Aug 16, 2016

Alesmith Wee Heavy

I like a good wee heavy. Despite a bottling date of Octover 15, 2015, I still had to pick up Alesmith’s own take on the style. And besides, at 10% ABV, this brew still had a reasonable good chance of being just fine after that time in the bottle. In fact, despite a little touch of wet cardboard creeping in, Wee Heavy has stood up quite well.

The array of flavors (cocoa, dark fruits, a soft smoke, caramel and toffee) that this beer presents work incredibly well with one another, swirling around the mouth effortlessly. Wee Heavy is rich and dynamic, showing just a touch of its age — a result of how it has been kept since bottling or simply its natural progression. I’d personally like a touch more fullness, but other than that I can’t find anything wrong with this one.

I think, if I happen to cross paths with this big beer again, I’ll be sure to purchase a more recent bottling. I’d rather my own poor cellaring be the reason for the touch of premature aging that has set in. Still, as it stands, this bottle was excellent and a joy to experience.