton, PA - Pours jet black with a hazy brown head. Medium layer. Aroma is sweet bourbon alcohol. The taste is a lot more chocolaty and bourbon forward than i remember from the bottle. The keg this was poured from was released in February so this is about 2 months old. Mouthfeel is not as luxuriousness or smooth as I prefer- it's a little over-carbonated for an impy stout. Overall this is very good and well-formed... this is much better in the growler (2012) than I recall in the bottle (2011) but it may just be a difference in batches.

Serving type: growler

04-22-2012 00:21:42 | More by TheSupremeAJ

zaphodchak

Virginia

4.28/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pour from growler into tulip for nice creamy (orangish) two-finger head. Completely opaque black body. Elegant. Libreral lacing.

Nose is heavy liquorice with dark cocoa.

Taste follows the nose, liquorice and cocoa and some malt, smooth and rich, slightly bitter, faint lingering banana aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with carbonation sufficient to balance the heavy stout body.

Drinkability is good for such a heavy, flavorful stout, but for those averse to liquorice, might just be one to sip.

Serving type: growler

03-04-2011 03:47:00 | More by zaphodchak

wingman14

Ohio

2.95/5  rDev -26.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours jet black with a dark tan head that stays for a bit. The smell is very sweet with a strong dose of hard liquor. The taste is very similar, sweet up front, alcohol going down that over powers the beer. This one isn't very high in ABV (for an Imperial), yet the flavor reveals so much in the taste, probably because they are aged in bourbon barrels. The mouthfeel is ok, it was hard to get past the flavor. I don't like that I bought this in a growler, the description was deceiving, I can't see having more than one of these. Check it out if you really like the Imperials.

Serving type: growler

03-24-2007 02:36:47 | More by wingman14

thebigredone

Wisconsin

3.78/5  rDev -5.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Received this from my father in-law as an early birthday gift. No idea how old these bottles are as I cannot find a date. Also, just getting over a cold, so not tasting this at full strength.

Pours a deep blackish brown. Small tan head that dissipates quickly.

Nose is light. Some barrel aromatics, a touch of roast, but nothing really jumps out at me.

Taste is somewhat similar. Light barrel taste, a bit of whiskey, a touch of chocolate, some dark fruits, and almost no roast. Taste fades quickly and leaves a lingering hint of cheap whiskey.

Mouthfeel is quite thin.

Overall, a somewhat subpar BA stout. If I were blindfolded, I would have a hard time guessing that this was barrel aged. Almost tastes more like a poor quality Quad. I'll update this if I get a different impression from my other bottles, but I probably wouldn't ever seek this out.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:07:53 | More by thebigredone

Lordquackingstic

New York

4.11/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured mostly into my rainy sunday chili, and then the rest into a mini snifter.

A: Onyx black with light slightly coming through around the edges, making the edges dark brown. Head is of medium height (which is acceptable for a barrel aged stout) and the lacing is slightly sticky.

S: Belgian chocolate soaked in oaky whiskey, sweet toffee, slightly smokey.

T: Whiskey punch upfront with coffee and chocolate malts smoothing out the rest of the taste. Definitely tasting the Old Heathen on this (which was used as the base beer for this), as the Belgian yeast comes through nicely along with the oaky, smokey whiskey notes. Slightly sweet, but nowhere close to being too sweet.

M: As many others have stated, this is pretty thin for a barrel aged stout, but I'm personally okay with that. Whiskey notes linger after swallowing.

O: I've heard this has been called the "poor man's BCBS", and I totally disagree. These are two completely different beers, especially since this is a Belgian stout. This is a very nice and drinkable barrel aged stout; it doesn't look to kick your ass like most barrel aged stouts, it just looks to be easy sipping and flavorful, which it is. Definitely worth it for the cheap price.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2013 20:02:12 | More by Lordquackingstic

larryi86

Delaware

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a snifter

A- Black with a small two finger tan head.

S- Bourbon, oak, chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, caramel malts. Kind of boozy.

T- Chocolate, dark fruits, bourbon, charred oak, vanilla.

M- Smooth, medium to full body.

