Berkshire Gude Greg’s Wee Heavy Private Reserve

Brewed by Berkshire Brewing Company
Style: Scotch Ale
South Deerfield, Massachusetts USA

Serve in Thistle

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Bottle. Deep ruby color with a soapy off-white head. Nice malty aroma with a touch of oaky sweetness from the barrel. A little herbal cinnamon-like note. The taste is nice and mellow, as a scotch ale should, but it still has some barrel notes to it.

A: The pour is a clear amber color with a finger or two worth of off-white head. S: Not a very pleasing nose. Lots of booze is noticeable right away along with some sweet fruit notes and nuts. There is some oak and vanilla in there, too, along with a bit of a solvent/paint thinner aroma. T: Lots of -bals on this one. Tons of vanilla with a more moderate wood flavor. Caramel, nuts, and even some toasted coconut (especially on the back end). M: The body is medium and so is the carbonation. No complaints here. D: This one is for big time -bal fans. The whiskey really dominates the beer, but if you’re into that, then it works.

Nice tame whiskey vanilla aroma and flavor with wood and malty strengths. Full bodied. The bourbon is a bit overpowering but I still enjoy it.

This one pours a hazy deep and dark brownish/amber color. Aroma is full of bourbon up front with some malts, molasses, oak, vanilla, and roastiness. Flavor is also really oakie with some nice smooth bourbon and malty goodness. Thanks to Rey for hooking me up with this one.

Pours clear bright mahogany into a thistle. Tan head with medium retention recedes leaving no lacing to pancake rim. Sweet bourbon aromas. Dark hot caramel thin upfront turning quickly to oak and bourbon in the lasting finish. Nice.

Heavy caramel and dark alcohol notes...scotch/whiskey some vanilla and definite bourbon. Flavors are rich and very complex. Somewhat sweet almost teetering on the line of cloying. Some dark fruits are also present. Berkshire certainly made sure that barrel aging is apparent in the flavor

Bomber via trade thanks to jmu500 on BA. Pours deep medium amber with a large fairly thick off-white head. The aroma is sweet with caramel, bourbon, oak, and some nice tropical fruit and coconut. The flavor is sweet and malty, just slightly peaty with caramel and toffee. Bourbon and barrel are there along with tropical fruit. The palate is fairly standard. Body is medium as is carbonation. Solid beer overall. Maybe not quite as good as the regular -bal version, but solid.

22ox bottle, wish I was able to make the tapping and toast to Greg. Pours a nice rich dark brown, medium head. The bourbon and vanilla are rich in the nose, not overwhelming, but more pungent than I remember last years version opening up fresh. Sweet entry of smoke and wood, the mid palate is only a tad thin, but the finish is layered in a mouthful of bourbon that lingers longer than most beers i’ve ever had. I can honestly say this matches the quality of the previous bourbon scotch but is different and better in various ways. I will be re-reviewing it in 3 months, I’m guessing this one will age superbly and force my hand to give it a 20. Outstanding offering.