Wee Heavy - Bourbon & Port Barrel-Aged (2025)
AleSmith Brewing Company

Poured into a MacAndrew's thistle glass. Pours a very dark walnut brown, appearing nearly opaque in the glass with a thin, light khaki head that quickly dissipates to patches with light lacing. Aroma of dry caramel malt, light molasses, rye bread, raisins, mild bourbon and fortified wine; a hint of oaky vanilla. Flavor is dry caramel malt, raisins, dates, molasses, rye bread, bourbon and mild Port. A little smoke in the finish as well a light lingering woody oak. Medium bodied with moderate creaminess. I think Alesmith originally introduced me to the wee heavy style and it was an early foundational moment in my craft journey. This version has the expected base flavors of a hefty Scotch ale, although the smokiness is subdued. Fortunately there is nice bourbon and just a touch of Port to keep things interesting. Very nice dark fruit and dark bready notes, as well as light oaky barrel character. I like that the Port portion is subdued, but present for interest. I like the bourbon better in this style anyway. (Who am I fooling? I like bourbon in most beer combinations). Meeting up again with the Alesmith wee heavy was a high bar and this met it and more. Not traditional, but tasty. Nicely done. Another beer I wish I had picked up two.

Canned 2025/11/25
Pours a fizzy bubbly brownish head with lower retention, dark hazy mahogany brown color

Nose is quite sweet, molasses, caramel, toffee, more molasses, dark fruits candied raisin prune and date, nutty sticky toffee, sweet fruity port wine, condensed port, a bit of vanilla barrel and bourbon as well, sweet bread crust

Taste brings more sweet flavors, molasses and condensed candy sugar syrup, toffee, nutty notes, lots of fruit again, candied raisin, prune, date, fig, as well as the sweet port wine, sweet Ruby port specifically, mild warming smooth alcohol potpourri, mild bitterness, vanilla barrel notes, a bit candied apple into a bit of bourbon as well, some holiday baking spices mixed in, semi sweet finish with a bit more alcohol warmth, not too sticky though

Mouth is fuller bod, a bit syrupy sweet but not too much, med to lighter carb, fair warming but smoother alcohol

Overall not bad, a bit too much on the sweet side even for a wee heavy, decent base with nice barrel characters, alcohol hidden fairly well, decent sipper on a cold rainy night

16 ounce can - $12.75 at Woodstock Beer Market in Woodstock, Georgia.

Appearance: Pours a dark brownish-red, obscured body with a very (very) brief, thin, beige head. Decent legs showing though.

Smell: A sweetish, earthy scent of dark brown sugar, sticky toffee stirred up with a little pinch of baking spices atop a heart dark loaf bread scent. Burst of alcohol-soaked raisin, cherry-tinged fruitiness. Oaky, vanilla tones mingled about.

Taste: Sweet, malty with more of the brown sugar, toffee, dark bread. Again, a big pop of fruitiness marinated in alcohol - raisins in mulled wine with lesser touches of bourbon and Mr. Pibb. Dark malts, a subtle sustained earthiness. More sweetness and some oak wood, vanilla tones and a little boozy heat finishes things out.

Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Medium-light carbonation. Smooth mouthfeel.

Overall: Fairly decent.

 

 

16 oz can pour it into a snifter.

A: Nearly black on the pour, more of a deep mahogany with garnet hues at its core. Clarity looks to be great, although it is too dark to see through. Three fingers of creamy and cream-colored head retain beautifully. Delicate rings of lacing cling to the glass as the liquid recedes.

S: Rich and layered malt aromas of chewy dark caramel, molasses, bread crust, candy shell, and partially rehydrated raisins. Just the slightest hint of an earthy and yeasty note. Fortified port wine comes out more with time and warmth. With even more time and warmth, softer bourbon notes begin to materialize, with bourbon ball candy and slight coconut shavings. Some dry, Dusty oak, too.

T: Fat malt textures right off the rip. Tootsie rolls and dark chocolate fudge. Brown sugar, chewy dark caramel. Brown molasses and crusty bread. There is still some of that candy shell and raisin, too. Very slight hint of garden herb hops and a light earthiness. Mild notes of fortified port wine. Bourbon barrel comes on at the very tail end, with just a little trickle of corny brown liquor. Warmth, and a fleeting hint of bourbon ball, candy and oak. This trails into the finish along with a bit of lingering bread crust and candy shell malt.

M: Very full-bodied with a decent heft to it. It has a soft and airy texture, but is still chewy. Somewhat like a chocolate mousse. Well carbonated with a slight tingle at the tongue, and a gentle lifting action. Slight sense of alcohol warmth.

O: Somewhat of an early classic big beer, this wee heavy does feel a little bit Americanized, but is quite solid for what it is. I really appreciate the subtlety of the barrel aging here. I'm not sure if this was blended back with some fresh liquid or if these were just well-used barrels, but the barrel aging is not any kind of in-your-face. It's just adding its own complexity, and really seems to have done a lot for the mouth feel too. Port wine was also a pretty good choice for this beer. I'm very glad that they re-released it, and look forward to more in the future.

16oz can from Tavour. Near black pour, silky beige head. Aroma is sweet, malty and boozy, grapes at the very back. Taste is malty, brown sugar, strong, bourbon, warm with some grape-y wine notes at the back. Very tasty and comforting. Smooth sipper.