O- Not a bad barrel aged stout, but it doesn't really wow me. I could see myself buying this again because it is affordable and tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 00:34:40 | More by larryi86

brewtus

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25

Poured black with a two finger tan bubbly head. In the nose, chocolate, a little bit of oak, slightly metallic. Some dark fruit. Taste hits you with a boozy start, some dark fruit, oaky, bourbon, tobacco, some milky chocolate. Texture is good, drinkable but not as thick as many imperials I've had. I've always taken this for granted and decided to finally give it a shot. I'm pretty glad I only bought a single, it's not bad by any means at all, it just tastes a bit immature on the oak aging. I know I hold the barrel aged stout at a high bar, but this just doesn't wow me. Again, it's pretty good, nothing more. Glad I tried it once.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2013 01:10:38 | More by brewtus

argock

Virginia

3.71/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Poured from a 12 oz brown bottle into a clear glass snifter. Bottled on 03/13/13 on bottle neck. 4-pack purchased at Wine Warehouse (Charlottesville, VA).

A: Black with 1-2 fingers of beige head, falls away quickly but leaves a few spots of lacing.

S: Heavy on the vanilla with some roasty overtones and dark fruitiness. The whiskey barrel provides a twinge of alcohol burn, but overall the aroma is good but pretty tame.

T: The flavir is good but I feel like the stout character is not as prominent as it should be, which leaves this beer a little soul-less. The whiskey flavors are most forward, but the dark maltiness never comes through until the roast notes do in the finish. This tasted good at first, but faded with warming which is not a good sign for this style generally.

M: The thin feel is a detractor no doubt. This doesn't feel like an imperial stout either. Carbonation is moderate.

O: Heresy is a decent beer but I can't recommend it any more than that.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 05:00:12 | More by argock

Beerlover

Minnesota

3.16/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.25

This is an average bourbon aged stout, not the worst one i've tried but pretty average for this style, leaves a lot to be desired.

mainly in the mouthfeel and in the taste, the bourbon notes are there but slightly minimal for my bourbon desirous palate. slight notes of vanilla, chocolate, roast malts and bourbon, sweetness is a little les than normal and there is a very nice dry finish. the mouthfeel is not nearly as thick, slick and heavey as normal. the price point on this on the other hand is a definate plus at around 12 bucks for a four pack of 12 oz bottles, can't really beat that for a bourbon barrel age imp stout.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 03:13:24 | More by Beerlover

BA_Berto

New York

4.61/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Great beer, at a price that you can't beat! Is this the next BCBS? No. If you get your hands on a bottle or two, you'll thoroughly enjoy it! I am now looking to set a bottle or two aside to see how this brew develops, but this in my opinion is an undiscovered Gem!

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2013 02:55:11 | More by BA_Berto

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.73/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours an opaque black color. The head is a one finger tan shade that retains surprisingly well for a barrel-aged RIS (though perhaps not given its ABV). A good ring of lacing is left on the glass.

S: There's a bourbon character here - and it's a wholly decent one at that. Notes of vanilla, charred oak, and coconut complement the chocolaty, roasty base.

T: Wow, I'm surprised how heavily the barrel character comes through. The opening chocolate sweetness is quickly supplanted by vanilla and coconut in the middle. It finishes with strong charred oak and a returning hint of powdered chocolate. This one lacks complexity - great chocolate character, though.

M: Tannic with a capital T. The lighter body and dry finish means this comes out more strongly than, say, BCBS. However, there's still a lingering sweetness on the aftertaste. If I have a (big) problem, it's that the texture seems almost inadequately thin and angular on the palate given the sweetness level. The good drinkability can't compensate, either.

O: This is a poor man's BCBS in every sense of the word. It's not as decadent, not as big, not as flavorful, not as hard to find, and not as expensive. The mouthfeel is underwhelming, but I can really see this as a great introduction to barrel-aged imperial stouts. Hell, I'd gladly pick it up again myself.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 03:30:58 | More by ThisWangsChung

BurgeoningBrewhead

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into pokal. Jet black, showing deep red in light. Thin tan head that sticks a bit. Smell; it has that "old banana" bourbon smell that BCBS has. Taste is coffee/chocolate stout taste up front, finishing with bourbon sweetness. In this way, it's sort of the opposite of the BCBS, where the bourbon came first and dominates. Alcohol not noticeable. As the second barrel-aged stout I've had, it's no match for BCBS, but it's good.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 23:42:15 | More by BurgeoningBrewhead

Givemebeer

New Jersey

4.53/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

I know that this is crazy - but I almost prefer this to KBS. Possibly it's because it presents itself with more of the bourbon than the KBS which is mostly coffee and chocolate (and overhyped yet still very good). Great bourbon barrel aged stout especially for the price. Definitely check it out. Don't understand the lack of love on this site for it.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 18:12:24 | More by Givemebeer

Jt1234

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

2013 bottle poured into a tulip glass.

