French Broad Wee-Heavy-est Belgian Scotch Ale

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

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.

Bottle courtesy of emacgee. Pours brown with a tan head. Smells of clove, figs, chocolate, earthy. Tastes tarte and chocolatey with an earthy finish.

Bomber from City Beverage in Winston-Salem NC. Pours a dark cloudy mahogany with a thick rocky tan head. Huge caramel and earthy peat aroma with fruity Belgian yeasty notes. Very thick mouthfeel. Malt takes the lead here but the beer is not overly sweet. Some bitterness creeps adding a bit of balance. The Belgian yeast definitely adds the expected character to an otherwise stylistically sound Scotch ale.

Bottle. Mahogany appearance, with a small beige head. Aroma is caramel, spice, orange, yeast. Flavor is similar, the coriander comes out well, hint of chocolate, strong caramel, bit of alcohol in aftertaste. Delicious.

TN tasting at maniac’s. Brown pour with thin tan head. Nice dark fruit aroma. Belgian yeast in flavor. A bitter smokeness in the finish. Weird. But fun.

Bomber sampled at the brewery. Pours a blackish red with a thin tan head. Malty caramel aroma with hints of fruity sweetness. Taste is malty sweet with nice fruit and hop notes that blend really well. Nicely hidden 9% abv, very good beer.

A ruby red/dark brown pour with off white head and lace. Roasted malt aroma with hints of dates. Rich sweet malt and a very light bitter. Creamy full palate. Full sweet and refreshing. Very solid

Draft at City Beverage. Dark amber pour with a thin head. Tastes like a thin scotch ale with that malt forward flavor, some honey, then an interesting yeasty Belgian influenced finish. I wouldn’t call this one of my favorite Belgian ales ever, but when it’s put up against Scotch ales, it comes across a lot better.