AleSmith Wee Heavy - AleSmith Brewing Company

BillRoth

Maryland

4.9/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

I've been drinking Alesmith Wee Heavy over quite a few years, and had forgotten it as I tried so many beers... from so many places.
Earlier this year I was at the Alesmith brewery and was looking to enjoy Speedway and some other seasonal/special release beers. All were very good (very good!) as I would have hoped.
But I was surprised how awesome the Wee Heavy was. It rrally stood apart from the other tastings. So I picked up a bottle and let it cellar for 9 months...probably should have waited longer.
It was an exceptionally good beer. Poured into my old Flanders Street imperial pint glass. It poured deep and dark; rich with malt. The head was rich and creamy and settled at a level finger like a well rounded cask poured pint. The aroma was welcoming...rich in roasted malt sugars, rich fruit, light kelp and peat. Flavor mirrored nose but sparkled with hints of dried fruit, caramel and a touch of plums...??whisky too.
Mouth was rich and well rounded, full bodied and yet light on the tongue. Wonderful!
This is a special beer. I love Wee Heavys, but this is like a luxury sedan compared to very nice standard vehicles.Seek it out. Be patient, wait a year...and enjoy. You'll probably wish you could open a second immediately.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2011 01:57:39 | More by BillRoth

ricknelson

Vermont

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Six of us attending a beer tasting that I hosted in my man cave pub gave this beer a score of 24 out of a possible 30 for and an average score of 4.0 It ranked tied for 3rd out of the 12 beers we tasted. The group of six were divided evenly, 3 that favored IPA's and 3 that favored Stouts. This Wee Heavy Scotch Style Ale comes in a 25 oz bottle. May be hard to find.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 21:36:08 | More by ricknelson

smellsofstout

Arizona

4.6/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

so frickin good.
average, rocky, light brown dimishing head. excellent lacing, brownish black color at pour.
aroma is awesome consisting of toasted malts carrying tones of toffee, molasses, cookies, brown sugar.
alcohol notes are very light taste does not disappoint. very accurate to the aroma butterscotch brown sugar.

bottom line if i ever get the chance to have this beer barrel aged i might lose my mind.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2008 19:18:19 | More by smellsofstout

californiakebab

California

4.33/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours a thick, ruby brown with good retention and a tan, thick head.

Smell - Molasses, toffee, burnt caramel, raisin, maple....a lot going on here, mostly on the sweeter side. As it warms, there's a subtle smokiness.

Taste - Very rich, sweet malt, molasses, faint hint of smokiness on the finish. Alcohol is very masked, hardly would have known this was 10% ABV. Bitterness is low, emphasizes the complex malt character.

Mouthfeel - Velvety, medium-heavy body. Carbonation is light per the style.

Overall - This is an excellent malt focused beer with many nuances that open up as the beer warms to room temp, will definitely reach for this one again.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 04:31:22 | More by californiakebab

nassaubeercop

New York

3.48/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours black, coppery red when held to the light, very thin tan foamy head. head quickly fades very little to no lacing.

S- Roasted malt, bourbon a little lactose.

T-Bourbon, malt a little sweet on the palate. Nice flavor but a little light, not as bold as some other example of the style. A little alcohol.

M- Light carbonation, a little thin and watery. Slight alcohol burn. Not much aftertaste.

O- I like this beer but it is not the best example of the style I have tasted. Good smell and flavor but not as bold as I would like. Very drinkable despite the high alcohol content.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 00:22:25 | More by nassaubeercop

dln646

Sweden

4.18/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Mahogany brown with a stunning looking tan head, heightens three inches and subsequently cascades fairly promptly. Presently at the gazing outset the beer is very nice-looking.

Tidy and medium odorous, however malty nose, brings my thoughts to slightly burned and roasted malts – chocolate malt, caramel malt and various teeny bits of yeast. It is a grand complexity that amuses my nostrils with chocolate, dark caramel, molasses, extremely nuanced smoke aroma and to some extent stony graphite. The depth is remarkable and as with other AleSmith beers I've tasted, this doesn’t make me the least bit dissatisfied.

On the palate the beer is sweet soft with a tight concentration. There's this particular attractive balance between chocolate malt and caramel malt. Very appetizing, it's much more subtle and delicate then over-the-top, even though the body is great. The beer is passing from beginning to end with an parallel flavor intensity and brings very chewy fruit characters alongside a middling carbonation. The finish is well thought-out and marked with bittering hops and that delicate lingering mineral-like tang.

What electrifies me with this beer is the great malt complexity together with the overall well-focused structure, flavor intensity and well thought hopping. It isn't awe-inspiring, but it’s pretty darn good – so far the best I've quaffed in it style (Scotch Ale). Unique and well-made with high drinkability even though it’s overall weight. Merry Christmas! http://quaffable.org/?p=138

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 16:56:06 | More by dln646

bmwfan1987

Connecticut

4.05/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Very dark, with mahogany hues. Not much lacing, small head sticks around.

