Wee Heavy - Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

BrewMan13

New York

4.3/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

I was in Pennsylvania a few weeks ago, and had the pleasure of visiting the IronHill brewpub. They were out of most of the stuff I wanted to try on tap (after looking at their website) but this more then makes up for it. I'm drinking this after raking the entire lawn for the 1st time at my 1st house!
It comes in a corked 750ml bottle (boy was that cork on there!). Cant tell the year it was brewed, but based on the condition of the label, I'd say its at least a year or 2 old. Stats: OG: 1.085, 16L, 35 IBU, 8.3% abv (note: the OG and the the alcohol content were lower then actually listed on the specialty beers menu it was ordered from...perhaps newer vintages have a different recipe?).
I finally get the cork off and pour a healthy amount into my snifter. It pours a light brown with a decent off-white, almost tan head, ~2 fingers worth which slowly dissipates. A small amount remains for the duration.
Hints of toffee and caramel in the nose...also something else. Seems to be a contribution of the yeast (not fruity really, just 'yeasty'). Says it's brewed with peat-smoked malt, but I'm not really picking up on it in the aroma.
Taste is very impressive and not too over the top. Sweet, but not too much so. Still not really picking up on the peat smoked malt, which is a tad disappointing as I love it...so my guess is that they must have been very conservative with it. I can maybe convince myself I get a faint hint in the finish, but if I wasnt looking for it, I wouldnt think it was there at all. No alcohol (thankfully) or hop presence (as you would expect) to speak of in the taste. Actually has a slightly dry finish. I am impressed with the carbonation level: it's not out of control and it doesnt detract from the mouthfeel(like some bottle conditioned beers) but it seems to be a good balance. Body is just on the hefty side of medium. Not nearly too heavy to quaff a lot of the stuff.
I can tell this was made with great care and attention and has been (presumably) aged very well at the brewpub.
If it wasnt so pricey (18.50...but it was also a gift from my mother-in-law) and I actually lived close enough to procure it regularly, I might get it once a year, but this is likely the only time I'll ever have it. I would probably put it in my top 3 scotch ales.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2007 23:43:32 | More by BrewMan13

mwz5021

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

06-06-2013 17:55:32 | More by mwz5021

InspectorBob

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-20-2013 12:38:02 | More by InspectorBob

brheuer

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.7%

03-24-2013 23:08:55 | More by brheuer

tobelerone

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2.7%

03-22-2013 02:22:39 | More by tobelerone

orangesol

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.7%

03-06-2013 18:47:52 | More by orangesol

GeoffreyM

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

02-11-2013 15:36:19 | More by GeoffreyM

2dogbrew

Virginia

4/5  rDev -2.7%

01-06-2013 00:42:06 | More by 2dogbrew

tapbit

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

12-13-2012 14:07:46 | More by tapbit

JMBSH

Colorado

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

11-23-2012 03:25:31 | More by JMBSH

TheDarkKnight

Delaware

4/5  rDev -2.7%

04-01-2012 21:30:45 | More by TheDarkKnight

hoops61176

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.7%

03-11-2012 13:16:07 | More by hoops61176

ROGUE16

Delaware

5/5  rDev +21.7%

12-07-2011 13:37:00 | More by ROGUE16

rab53

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -2.7%

12-01-2011 07:32:06 | More by rab53

starrdogg

District of Columbia

4/5  rDev -2.7%

11-29-2011 03:54:17 | More by starrdogg

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer poured out as a dark amber color. The head was big and fizzy but retained itself for the entire beer as you drank it. The smell is earthy with sweet malts. The taste is sweet with malts, some aramel, earth and pete on the tongue. A very nice tasting Wee Heavy. The mouthfeel is creamy and smooth with a light carbonation. Overall the I enjoyed this brew quite a bit. Surprised to see it's retired since I just bought it.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2011 01:45:35 | More by Knapp85

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Transcribed from notes dtd Sa, 04 Dec 2010. This was a IH Newark beer served at IHLNC.

Again, a wispy head, but I was taking my time on Winter Warmer afternoon and this was simply the price that I would have to pay. The nose had a tropical bent to it, like banana and coconut. Color was a slightly hazy reddish-brown. I immediately got the smokiness of the peated malt on the nose and I then sneered at the Cheat Sheet, which characterized it as "slight". Slight like John Holmes, RIP. Mouthfeel was medium-to full and swirled around on my tongue nicely without losing any of its viscosity. Finish lingered with a smokiness that, for me, was surprisingly just right. Usually, I am the stereotypical American, striving for more or the most in just about everything. I could easily drink more of this.

Serving type: on-tap

06-12-2011 23:04:17 | More by woodychandler

womencantsail

California

3.8/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Thanks for sharing this one, Bobby.

A: The pour is a dark amber, maybe amber color with a huge off-white head.

S: Surprisingly fruity on the nose. There's a lot of carbon dioxide aroma to it which sort of detracts from the other aspects. Some nice toast and toffee, though.

T: Good stone fruit flavors with a hint of smoke/peat. Plenty of toasted bread/malt with a moderate caramel and toffee flavor giving the beer its sweetness.

