AleSmith Brewing Wee Heavy

Aroma: “Notes of peat smoke, chocolate, bourbon, plum pudding, vanilla, and spice. There are faint tart notes, hints of grape and caramel, and definite soy sauce as it warms.” Flavor: “Bourbon liqueur–filled chocolate. Lots of malt sweetness. Some nice dark-fruit notes like cherries and a bit of plum. The oak gives some earthiness, and this finishes with a nice warming sensation.” Overall: “Sweet, potent, and smooth. Like drinking a bourbon liqueur–filled chocolate.”

Aroma: “Smells like a great dessert bread. Honey mead, grapes, burnt sugar, crème brûlée, and flowers—very intriguing.” Flavor: “Grapes! Root Beer! Cherry Jolly Ranchers! There is a lot going on in this beer. Malt forward and sweet but not too sweet. Sweet notes of caramel, toast, and honey. Fruit notes of prunes and plums add complexity and sweetness. Some burnt sugar. A bit of oak. Enjoyed the carbonation, and there is a dryness that helps to cut some of the sweetness.” Overall: “Buy this beer—refreshingly interesting and sublimely crafted. The barrel character is unexpected yet extraordinarily complementary to the beer. It’s a potent, smooth. velvet hammer.”

Aroma: “Honey-glazed crystal malt, chocolate, lots of caramel, some soy sauce, dried cherry and fig, cardboard oxidation, stewed plums, and bourbon. Enticing and inviting.” Flavor: “Chocolate, soy sauce, stewed plums, bourbon, full-bodied sweetness, with some hints of cherry add sweet complexity in the flavor. Very malt forward, and the oak complements the flavors. A strong warming through the finish, which adds to this beer.” Overall: “A sweet version of a wee heavy with assertive bourbon notes and appropriate malt depth. Good caramel, a bit of chocolate with some toast, and slight dark fruits followed with some oak in the back. It’s sweet yet not cloying, and the oxidation notes really complement the beer, adding richness.”