S-Dark fruits, Coffee, Milk chocolate and some licorice.

T-Very malty, with very much hidden hops. Its not as appealing as the nose promises.

M-Chewy, full bodied.

D-I would share this with a friend for dessert or with dessert. The 10% abv is hidden well, but the density of the beer makes it super filling.

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2010 19:52:14 | More by bmwfan1987

4thmedbn

Maine

4.83/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Bottle at cellar temp in a tulip courtesy of Andrewinski1.

A - Just shy of black. The only indication that it's not black comes in the form of the deepest, most rich, dark ruby where the light manages to pierce the void.

S - Really nice notes of chocolate, and dark fruits. Think cherry and vinous character. The nose isn't as big as you might expect form a beer of this ABV, but I always respect when a brewer can be subtle .

T - Again, it's a delicate flavor profile, considering the style. Most examples of the Wee Heavy that I've come across are cloying, and crazily malt dominant. And while I do like some big malt character, again, I respect the restraint. Toffee, caramel, slight bit of vanilla, and definitely some chocolate. A little warming, but it's not hot by any means. This bottle has a year on it, so I can't speak for fresh examples, but it's nice and mellow. Finishes with a lot of toffee, raisins, and figs. It's delicate, but still boozy and rich.

M - Full mouthfeel, very smooth. Very low carbonation level. Once again, a big beer that shows a lot of artistry in its execution. This beer isn't chewy, seems fairly well attenuated, without seeming lean.

O - Really impressed with this beer. Love a beer that can be subtle and big at the same time. Reminds me of Kate the Great from Portsmouth Brewery in that way. Lots of delicate, fruity, malty notes. Boozy, without being cloying or requiring a fork and knife to aid in ingesting it. Really top notch stuff.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2012 04:46:16 | More by 4thmedbn

brianh78

Washington

4.18/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a tulip glass

Appearance: 3-finger head which dissipated very quickly, reddish dark brown and cloudy

Smell: stone fruits, very malty sweetness, slight vanilla

Taste: malty sweet, syrupy, slight vanilla, and slightly earthy

Mouthfeel: thick and syrupy

Drinkability: filling and sweet, I could only drink one

Despite the sweetness of this beer, I thought it to be a great scotch ale. Due to the decently high alcohol content and filling nature of the beer, I would only be able to drink one in a sitting.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2009 22:15:32 | More by brianh78

MountainBeagle

California

4.18/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Overall: Outstanding beer that would do Scotland proud!

This was a 750mL bottle from 2009 - 10% ABV
It wasn't in the cellar at all, can't wait that long.

Color is as it should, dark and can't see through it. 2 finger head that immediately disappeared.

The smell was almost non existent for me but that's what I expect from the style.

Taste is very good, tons of malt and alcohol. A lot of other things are present here that I don't have the palate to put my finger on but it is delicious what ever it is.

Mouthfeel is silky smooth

Drinkability will be harsh for some, its a 10% scottish ale. This is the kind of beer I live for, so i gave it a high rating.

Side Notes: I really like this beer and the style so it works for me. I highly recommend letting this cellar for at least 6 months, however I don't practice what I preach. It's gone right away for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2009 00:04:27 | More by MountainBeagle

jtneal111

Oregon

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

Pours a deep brown, with a thick, creamy, quickly receding head.

Aroma is very malty, with caramel notes, quite nice.

Tastes very malty, with a well balanced sweetness.

Mouthfeel is just right, smooth and heavy, but not too heavy.

As for drinkability, well, I finished the entire 750 by myself with no troubles. This is a very good beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2008 23:25:00 | More by jtneal111

Goban

California

4.9/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A sweet roasted malty nose with a slight nutty undertone. It pours a dark brown with a wee khaki head that quickly dissipates into a fine ring.

A full and sweet foretaste is finished with a slight hoppy ester driven taste that you would hate to lose. Drinkability is astounding and I wish I would have bought more.

Yet again AleSmith has impressed me with a fine crafted brew. B-Z!

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2006 12:47:22 | More by Goban

joeneugs

California

4.43/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

My first rate on BA after 4+ years as a member! This one pours very dark brown/red with an orangy tan head. The aroma is slightly nutty and woody with lots of chocoate and a little bit of raisins and molasses as it warms. The flavor is much more fruit forward with predominately raisins and molasses with a touch of chocolate, nuts, and roasted malts. The nuttiness lasts throughout. The mouthfeel on this thing is spectactular, very silky and smooth. The alcohol is not noticed, only felt after the fact. This is truly a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 01:21:23 | More by joeneugs