Geary's Wee Heavy Scottish Ale - D.L. Geary Brewing Company

cjgator3

Florida

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle

A- Poured into a pint glass. Pours a dark brown color with a light tan head.

S- The aroma is sweet malt, caramel, dark fruits, pumpernickel bread and molasses. The aroma is very malty, smells good.

T- The taste is big and malty with malt and caramel with a lingering sweetness in the finish.

M- The mouthfeel is medium bodies with a good amount of carbonation.

O- Overall, this is a solid Wee Heavy that is a worth choice whenever in the mood for something more on the malty side.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 02:45:19 | More by cjgator3

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.18/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had on tap at New World Tavern--Plymouth--served into a tulip.

Appearance: minimal head and carbonation, dark brown in color, opaque

Smell: caramel, peat, and flower

Taste: caramel, peat, flower, with slight chocolate and earthy bitterness at the end

Mouthfeel: medium-heavy body, sweet with earthy bitterness especially at the end, low carbonation

Overall: The bitterness at the end of this one threw me a bit. This is an average Scotch Ale. The basic flavors are present, but there are several others in the style I would go to first.

Serving type: on-tap

01-25-2013 16:02:11 | More by tigg924

noremac423

4/5  rDev +5.5%

01-05-2013 03:45:31 | More by noremac423

nickfl

Florida

4.33/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A - Pours with one finger of tan foam on top of a dark brown body with clear, amber highlights. The head settles fairly rapidly and leaves a good dose of lace on the glass.

S - Dark, sugary notes of molasses and brown sugar with a hint of smoke and dark chocolate.

T - Dark malt flavors up front with notes of molasses, dark chocolate, and raisins. More dark sugar in the middle with fruity caramel, red apple, plum and more hints of dark chocolate. Finishes with lightly smoky chocolate, caramel, and a lingering molasses note.

M - Medium body, moderately high carbonation, and a slightly sweet finish.

D - Interestingly this is a bit out of style for a Scottish ale, but it is probably a much nicer beer overall than it would be if it conformed to that style. The malt is dark and complex to the point that it is almost an imperial stout. Very nice in the end.

Serving type: bottle

06-20-2012 03:14:51 | More by nickfl

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.78/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a dark coppery brown color, with a short off-white head that fades quickly and leaves a thin lace on the glass.

S: The aroma contains caramelized malts, bourbon, vanilla, some fruit and a touch of hops.

T: The taste starts out with flavors of caramel, vanilla and bourbon. Then a hearty malt character comes in. The hops presence is mild but complementary and brings a good balance. The after-taste is slightly sweet.

M: Smooth and crisp, medium-to-heavy body, medium carbonation, finish is slightly sticky.

O: A little tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, good kick, good representation of style, this is a solid beer but there are several that are better in the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 01:14:25 | More by TheManiacalOne

ZacMetalFan

Maine

3.75/5  rDev -1.1%

04-18-2012 01:58:35 | More by ZacMetalFan

beer2day

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Dark mahogany color with thick, 1+ finger cream-colored head. Excellent retention and thick lace.

Nose is more caramel malt than peat. Sweet and sticky, with nutty undertones.

Seriously sweet with caramel and caramel sugar. Tart finish with more carame, burnt this time, and notes of tart candied fruit. Smoky peat starts to come out, but there is an unfinished character to the beer that gets in the way. Not as earthy as I'd like, but close.

Feel is about right for the style. Thick and chewy. Notes of cream and resin.

Overall a bit disappointing but worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2012 02:11:16 | More by beer2day

DarrellK

Florida

4/5  rDev +5.5%

03-10-2012 22:06:13 | More by DarrellK

erlenmeyer

Maine

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

01-13-2012 01:24:40 | More by erlenmeyer

MaineMike

Maine

3/5  rDev -20.8%

12-18-2011 16:13:39 | More by MaineMike

Rochefort10nh

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +5.5%

12-02-2011 18:18:54 | More by Rochefort10nh

bacher468

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -7.7%

11-19-2011 12:58:40 | More by bacher468

rowingbrewer

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

This beer is probably a good example of the style but I have been jaded by drinking the likes of alesmith, nebco, Berkshire, and the alchemist's wee heavies. This beer pours a light reddish brown color win a decent tan head. The smell is lightly smokey with a good sweetness in the malt backbone. The flavor follows suit but the sweetness is not there is he flavor. The mouhfeel is lighter Han expected but the beer overall is pretty good

