French Broad Wee-Heavy-est Belgian Scotch Ale

Brewed by French Broad Brewing Co.
Style: Scotch Ale
Asheville, North Carolina USA

22 oz. bottle. Medium red/brown pour. Quite a bit of carbonation appears. Smells of red fruits, brown sugar and booze. Pretty lively mouthfeel. Tastes more sweet molasses and raisin with some maltiness, but not nearly enough. Would be better with a little more body to it. Slight lingering warmth and smoke. Not a bad ale, but the Belgian yeast has really placed this somewhere between a Belgian and a Scotch.

Tastes like a dubbel and a scotch ale combined... but more like a dubbel. Sweeter than expected and a bit of a cotton candy and brown sugar vibe. No peaty scotch goodness. Still pretty tasty, but I prefer the Wee Heavy-er.

22. Thanks, BitBucket! Pours grainy opaque dark brown with a surging, massive, comical tan head that takes forever and ever to settle. Two or three of us must have gone back three or four times each before the bottle got close to the bottom. Big perfumey cotton candy nose; not unpleasant but definitely makes you wonder what you’re in for with a scotch malt bill and that yeast. Creamy medium body, though, and lots of caramel and peat with a bit of smoke--and no real sign of anything unexpected from the belgian yeast. So, aside from the Himalayan mountain of head and that cotton candy nose, both of which are a bit unexpected, this is just a spot-on little scotch ale that’s really nice to drink.

Bomber pours a clear mahogany brown with a healthy beige head. Some sheet lacing is left on the goblet. Aroma of molasses, toffee, red apples, ripe oranges, dark fruits and spicy yeast. A floral hop bitterness opens the taste but is beaten into submission by the toffee and caramel maltiness. Yeasty spice and dark fruits add a Belgian dark ale touch. Didn’t have a lot of expectations for this one but it is really a pleasant surprise. Well done and quite tasty.

another strange scotch ale. not really enjoying these belgianized scotch ales. seems to me that Scotland and Belgium are two different countries with two different brewing styles. there is a reason for that. Pours out a dark brown color with a decent head. aroma was sweet and smelled like a belgian strong ale. and guess was it tasted like one too with a stange maltiness to it. note working for me.

Bottle from Daniel. Thanks! As always, I like trying new stuff from NC, so of course I jumped at the chance to try this one. Pours out a brown color without much of a head on it. Smell is rich, full of caramel and even some bread smells. Taste is rich and it has that same taste of yeast that all Allagash beers have. In fact, this beer tastes like Allagash Grand Cru. Fruity and lightly hopped, but it is drinkable, and really this doesnt taste like a scotch ale at all.

Bottle on 11/28/2008 in the Great Butters Tasting of 2008. Slightly hazy dark brown body with ruby hightlights and a medium frothy light brown head. Big malty aroma with some molassas and caramel and a touch of peat. Sweet caramel, molassas, some dark fruit and a dry floral hop bitterness. Medium body with moderate carbonation.

Today I have beer from French Broad Brewing Co in Asheville, NC. As I understand it they could soon be available in the Richmond area. I have heard many great things from this small brewery in the mountains of North Carolina so let’s see how this holds up. Aroma: I get hits of citrus and sourness from the brett. The citrus smell could be characterized as a almost grapefruit like. I also get a bready smell as well. Appearance: It pours a clear mahogany color. You can see through it with no problem. The head is nice and tall. Taste: green apple tartness here. Finishes very dry which I like a lot. Compliments the beer very well. However, I do still get a yeast like taste in there. I can not really tell what it is but I am getting something. Overall Impression: I have to say the accolades for this brewery is right on. If there other stuff is as good as this one then we will be blessed with another fine addition. The beer itself gives you very interesting flavors and how dry they were able to make it is pretty impressive.