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AleSmith Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

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bottled
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RatingsAverageScoreABVStyle PctlServe in
7474.09/5.04.08/5.010%99.6Thistle
Commercial Description:
Bottle conditioned
J.P. Gray's Wee Heavy Scotch Ale Scotland's bone-chilling winters command a strong, richly-flavored brew. J.P. Gray's Wee Heavy is such an ale. Named for Brewmaster Skip Virgilio's maternal grandfather, J.P. Gray's is a blend of the prized Maris Otter barley and dark roasted barley which imparts a slightly smoky flavor and a deep chestnut appearance. In the style of a classic Scottish wee heavy, this fine ale is remarkably smooth and malty with background flavors of chocolate and molasses. Warmth is provided by a substantial 9% alcohol by volume. The high alcohol and fresh ingredients allow this ale to age well over time. Appearance: Deep mahogany color, sparkling clarity, and excellent head formation and retention when properly served. Flavor: Deep caramelly malty flavor with just a hint of smoke in the finish. Aroma: The aroma is sweet and voluptuous, reflecting the flavor with malt, hop and yeast characteristics. Mouthfeel (body/texture): Lush, full, rounded, almost chewy. This is a BIG beer!
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 cmillward (428), Orlando, Florida, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
9/104/59/105/518/20
Apr 23, 2008  
This is a thing of wonder. Poured from a bottle I picked up around Christmas time 2007. Pours a deep brown with a hefty tan head. Sweet malts, toffee, caramel, some dried fruits on the nose, hints of chocolate, hints of caramelized cherries. As it warms it opens up and fruits become more pronounced. Before I get into the flavor, the body on this was just amazing. Not too heavy, even when almost at room temp didn’t come close to approaching syrupy. The flavor followed the nose, a sweet caramel maltiness. Chocolate, and then dried fruit and alcohol hits the chest halfway through the glass and gently wafts up the nose. This is so complex. As it continued to warm prunes (in a really good way) became apparent. Good times, hope for (many) repeats.


 holdenn (1437), Chicago, Illinois, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
Apr 21, 2008  
750 ml bottle. Pours a dark brown with purple tints and a thick beige head. The nose is balanced with sweet caramelized malts, toffee, raisins, figs, and dried fruits. Sweet flavors but not overly so. More of the dried fruits, plums, sweet toffee, and some peat notes that are very subdued. I really enjoyed this one.


 georgekappus (296), Brookfield, Connecticut, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/517/20
Apr 18, 2008  
Bottle. Pours a deep brown, not quite opaque with a thick off white head. Aroma is alcohol, caramel and molasses. Taste is sugary, sweet, slightly roasted but not overwhelming. Smooth on the palate. A great brew.


 Haslinger (642), Syracuse, New York, USA
4.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/104/59/104/518/20
Apr 16, 2008  
Pours a tobacco amber with a long lasting cream head. The aroma is malt and chocolate. The taste is smooth with a great caramel taste, there is a definite liquorice taste but not anise just a smooth liquourice. Creamy mouthfeel it feels like there is almost more than a liquid in your mouth. This is a great one. Would buy again


 SuperDave70 (1157), Beautiful Sunny Mesa, Arizona, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Apr 15, 2008  
Pours a deep brown-amber color with a creamy tan head that lasts a while. Lots of aroma of caramel, malt and yeast. Good flavor as well, similar to the aroma with some added chocolate and spice. Not my favorite style, but a truly great beer.


 fakepurseninja (776), Washington, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/104/56/103/515/20
Apr 13, 2008  
Lots of flavors in here that go together well but a little to empty to tie it all into a nice little package. High alcohol really stands out with a huge sweet malt base with a huge, spicy chocolate component. Heavy molasses and sharp hoppy, piney base. Interesting drink.


 TheRealBastard (141), The-No, California, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/102/59/104/516/20
Apr 13, 2008  
Thanks adam! Poured the same color as my beer shit in the morning after a long night with Double Bastard. Did not taste anything like it, was quite tasty. This beer has tons of butterscotch and carmel flavors. Was well balanced between them hiding its 10% abv. Recommended!


nparikh (20), New York, New York, USA
4.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/105/58/104/518/20
Apr 12, 2008  
Big bottle, gold foil wrapper (dunno if the color changes over the years). Pours dark wood color with a staying coffee-colored head. A classic strong Scotch ale, it’s an exercise in malts. Sweetness from malts and fruit; complexity from undertones of smoke which punch up in the dry finish. Roasted chestnuts. Full-bodied, smooth, chewy. Damn good, but I think I prefer their Old Numbskull (also very malt-focused), though it’s not really fair to compare across styles like that.



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