The Duck-Rabbit Wee Heavy Scotch Style Ale

Brewed by The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Style: Scotch Ale
Farmville, North Carolina USA

12oz bottle pours crystal clear amber with thin tan head. Full aroma of dark fruity esters of dates, prunes and bright deep red cherry candy. Behind the fruitiness I get caramel and faint earthiness. The taste is much like the aroma with an initial bolt of dark fruitiness from prunes, ripe cherries, dates and raisins. Midway sweet caramel surfaces along with some faint earthiness. Into the finish the dark fruity esters return with a mild pepper quality. A little too much with the dark fruity esters for the style. Still very enjoyable.

Bottle from unclejedi. Pour was murky brown, nice tannish colored head, good lacing. The aroma was strong caramel, fruity, some smoked grass notes. The flavor was caramel, really strong caramel, moderately smokey grass notes (distinguished from peaty grass in my mind), honey, finishing with a touch of spice and dark fruits as it neared room temperature (and the latter two a few minutes after I had a sandwich and glass of water about 3/4 of the way through). Higher alcohol never detected even after the food (which normally kicks it up for me - this thing was better right after the food). Seemed to also be something Belgian about this, either candi sugar or yeast? Mouthfeel was full but a little sticky, kept honesty by the tingly spice and carbonation. Thanks, Jim!

Trade via emacgee. Deep amber in color with a small off white head. The nose has plenty of sweet caramel, toasted malts, and lightly yeasty. Taste is caramel, dark fruits, toasted malts, and alcohol. Full, thick body. Finishes with caramel, dark fruit, and light to moderate touches of alcohol. Thanks Ethan!

Looks pretty. Rich, full amber with brunette undertones. Mostly sweet caramel malt aroma. Sticky sweet. Dried dark fruits. Flavor has some green apple tartness, caramel stickiness, a metallic sharpness and alcoholic hotness. Surprising for being only 8%. Medium bodied with too much carbonation for how sweet the beer. A bit out of balance with a flavor profile that’s all over the map. Thanks Andy!

12oz bottle, 2007 vintage, courtesy of kp. Thanks, Keith! Pours a slightly hazy, bright auburn color; khaki head with excellent retention and lacing; a very nice pour. Lots of sticky caramel, candy sugar, and dried fruits in the aroma; an apple-y, syrupy note that approaches tartness; teeth-rotting. Slightly metallic note upfront. easing out into a more pleasant mouthfeel afterwards: sticky candy sugar, maple syrup, caramel, and dried fruits: all the dense, syrupy malts one could ask for, with that tangy apple note coming through once again; really throws the whole thing off for me; a bit over-carbonated, coupled with overripe fruit / sticky dried fruit. Odd, unbalanced scotch ale, with a very generous and pleasant malt character underneath. Lengthy finish, showing some dough and candy sugar; ends with plenty of sweetness.

sampled at the San Diego Strong Ale Festival Nov 2007, an event shared with what seemed liked hundreds of ratebeerians and enjoyed mostly through a straw, since my face was a bloody mess of scabs and stitches. this came from the RB table full of bottles. KP brought this yummy one. deep ruby with some tan on top. sweet malty aroma. Flavor is very sweet, carmel with a bit of burntness. Overall a bit too sweet. left a tingly feeling in my mouth.

Shigadeyo got me an 06 and an 07 of this Wee Heavy. The ’06 is dark brown color with a foamy beige head. Nose of melted toffee and lightly smoked peat. Sweet beer with lots of toffee, dark caramel, ripe dark fruits, and a smoke that reminds me of brunt sugar. The ’07 has the same flavors but adds a much more noticable hop note and more prominent alcohol. This is a very nice example of a style that Is not my favorite. Thanks Craig.

Darker brown color with a small head. Aroma has some malty/bready sweetness mixed with some peat and dark fruit. Flavor has some peaty malt to it and some sweet fruits. Smooth mouthfeel with some good hop tingle. Pretty good scotch ale - not a knockout, but solid and highly drinkable.