Appearance - pours pitch black. Head and lacing are almost non existent. There's not much to look at here.

Smell - the dominant smells are dark chocolate, oak and vanilla. I also picked up some cherry and licorice.

Taste - dark chocolate, oak and dark fruit. The alcohol does come through at the end, but it isn't too intense.

Mouthfeel - medium body and medium carbonation. A nice touch of heat at the end from the bourbon

Overall - this certainly isn't the best barrel aged stout I've had, but its probably the best value. You really can't go wrong with this one at $3 a bottle. I wasn't the biggest weyerbacher fan initially, but after having Old Heathen and Heresy I am beginning to change my mind.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 01:09:13 | More by Jt1234

mverity

Florida

4.51/5  rDev +13%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Appearance is superb, pitch black with a light brown/tan head. The aroma is wonderful, full of licorice, leather, dark malt, and a pleasant smell of dog breath. Taste is of vanilla, burnt oak, a touch of bourbon, and roasted malt (duh). Mouthfeel is chewy and viscous. Great beer!

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 05:41:37 | More by mverity

Stevedore

Wisconsin

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle, bottle julian code 0723, 2013 vintage poured into a Bell's snifter and consumed today 4/20/13.

Aroma: Sticky sweet molasses, a little bit of vanilla, some toffee and caramel with a good bit of bourbon heat. Pungent even at the end. (4)

Colour: Very nice thick dark brown, nearly black. Pours with a nice 2cm fluffy brown head that dissipates within a minute into a thin brown film and a decently thick brown collar that itself disappears over time. Lacing is nice, nothing to write home about but overall a very nice appetizing stout that gets me excited to slurp it up. (4)

Flavour: Definitely doesn't disappoint. Straight up, I get sweet molasses and caramel. No roast malt. And then I absolutely get a nice kick of vanilla which is one of my favorite things about BBA beers. It finishes with an earthy, oak bitterness. A nice complex beer that's not difficult to drink at all. (4)

Mouthfeel: Definitely thick bodied, perhaps on the thinner side of thick. Good carbonation. Thick, resinous and syrupy. I don't feel the heat at all even at room temperature. The aftertaste is vanilla and oak, with sweet molasses. This is both quaffable and sippable, whatever you may be in the mood for. I'm impressed with this aspect of the beer. (5)

Overall: Seems to be an underrated bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout. I don't know how long they age in barrels for but its got a nice thick, sweet molasses mouthfeel that's different than most others I've had which tend to be more thinner but creamy vanilla. I'm starting to question whether I prefer the former or the latter. At the price point ($10/4pk), its really hard to argue with the value of this brew. I would recommend it for people who are interested in a cheaper but incredibly tasty bourbon barrel stout that isn't overwhelming with the bourbon heat, i.e. a cheaper, slightly more sessionable weekday night option. (4)

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 03:14:40 | More by Stevedore

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.99/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A- poured into a snifter; pours pitch black with a small dark tan head that reduces to a ring around the glass, short lasting lace

S- dark roasted chocolaty malt, a bit of charcoal, dark cherries with vanilla-oak character, faint licorice and just a hint of bourbon. Nothing profound but a nice blend of aromas.

T- dark, roasty and chocolaty. Dark cherry flavors resemble aroma as well as a bit of licorice flavor, they privideca slight tartness. A bit of vanilla sweetness is complimented by woodsy and earthy oak barrel, the finish has a good bourbon linger with some warmth at the end

M- medium body, moderate carbonation, foamy mouthfeel and finish. Lacking the creamy body expected from such a rich stout. Nice, warming bourbon warmth at the finish

O- at less than $3 a bottle, this is a great bargain. The bourbon is definitely noticeable and has some complex flavors. Doesn't march up with the world class examples, but definitely worth trying. Going to out a couple away for a while to see how they hold up.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 02:56:25 | More by Treyliff

ediaz

Florida

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle into a CCB Snifter

A: Black with a light tan head that leaves a thin ring and delicate lacing. whats left really hugs the sides.
S: Earth, sweet, vanilla, chocolate, wood. The barrel doesnt come out much, or at least not for me.
T: A sweetness that resembles whiskey into a chocolatey woody finish. Still get a lot of the earthy taste that was noticeable in the smell, but the vanilla is absent. It has a smokey peat character to it, almost like a scotch.
M: A little more carb than I'd like, and it doesnt coat the mouth like I'd expect from a stout - kind of light (not what i expected from the appearance)
O: It's not bad. There isn't a huge barrel profile which was a let down. I cant say these are hot, but I'm going to lay two bottles of the 4 pack down for a bit and see if it improves. I think I was hoping for the magic of Weyerbacher Insanity in a stout form, but this didnt quite live up to the bill. Regardless, it IS enjoyable, but if you are looking for a big barrel profile, I'd recommend you look elsewhere.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2013 01:49:23 | More by ediaz

