AleSmith Barrel Aged Wee Heavy

Brewed by AleSmith Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
San Diego, California USA

Boy, this bottle has quite a story behind it.

PART ONE: I had bought Droopy49 a Mephistopheles and a Dreadnaught. He was going to go beer hunting an find something for me. What does he get? This bottle...PERSONALLY SIGNED TO ME BY PETER! Juan, you are DA MAN!.

PART TWO: I get a room at the Hilton for the Knoxville Tasting. I share the room with Shigadeyo and Ross because I am a nice guy. All three of us had worked out trades to be delivered in person. One bottle I was supposed to trade with Ross was the regular Ale Smith Wee Heavy. In a hurry, I accidentally grabbed the BA version going out the door. After the tasting, we were finalizing our trade at the room when I noticed that I brought the BA Wee Heavy. Like hell I was going to trade that to Ross for 6 Duck Rabbit Impys. Needless to say, Ross and Craig really wanted me to open the bottle and were giving me shit. It was late and I told them to STFU and go to bed. But Ross threatened to teabag me while I was sleeping, if I did not open it. So I caved and opened the bottle.

THE RATING: Bottle 44/234. Pours deep brown/ garnet with almost no head. Nice aroma of vanilla, cherries, raisen, caramel, and faint nuts. Initial flavor of caramel, dark fruits, and brown sugar. Middle has some very moderate notes of oak, joined by some faint chocolate. Smooth malty finish with the alcohol very well hidden. I was expecting lots more bourbon and oak, but the barrel aging really just blended into the beer. I would say it added more vanilla and sweetness as opposed to smoke,wood, or char flavors, which this one could have used more of. Perhaps this one mellowed a bit., because I did not pick up a ton of bourbon. Still, a very nice beer. I wish I had more detailed notes, but I was in no condition to rate based on my barely legible notes. Many thanks to Droopy49 for getting this rare treat for me.

Bottle #118/222, 2005 vintage: Pours a transparent, mostly still dark copper mahogany. Aroma of rich caramel, vanilla bourbon oak with sweet malty balance. Starts, rich, smooth and sweet with a great balance of bourbon flavors before a slightly warming finish. Very enjoyable:

Sampled on 8/2/06: Pours a transparent dark copper mahogany with a thin, wispy ring of off-white head. Very nice, sweet complex bourbon oak and caramel malty aroma with a touch of peat. Well-balanced and inviting. Body starts with a good viscous dark caramel maltiness and a hint of milk chocolate before a very warming, lingering sweet complex maltiness. Has a nice brown sugar character throughout and a touch of raisins. A very nice beer that’s a little warming right now, but should age quite well for years to come.

750ml bottle courtesy of Peter Zien. I was late for the release, class should never come before BA Alesmith, never again, anyway, he saved some bottles for those hardcore people like myself who arrived late. I’ve been saving this hordeing it since the 2006 release waiting patiently to drink it. Bottl 43/234. Consumed with my brother on 3/4/07. Pours dark black brown with a whirly island of thin head with a ring of bubbles. The smell is malty and sweet with a heck of a lot of Alchol in the nose, the bourbon is there fully. The nose also has some notes of raisans and feels slightly like a BW. I’ve some how put off drinking this for a really long time, dont’ know why. The taste is huge, sweet and malty, with a mollasses feel though it feels slightly thin in the mouth. The palate is nice, but not as stellar as I’d expected. Nice to finally consume this fantastic mega brew, so I can decide whether or not to trade bottle number 2. Re-rate of a 2005 Bottle i just tried its getting better.

The Wee Heavy might have been my favorite Alesmith beer, and so I knew this would just rock f*%k’n hardcore. Pours dark mahogany with a tall tan head. Sweet and buttery flavors from the bourbon, that makes you scream "SEXUAL CHOCOLATE!". Rich caramel flavors with a vanilla and faintly smoked finish. No excess alcohol at all, so smooth its unreal.

Shared by OhioDad at the Columbus tasting.Thanks Scott.Lots of sweet malt,vanilla and bourbon in the aroma.Pours a deep brown with a slight head.Lots of different flavors with caramel malts and bourbon standing out.Full mouthfeel with a big warming finish.

Bottle # 139. This dark pungent brew has very little relation to the style category IMO, it’s a creation that is worlds beyond. The barrel aging has imparted a complexity that is perfectly balanced among the base flavors. Truly one of the best - if not the best - beers I have ever encountered.

Bottle #77. Thanks to Sprinkle for sharing. It was a massive gusher when he opened it. Dark amber beer with one of those noses you can get lost in. The aroma is dominated by the barrel with smokey malts. Lots of caramel, bourbon, smokey peat and some berry fruits. Hot on the tongue. Lots of barrel in this one, but I like barrel.

Bottle. 2004 Vintage. 38/234. Dark mahogony beer with a thin beige head. Bourbon aroma - fruity, vanilla, some faint smokiness. Bourbon, malt, vanilla, strawberry flavor with some brown sugar, light plum, smoke, and slight oak tones. Lingering smoky, bourbon flavor with a touch of butterscotch. medium bodied. Alcohol slightly noticeable.