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2011 12:20:41 | More by rowingbrewer

sulldaddy

Connecticut

4.03/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

im drinking a cellar temp bottle poured into a snifter. The beer has been cellared for about 3 years.
The beer pours a clear mahogany hue with minimal beige fizzy head foaming up and receding to an edge layer almost immediately after pouring into the glass.
The aroma is rich malt with molasses and brown sugar and a little warm booze mixing, I dont get any hop presence.
First sip reveals a lighter body than expected and very minimal carbonation, almost cask-like.
Flavor is all-malt as the nose advertised with molasses, caramel, and some brown sugar. I do get a little bit of oxidation so it is good I opened this one up now, as it hasnt negatively impacted the beer in my opinion , just increased the complexity.
There is a little warming booze on each sip but I am drinking this beer fairly quickly for an 8% brew and think it could be a sneaky danger beer.
Pretty enjoyable and worth a purchase.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 04:46:22 | More by sulldaddy

shand

Florida

3.65/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a mug.

Pours a murky brown color with a finger of head that doesn't retain very well. Aroma is roasted malts, chocolate, caramel with a bit of a smokey aspect and a bit of maple in there as well. Taste is huge on roasted malts and bitter cocoa powder, with a bit of sticky caramel.

The mouthfeel is huge, thick, and perhaps a little less carbonated than it should be. Drinkability is pretty decent. Overall, a competant Scotch Ale, but nowhere near the best I've had.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2011 03:55:29 | More by shand

hustlesworth

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A- hazed reddish brown with bright red and orange highlights. foam is tan and fizzy and fades without hesitation to a thick ring.

S- somewhat metallic with chocolate and dark fruits, raisin, date, fig, brown sugar, vanilla, leather, and tobacco with an herbal hop presence.

T-vanilla and brown sugar mostly, with fig and date moving in along with alcohol bitterness and some hop bitterness as well. malt is chocolatey and sweet but the sweetness is kept in check by bitter and deeply toasted flavors. finish is long and complex with lingering flavors of damp wood, charcoal, coffee, leather, and tobacco.

MF- full and viscous, warming alcohol, and an alcohol dryness on the cheeks. carbonation is on the low end. residual sugar and alcohol feel.

D- a decent stab at the style, but not my favorite. hiding the alcohol an the 8% and + wee heavies seems to be difficult.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 06:22:19 | More by hustlesworth

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Another Geary's ale I've tried recently where there could be something funky going on (twist-offs, groan...). Unlike their London Porter I had a month ago which was definitely infected, this Wee Heavy had a similar suede-smooth feel and a discernible stingy funk going on, though in this instance only on the fringe.

Very cloudy with a light soy sauce color - crimson-brown. Little head. Deep malty and cakey-bourbon aroma. Moderately complex, mildly spiced malt flavor profile. A little like sucking on maple-syrupy velvet. Stale cherry fruity. A hair more bourbon than desirable, but luckily no smoky flavor, extremely mellow roasty notes. Thickish, lightly wood-pulpy on the palate. Soft-hot inoculation. Not bad for what I know is there. Interesting. Rather try this on tap if I happen to come across it.

Geary's needs to ditch the twist-offs. The funk is definitely in the house.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 03:29:26 | More by Bouleboubier

radioscooter

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Looks great.
Smells pretty good.

Tastes uh, chalky and soury.

Not much of a Scotch Ale.
Maybe like a Scotch Ale/Bruin de Flanders sour...

Yergggh. Sorry. Not the best review. Just had after something remarkable. But still...it is not good at all.

Chocolate up front, sour cherry mid, dry, sour finish. End of story.

