Wee Heavy (Barrel Aged) - Hale's Ales Brewery & Pub

JAXSON

Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks Eric. Pours a clear dark burgundy with a large creamy head. Nose is a pretty lush montage of peat, malt, earth, vanilla, bourbon barrel, with some sweet dark fruits. Flavor is pretty dry upfront, becomes heavily peaty in the mid palate, then some crazy caramel candy sweetness carries through the finish. Werthers Original. Barrel is tame in itself but this hot peat kind of flavor is really prominent. Almost abrasive at times, and quite sugary with all that melted caramel. This is pretty raw and earthy. I can't tell whether or not I like this. I think with all the weird heat and sugars flying around I have some problems with this, but it's better than a handful of barrel aged wee heavy I've had, never really my favorite style.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 02:39:18 | More by JAXSON

Hoppy_McMalt

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

04-18-2013 23:05:42 | More by Hoppy_McMalt

NickThePyro

Washington

4/5  rDev +1.8%

04-04-2013 01:07:07 | More by NickThePyro

twelveinches

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

03-27-2013 05:31:22 | More by twelveinches

strongaf

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

03-16-2013 08:20:49 | More by strongaf

Texasfan549

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

02-24-2013 19:19:34 | More by Texasfan549

beerandcycling88

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

02-18-2013 01:47:44 | More by beerandcycling88

doughanson78

Washington

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

02-13-2013 09:05:06 | More by doughanson78

powdersoldier

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

01-27-2013 19:55:09 | More by powdersoldier

GeoNut

3/5  rDev -23.7%

01-10-2013 01:35:13 | More by GeoNut

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance. Pours a hazy caramel-amber with a thin, amber tinted head.

Smell. Caramel, vanilla, sweet bourbon and some old dank wood.

Taste. Light caramel and woody bourbon, vanilla and a bit of grainy malt with a little hop bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel. Medium+ body with medium carbonation.

Overall. A very nice beer that drinks easy right now. Enjoyed it very much.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 00:29:49 | More by Rutager

Birdlegs

Washington

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

12-30-2012 09:02:46 | More by Birdlegs

Kevlee722

Washington

4/5  rDev +1.8%

12-25-2012 08:10:46 | More by Kevlee722

sukwonee

Washington

3.15/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Clear reddish dark brown body with 1 finger head.

S: Orange zest, brown sugar, bourbon, caramel, dark fruits - while this sounds good, it's not very interesting, imo.

T: Starts off ok. Bourbon note, hops, dark fruits... and it finishes off like... I am drinking sparkling water or club soda.... flavours disappear fast...

M: Very very thin body and sharp carbonation. Very very dry (not in a good way). It feels like you're drinking sparkling water.

O: For $8.99 a bottle, it was just cheap enough for me to try this... I DO NOT LIKE beers Hale's makes... bourbon aged or not. This is the most flavor-less bourbon barrel aged beer I have ever tasted.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2012 02:32:06 | More by sukwonee

grittybrews

Washington

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%

12-20-2012 15:20:52 | More by grittybrews

Gtg642

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

11-26-2012 23:59:26 | More by Gtg642

sharpski

Oregon

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%

10-23-2012 18:14:49 | More by sharpski

bespin15

Washington

4.75/5  rDev +20.9%

07-17-2012 22:37:50 | More by bespin15

ithinkimasofa

Washington

4/5  rDev +1.8%

05-05-2012 23:49:30 | More by ithinkimasofa

Duff27

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

02-21-2012 04:09:58 | More by Duff27

hannaho

Washington

4.5/5  rDev +14.5%

02-20-2012 18:44:08 | More by hannaho

cougarbait

Washington

4/5  rDev +1.8%

02-09-2012 15:46:59 | More by cougarbait

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a MacAndrew's thistle glass. Pours a dark red brown amber. One finger fine light tan head with good retention and lacing. Aroma is dominated by whisky with oak and vanilla. Flavor is nice, pleasant whisky, dark and caramel malt, dark fruit. Finishes with sweet fruit, malt and whisky and a perfect amount of oak. Flavors are well integrated. Moderate to heavy, creamy body. Overall a very pleasant oaked scotch ale, I'm impressed. This is an very nice ale from Hale's line up and surprisingly flavorful for its ABV. I waited a while to try this and now hope I can find another bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 05:26:19 | More by LiquidAmber

seedsofchaos

Illinois

3.73/5  rDev -5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to Johngalt1 for this extra. I always love to try a new barrel-aged beer that I haven't heard of before. Shared this with a friend, split into two brandy snifters.

From the bottle: "This special edition of our winter ale was actually brewed in the summer! Aged in Kentucky oak barrels for six months, the beer has flavors that are reminiscent of currants, caramel, and bourbon. Enjoy.

Brewed 6.12.11 Bottled Nov. 2011 Aged In Kentucky Oak Barrels O.G. 1.070 ABV 7.4%"

This Wee Heavy pours nicely: A rich nutty brown with hints of ambers and sherry. A formidable and earthy head have quite a bit of staying power. Decent lacing. A bit of alcohol around the edges.

Upon pouring, one can smell an aroma similar to Bourbon County Vanilla. Definite oak and bourbon. Creamy vanilla. A good swish and a bit of fruitiness appears with a touch of cardboard. I can't quite discern whether or not its from the oak or from the slightest bit of oxidation. Not a bad smelling beer. In all of its simplicity, it's quite nice. Everything follows through in the flavor. Although the tastes of currants mentioned on the bottle are completely absent, one does get a nice (albeit a bit light) mouthfeel and mouthful of vanilla, oak notes, bourbon and caramel malts. Not as much caramelization as I would like in a Wee Heavy and not as chewy either. The focus here is definitely on the "Kentucky oak barrels" mentioned on the bottle.

Not a bad beer at all, and a lot easier to put down than most BAs and/or Wee Heavy/Scotch Ales. I wouldn't seek this beer out necessarily but a decent brew all in all. Good.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2012 16:26:30 | More by seedsofchaos

kscaldef

Oregon

3.5/5  rDev -10.9%

01-04-2012 02:49:11 | More by kscaldef