AleSmith Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
San Diego, California USA

Big thanks to TChrome for this. Pours dark brown (a super heavy ruby through my desk lamp) with medium light tan head and mucho laceo. Aroma of malt, almonds, walnuts, corn flakes, cognac, cabernet, some chocoff. Wonderful, complex aroma. Tastes malty, with a huge chocolate-hazelnut palate, combined with some spirits (cognac, Amaretto). Super smooth, and more chocolate and nuts as it warms. Like drinking a Godiva chocolate nut candy. The alcohol is non-existent. The palate is more exquisite than a shaved call girl on the tongue. This one would be great as a nut brown, a porter, or a scottish ale. I’ve given more big scores in the last 3 months than I can ever remember. Then again, I’ve ramped up my trading so that I have a nice stockpile. To me, theoretically all beers could be perfect, or they could all be garbage. This one is perfect. My 12th perfecto robusto. If I had known, I’d have saved this for 1,500. I still have the Alesmith Grand Cru. Stay tuned, same Bat time, same Bat channel.....Find this stuff at all costs, even if you have to go Faustian and sell your soul...it’s that damned good! Bravo, Alesmith.

New bottle (from Liquid Solutions). Virtually no head. Body is medium to dark brown. Aroma is moderately malty (caramel, caramel, caramel, nuts, molasses), with notes of sherry/cardboard and whiskey. Flavor is heavily sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Medium to full body, syrupy texture, soft carbonation, lightly alcoholic. Just as lackluster (so simple and overly sweet!) as my last rating a few years ago, unfortunately. It’s heartbreaking when a great brewery loses their edge. We can still enjoy Speedway, thankfully, but it seems that the rest of the line are pale ghosts of their glorious past.

2001 bottle. Head is initially average sized, frothy, light brown, mostly lasting. Body is hazy dark orange-brown, dense tiny particles, bottle conditioned. Aroma is heavily malty (caramel, roasted nuts, toasted dark bread, coffee), lightly hoppy (herbs, flowers), with notes of toffee, brown sugar, hint of alcohol. Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Full body, creamy and velvety texture, soft carbonation, lightly alcoholic. Wow. Coming on two years of age and still extremely well-balanced...lots of bitterness to counteract the huge malt. Enormous malty nose, well-hidden alcohol, big mouthfeel. Oh yeah, this is a winner. [9/5/9/5/18=4.6]

750 ml capped bottle, 2003. Dark brandy pour, root beer in the glass with light off-white foam. Rich, hazelnut-perfume-peaty nose, with swirls and eddies of vanilla, brandy and butterscotch making brief but happy appearances. Wonderfully satiny mouthfeel, again slightly (brown ale) nutty on the tongue. Alcohol present but warming rather than abrasive...cappucino liqeuer qualities...the nose becomes truly intoxicating near room temperature. My new favorite from this brewer; I’m beginning at last to understand the praise.

Thanks to Marcus for this one. Aromas of chocolate, ripe, red stone fruits, and touches of peat and malt. Strong mahogany color with tiny bubbles and a decent beige head that didn’t hang around. Very smooth; full bodied; creamy, almost chewy, carbonation. Flavor is lightly smoky dark malt, with a little heat, chocolate, and something like fresh, sweet ripe red plums. It’s really smooth. A little suggestive of Glazen Toren Canaster; it’s in that class, but I truly prefer the Belgian over the Diegan. As the malt slips away, the finish seems to have a little hop bitter. This is not sticky sweet, but it is more sweet than dry. If you’re lucky the pricing might be about the same for both ales, and I’d recommend the Canaster. If you can’t get the Canaster, go with this one. It really is quite good.

Sampled again thanks to iowaherkeye. Still a solid brew. Alesmith is something else. Just awesome. Thanks to mkeves for sharing this gem. A very dark brown with some ruby highlights. A thin long lasting head on top of this. The aroma is malt and peat as expected. Also a slightly smokyiness with lots of alcohol warmth. The taste has bourbon, grass and a metallic tinge. Also some oak and peat flavors floating around. The mouthfeel is medium.

Sweet chocolate, plums, raisins, alcohol and slightly smoky, slightly roasty aroma. Hazy light brown colour with dense off-white head that recedes to generous cover with mild lacing. Roasty, rum-dipped, chocolate covered raisins in the mouth. Sweet, fruity and thick. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Very full body that is velvety thick. I just may be in love with this beer. Bottle. Enjoyed with hopsrus, MartinT and Rastacouere.

Had this on a fresher palate the day after the Fort Wayne gathering: Murky earthy brown hue with a thin off-white head and good lace. The aroma hints of molasses, raisin, bittersweet chocolate, spruce, spiced rum, tropical fruit, burnt oak, and pipe tobacco yeasty esters. Fruity sweet and lush malt taste. Undertone of smoke, wood, and spices round out the taste. The alcohol is well hidden, just a hit to let you know it's a big beer. This medium to full-bodied brew has a chewy and inviting mouthfeel. Lively yet soft, too cool! Wonderful brew to enjoy with sausage and cheese or just by itself. Top-notch.

Bottle at home ... ... Deep brown red ... sweet tofee malt little vanilla nose ... again loads on vanilla and whiskey tones (just like numbskull) some toffee and caramel malts... Real glad to have tried this, and glad that the BA versions on way... and though its nice ...its a beer to slip and savour into ...its not hitting that spot for me... It did grow on in, and my mate loved it, so i know the rest of you arent lying :-)