A Scotch ale/Wee Heavy
From Belhaven Brewery Company Ltd, Scotland 6.5% ABV. Systembolaget Article Number 1562. 17.90 SEK (330ml bottle)
There are few beers that look as pretty as Scotch ale. An extra long boil in the kettle leads to a caramelisation of the wort that produces deep ruby red/brown beers that literally radiate in your glass. A burgundy coloured body sits under a white soapy head with just the faintest tinge of cinnamon.
Wee heavy beers are deliciously malty, which means pleasantly roasted smells of toast smothered in toffee. There's some berry fruits too, and a suggestion of smoke and chocolate
You know just by looking at the beer that malty flavours are coming your way, and this wee heavy delivers just that. Beautiful toasted bread notes and sticky caramel are first in, followed by raisins, plums, some oak (?) and a sprinkle of chocolate. There's some biscuity British hops in there but they are put firmly in their place by the malts and can only manage a very faint comeback as the flavours fade away.
Wee heavy's are rich, thick, sticky sweet and their chewy toffee character are the perfect match to meats that have been glazed with a sweet BBQ sauce and have a crisp, crunchy skin. Drop a scoop of home-made vanilla ice-cream in a small glass of wee heavy and you've got yourself a to-die-for beer float!
Nerd note
Wee Heavy is a strong scotch ale believed to have originated in Edinburgh in the 19th century. As with most strong ales it tends towards malty sweetness with low hop impact. Although some wee heavy beers are almost sickly sweet Belhaven has struck the perfect balance of hops, creating a beer that despite being sweet remains incredibly drinkable thanks to a luxuriously smooth and creamy mouthfeel.
Rating
0.9 of 5
I have always been impressed with Belhaven. I’m glad to see this one delivers as well.