Icelandic Wee Heavy
Einstök Ölgerð (Einstök Beer Company)

 

This one pours a dark-ish amber color, with a small head, and a little bit of lacing.

This smells lightly smoky, with some peat, herbal hops, caramel, and toffee.

This is probably the best beer I’ve had from Einstok so far. It’s richly malty in a very pleasant way, with some definite smokiness that I enjoy. There’s some herbal sweetness, a touch of clove, lots of caramel, and some pleasant breadiness.

This is medium bodied, pretty creamy, with a very nice drinkability.

This is a nice earthy and intriguing take on the style.

 

 

Canned 12/13/22. "Best before 2/13/23"; drank 10/8/23 @ the Yarchives.

Mostly opaque orange/brown appearance.

A rough pour yielded a huge khaki head; frothy lacing remained.

Sarsaparilla, mild caramel & faint smoke notes in the nose.

Medium mouthfeel.

Caramel & mild smoke flavors up front; mild sarsaparilla notes on the finish.

A nice take on the Wee Heavy; I'd have another!

Poured into a Celebrator pokal. Pours a medium to dark, lightly hazy, brownish orange with a thin, light khaki head that dissipates to patches with light lacing. Aroma of caramel malt, concentrated dried light stone fruit, toffee and light smoke. Flavor follows, with caramel malt, toffee, dried light stone fruit (particularly apricot) and mild smoke with a hint of peat. Medium bodied with moderate creaminess. This has the most authentic caramel flavor of any malted beverage I can remember. I've had a lot of caramel malt styles, but this one has that "just bit into a fresh caramel chunk" intensity. The smoke is a bit subdued with minimal peat, but the rest of the base is solid wee heavy. Considering the level of caramel and fruit, not that sweet; tastes well balanced. As a side note, this has been available from one the S Cal stores I order from, but they will not break the four packs and I just wanted to try one. Finally got this single can, and I'd have absolutely no problem buying a pack of these, even with the modest peat smoke.

Cloudy dark amber with lots of sediment floating around, maybe I should have poured less vigorously, big off white head, excellent retention, rings of lace
Toffee, caramel, and brown bread aroma
Tastes like it smells, along with an interesting earthy, oddly fruity flavor (the angelica? maybe just power of suggestion)
Heavy bodied, slightly sticky but not cloying, appropriately carbonated
Really good Scotch ale.

 

 

 

Poured out of a 12 oz bottle into my tulip glass, this beer pours a deep, dark amber color w/ a slightly off white/tan head that's about an inch thick when first poured. Head eventually settles to a very thick coating of surface foam along w/ a thick ring lining the inside of the glass. Not much lacing here. Aromas of some bready, toasted, caramel malt sweetness along w/ some stone fruit notes and a bit of a smoky spice presence. Apparently the spice is "native Icelandic angelica, a fabled herb that Vikings used as currency", as that is what it says on the can's label in the description for this beer. This has a very similar flavor profile, with the aforementioned, toasty, bready, caramel malt sweetness that's followed w/ the smoky spice note along w/ a bit of plums and dates. The sweetness is obviously the dominant flavor profile here, as the taste has no discernible hop presence whatsoever that my palate detects, which is just fine for a beer of this style, but it isn't overly or cloyingly sweet either. Has a somewhat crisp, also smooth and frothy, medium to full bodied mouthfeel w/ light to medium carbonation. Easy to drink in the way a well crafted beer should be. All of the flavors linger nicely on my palate long after each sip for the aftertaste. Quite a nice beer here indeed.

Eric

First beer from this brewery and from Iceland. Exciting! Pay a hefty price for this 6 pack. I'm sure with tariffs and all that. Reddish brown concoction. Not much lacing. Poured into a tulip glass. Lovely caramel notes on this full bodied beer. Really a pleasant brew on the taste beds.

Murky brown with a thick creamy tan head. Generous lacing. Aroma is caramel malt, stone fruit and spices. Flavor follows the nose, sweet up front, very little bitterness. According to the can it's "spiced with native Icelandic angelica - a fabled herb that Vikings used as currency." Whatever that is, I like it. Feel is medium bodied, lightly carbonated. Overall, I approve.

 

 

This one of the better wee heavies I have had. Bought a can at the local Total Wine, will go back for more.

Poured from the can into a tulip glass. Murky brown color with a beautiful, creamy white head and excellent lacing. It’s look telegraphs it’s taste. Smell and taste of caramel. Taste of earthy herbs and dark fruit notes. The flavors open as it warms. Bitter, malty, and a bit boozy. Pleasantly sweet. Really enjoyed this beer!

330ml can. Best by stamp on can bottom of 'BF 13/FEB/2024'.
Cloudy, brown colored body. One finger of khaki colored head, but a thin cap and ring persist. Leaves behind some tiny lacing spots.
Aroma of malt, caramel, and dark fruit.
Taste has some resonance. Flavors of lightly roasted malt, caramel, toffee, light prunes and raisins.
Nectar-like mouth feel. Smooth. Good carbonation.
Having this in Iceland would be a treat.

Copper brown murky appearance with minimal to no head. Caramel, molasses, burnt raisin, tobacco, sweet malt. Medium body, light carbonation, soft mouthfeel.

Bartender poured it from a 12oz can 5 months from "best by" date into a frosted pint glass (not my choice of glassware style or temperature). Muddy, opaque light brown color with no head. Weak aroma of caramel and molasses. Taste of super heavy caramel and toffee with a little barley. The tiniest bit of spice worked great. No smoked flavor as noted by others. Medium-heavy body and good carbonation. Overall fairly good.