Glad I got in a trade. Probably would not buy for any reason.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2011 22:25:02 | More by radioscooter

levifunk

Wisconsin

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle received as an extra.

a - pour is a dark thick brown. 1 finger head forms and retains for a while, but dies down leaving a nice lacing on the glass.

s - fudge chocolate, roasted malts, caramel, and vanilla.

t - the chocolate flavor in this is quite large and is present pretty much the whole time. there is a grainy flavor and a large malt flavor that make appearances. dark fruit on the end. little to no hops...which i think it needs.

m - thick and chewy mouthfeel. great carbonation level.

overall - not my favorite scotch ale, but its pretty good. i like the fudge chocolate integration.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2011 21:02:25 | More by levifunk

DefenCorps

Oregon

2.68/5  rDev -29.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

75cent bargain bin tick.

Deep reddish brown with a dense, dark brown head that recedes to a disk leaving no lace but some patchy foam. The nose is solid. Plenty of brown sugar, palm sugar, vanilla, prunes, raisins and some a mild cardboard-like oxidation, this is quite enjoyable. I do pick out some burnt sugar as well. As I swirl this in my glass, I do pick out some vegetal notes too.

The palate opens with a blend of burnt sugar sweetness, a little tartness and some oxidation. Not as rich or complex as the nose would suggest, this feels thin, and the malt character isn't particularly impressive. The burnt sugar character lends a blend of bitterness and sweetness, and time has added a leathery component too. Mildly plum-like with some rumminess too, this dries out on the finish leaving a dull, oxidized malt character along with a strange tartness. Medium-light in body with moderate carbonation, this is unimpressive right now, but I imagine this would have been a *lot* better fresh. Pretty much a clinic as to why every beer above 7% shouldn't be aged IMO.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2011 03:37:00 | More by DefenCorps

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Clear, dark reddish brown with a thin cap of fine mocha bubbles. A bit of sticky lace. Tons of caramel and toffee in the aroma, malty and very sweet, earthy raisin, prunes, hint of dry cocoa. Low bitterness, sweet caramel and toffee up front followed by dried fruit. It finished with mild alcohol with some solvent character and lingering malty sweetness coupled with plums. Texture was decent, full bodied with carbonation a little lower than average but still slightly coarse. Overall it was pretty good. I enjoyed it and would pick it up again.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2010 18:58:17 | More by DrJay

Jesstyr

Virginia

3.4/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I love me some wee heavy, but this one was largely disappointing - bitter where it should be malty, and just not the sweet caramel I'm used to.

Dark chocolate, with no particular head, but with nice lacing and a great opaque look that is very much wee heavy. Nose is lightly caramel, raisins and a bit of chocolate.

Taste is just a bit too much bitter, and not enough sweet caramel, chocolate and raisin. A bit tangy, a bit off rough - just doesnt have that smooth medium mouthfeel i look for in a wee heavy.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 01:47:26 | More by Jesstyr

Reswald

Alaska

4.28/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Purchased and drank a bottle in Annapolis, MD on 7/13/2010.

This Wee Heavy poured absolutely opaque, with a nice tan head that dissipated fairly quickly, leaving good lacing on the glass. The aroma is of malt, laced with some roasted notes and even hints of dark fruit; very inviting. Tasting it, the malt is in the forefront, with just enough hop bitterness for balance. I did not pick up any smoke, though this is optional for the style. The 8% ABV is well-hidden, making this Scotch Ale much more drinkable than some of the hotter versions out there. Good carbonation and a nice finish. I'm a sucker for Scotch Ales, but this was truly a fine one.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2010 22:22:02 | More by Reswald

ksimons

New York

4.3/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A-pours a dark brown with a thick tan head that quickly disappears to leave some lacing around the top

S-malty, sweet, and yeasty. Hints of molasses and booze come out

T-taste is similar to the smell but the molasses flavor comes out more. Alcohol is not overpowering, just a bit of a warming towards the end

M-full body, low to medium carbonation, has a rich dry finish

D-very drinkable, a nice rich taste, something I would get again

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2010 21:57:45 | More by ksimons

ThirstyBird

Germany

3.8/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours deep brown with a reddish hue. Tan head falls to a ring. The smell is rich and caramely malt, dark fruit. Taste is toffee, caramel, dark fruit chocolate a touch of alcohol.
Medium/ full body with pretty active carbonation but not too much so. Pretty nice overall.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2010 02:01:40 | More by ThirstyBird