M: Medium in body with a very high carbonation.

O: Good, but the excessive carbonation lessens the enjoyment of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2011 22:11:41 | More by womencantsail

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

750mL bottle poured into large snifter glass

Pours a clouded mocha brown with some lighter hues towards the bottom. A beige head slowly dissolves into a layer of film with a nice collar around the glass. Some spots of lacing are also on the glass.

An intricate nose with elements of sweet caramel malt, molasses, smoky peat, and boozy warmth.

A decent element of scotch and sweeter roasted caramel malts up front. Syrupy molasses mixes with the backbone for a slightly sweeter overall profile. Hints of smoke and peat create the familiar scotch ale flavor. Suggestions of candied fruit and burnt sugar. Finishes with some alcohol heat and lingering stickiness.

Fuller body, rather smooth and easy on the tongue, decent carbonation and a bit dry and sticky. Drinks well, and the alcohol is about where I'd like it to be for the style. There's definitely cheaper examples out there, but this still a solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-12-2011 02:47:02 | More by xnicknj

beermanbrian

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Corked bottle that was a gift from my brother in law for Christmas. I'm pretty sure he got it at the Lancaster location but the bottle says Wilmington so I'm assuming that's were it was brewed and bottled.

Nice copper color but a rather small head. The head does hang on longer than expected for it's size. Smell of candy sweet malt with some biscuit notes. Taste matches the smell, nice sweetness and just some faint peat smokeyness to finish it off. ABV is hidden behind all the sweetness. There must be enough smokeyness to balance the sweet out because it manages to not be too cloying which is always one of my big complaints with a big high abv sweet brew.

Overall a nice example of the style. A nice one time buy.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2010 01:04:57 | More by beermanbrian

Minotaur

Pennsylvania

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

This pours from a 750ml bottle (which has aged for about a year) into a pint glass.

It is a hazy light brown-copper color with a one finger head that quickly vanishes to only a thin bit of hazy white atop the beer.

The aroma is unique: slightly toasty malts with a bit of sour hops. But there are two predominant flavors of slightly smokey peat and a floral-honey like scent that hints at heather.

The taste follows the aroma with a strong honey-floral (almost mead like) flavor supported by bready and yeasty malt. There is a slight bit of hops bitterness that offsets the honey very well. The peaty smokiness is a nice compliment to an alcoholic finish.

It has a full, vigorous mouthfeel. There is a bread-like quality typical of Belgian ales but without the usual estery flavors. It is a very drinkable and smooth beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2010 00:53:03 | More by Minotaur

LilBeerDoctor

New York

3.18/5  rDev -22.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Reviewed on 06/04/2009. Bottle at PPRBSG09. This beer pours a cloudy light brown. The aroma is of sweet, light butterscotch. The flavor is rather sweet, with some mint (?) and booze in the finish. Not bad for a wee heavy, actually, but I didn't love it either.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2009 15:49:19 | More by LilBeerDoctor

drtth

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in standard 12 oz glass. Glass of cold water on the side to sip from periodically.

Appearance: Clear, dark reddish brown with thin white/beige head.

Smell: Rich sweet caramel malts and grain, no hops detectable

Taste: Sweet, crisp malt flavor that is very intense and with little or no hop bitterness. Instead there is some soft smokiness in here but it comes and goes and does not dominate the malt sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with light carbonation and a smooth, silky feel and a medium long finish.

Drinkability: Highly drinkable. Could easily repeat for 3 or 4 more.

Serving type: on-tap
@ Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, 30 East State St., Media

03-04-2009 11:25:23 | More by drtth

barleywinebrewer

New Hampshire

3.98/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - hazy, dark brown with a nice off white head
S - caramel, toffee, slight smokey note
T - smilaro to the aroma but the malts come in with a light caramel balance, almost dry effect
M - medium / medium full bodied, lightly carbonated, nice light smokey caramel after note.
D - easy to approach and nicely complimentary to the brewery burger!

pricey at 18.50 but a nice example of the style.

Serving type: bottle
@ Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, 30 East State St., Media

05-14-2008 00:10:52 | More by barleywinebrewer

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had the pleasure of recieving a grolwer of this in a BIF not too long ago, and needless to say I was thrilled. Poured out a crazy dark brown, damn near opaque with a huge tan head on the top that only gradually settled down before finally coming to a rest with at least an inch left on the top and tons of side glass lace all over it. Really full looking for a wee heavy.

The aroma was rich, lots of malted sugar and caramel aroms with a hint of some earthy tones underneath it all, really quite big here as well. The flavor was masterful, almost tasted like a stout, and definitly had the feel of one. The rich sugary notes were huge, and mixed in well with tons of caramel and earthy grains. Rich dry finish really was just the icing on the cake for me.

Overall I thought this was outstanding. Easily one of the best I have ever had from the style. Truly a top notch brew if I have ever had one and I would love to be able to try this one again anytime.

Serving type: growler
@ Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, 30 East State St., Media

04-05-2008 15:45:44 | More by mikesgroove