Bethlehem Brew Works Wee Heavy

Brewed by Bethlehem Brew Works
Style: Scotch Ale
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania USA

Darker brown with a light head. Aroma is sweet and a bit smoky. Flavor has some smoke, molasses, and dark sugar. Decent for the style.

Lightly roasty, lightly smoky notes to the sweet chocolate and caramel aroma with some herbal notes apparent. Hazy burnished copper coloured body is topped by a generous off white head that recedes slowly to cover and coats the glass. A little bit lighter in colour than I’d expect for a wee heavy. Caramel and toffee malt character with some dried fruit and earthy notes in the very short flavour profile. Medium light body feels somewhat thin with moderate carbonation. Sampled on the PA trip 2005.

Orangey brown pour, showing off with a large creamy beige head. Watered down coffee contrasts with quality moka-ish caramel in the nose whereas more hops than you’d expect come up lemony and obviously too citric, perhaps not the best family pick here, ultimately procuring a slight astringency and rather lactic sour feel that really gives the impression of thinner malts than what there is. Mineral laden light-medium body, heavily carbonated, propulsing interesting vanilla and roasted notes, but it’s already too late for glory.

The Lure:
Fragile malt roastiness within cordial caramel sweetness. Thick foam clings onto the sides of the glass, a pleasant prediction of wealth.

The Festivities:
Sanative fruity sweetness sticks to the regenerative citrusy, wooden hop finish. Impetuous carbonation mars the voluptuous malt feel. Then appears a dry earth design, as malt flavors resign. I would have liked more flavor development from the malt, not just a bigger mouthfeel.

Transcendence:
Raking leaves is nice for the eyes, but...

Poured a hazy brown color with a small, light tan head that left nice lacing on the glass. Aroma of chocolate, peat smoke, caramel malt and roast as well. Taste of nuts, caramel, roasted malts, some smoke and a touch of hoppiness as well. Alcohol was no where to be found.

On tap at the BBW. Poured a dark amber color with a smaller sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, roasted malts and very light smoke. Tastes of toffee, some peat, and a little bready. Light alcohol in the finish. Sweet. Beer menu had this listed @ 6.2% (’as the Hammer Shop Wee Heavy’).

Stronger version of their Bagpiper. Good beer. Powerful. Alcohol is present but pleasant. Very good beer.

Initially very little aroma. Practically no head, which was light tan. Color was on the ruby side of deep brown. First sip had bracing alcohol belt, but finished smooth and sweet with a slight roasted malt after-taste. Aroma became malty as the beer warmed up (was served too cold for the style)