themind

New Jersey

4.45/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

An 89??? this stuff is awesome! I try tons of BA stuff and I really like this. Deep dark in color with a nice small head when poured into the goblet. This brew has good balance and I am shocked it's not rated higher ( I say this a lot) If you like BA stuff this is a steal at $12.00 bucks a four. Really just a quality brew!

Bottom Line: Tasty BA stout worth the price tag twice over.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 23:29:39 | More by themind

Wluper

Virginia

3.84/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I was really excited about this beer as I'm a huge fan of almost any beer aged in a Bourbon Barrel. THIS beer was aged in a Whiskey Barrel though. It had a really good start, but it doesn't have the sweetness that a bourbon barrel stout finishes with. This one was a bit drier, but it still was a welcome surprise in my birthday six pack. I would definitely recommend it because it IS delicious, but I would probably only drink one or two glasses at most if I was out.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 00:23:04 | More by Wluper

harrymel

Washington

3.4/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Bottled Jan, 2012

Black, little ring of tan foam about the beer. Smells like licorice, blackberry, malt, graham, some toasted oats, and a touch of oak. Nice flavor, lots of roasted and toasted malts, some raisin, plum, oats, oak, licorice, booze and molasses. Medium on full bodied with a tight, moderate carb and a semi dry finish. It's a decent beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 08:15:03 | More by harrymel

templar316

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Want to point out the head: khaki colored which rose to two fingers with a strong pour and has been taking awhile to settle. This is the first I've seen from this year's batch but the brewery is right around the cornor. Best by Nov18 13 date which I assume to mean a Mar. 18 bottle date. Only the slightest hint of cola colored highlights when held to the light. Nice oak nose, with vanilla, allspice and coffee hints. There's alot of lacing lingering on my selinsgrove tulip. It's thin for RIS, but it's smooth and drinkable. The flavor starts with oaky vanilla, a hint of bourbon, black licorace finishes with a roasty malt char. There's not the slightest bit of harshness from the bourbon but a hop bitterness which I expect would fade away.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 02:59:08 | More by templar316

DMXLOX22

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a single of this brew at my local establishment, Civera's. Let's see how it matches up. Looked pretty good from a random recommendation.

Appearance: pours a dark, almost black, deep purple. Virtually no head, nor not much lacing. Somewhat disappointing. But upon further inspection, my last experience with a Russian imperial stout didn't offer much of the same. Enjoyed the darkness. Still yearning for a little lacing though.

Smell: the aroma was definetly what I was hoping. Dark, roasted malts. Great hints of dark chocolate also fill the scent. A mild brown sugar Aroma is also detected. Contains also a nice toffee smell. Mild alcohol also is detected, but barely noticeable.

Taste: the taste itself is definitely something that I can get used to. Dark chocolate fills the main palate with an undertone of coffee and other dark, deep fruits, possibly raisins and grape. The fact that this is aged in whiskey barrels adds something slightly interesting to the mix. Slight hints of vanilla are dected upon. Roasted malts round out the overall taste. Pretty damn delicious if you ask me.

Mouthfeel: medium carbonation, above average body. Goes down slightly well, but leaves a nice, warm feeling in your throat.

Overall: upon hearing good things about this beer, I had to check it out. And I was glad I did. The overall complex and taste was fitting and quie delicious. Minor booziness was detected and enjoyed. Not much hop aroma, but its fitting for this type of brew. I would definely try again and would recommend to a friend. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 00:58:38 | More by DMXLOX22

rdilauro

Connecticut

4.21/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Nice jet black pour with a small off white head. Looked good in a Sam Adams beer glass.
The aroma was pleasant, what I would expect from a stout, I was anticipating some of the whiskey bouquet, but I couldn't detect any.

The first sip was real nice, big and full, good round stout, with a slight hint of a whiskey.
The mouth feel was super... Big, lush , round , filling my entire mouth with goodness.

With the aftertaste is when I first really detected the whiskey. At first I wasn't sure but after the second sip, no question about whiskey here. But it does not seem to be bourbon, this was too smooth for that.

Very enjoyable beer, something to have one for a night.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 01:46:01 | More by rdilauro