RateBeer

Church Brew 120 Shilling Smoked Wee Heavy Scotch Ale

 (RETIRED)


 No Score 

Requires
more ratings

Serve in Thistle

bottling
unknown

on tap
unknown

distribution
unknown

Add Distribution Data
RATINGS: 7   MEAN: 3.07/5.0   WEIGHTED AVG: 3.01   SEASONAL: Special   EST. CALORIES: 225   ABV: 7.5%
Share this beer with friends!
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
It’s time for a hearty pint of 120 Shilling Wee Heavy to warm you for this late winter snow. Our Wee Heavy is a big and robust Scotch Ale. It was brewed with Special Pale Ale malt, light caramel malt, and a variety of dark roasted malts and grains. We also added 165 lbs. of smoked malt to this brew. The aroma is clean, almost like a lager in character with the fruit-like esters subdued and also a fresh roasty nose. The body will be very full with a lingering sweetness and a very mild hop finish. Drink it slowly so you don’t miss any of the subtle flavors. In days of old, beer in Scotland was taxed on its alcohol strength or potential strength. The Tax Man had different tax brackets for the different strength beers. Forty Shillings per barrel, 70 Shillings per barrel, 90 Shillings per barrel and so on, were charged for the beers. The highest tax rating I have seen is 140 Shilling ale. The Publicans began selling their beers by these distinctions so the customer knew how strong of a beer he (or she) was buying. Due to the nature of this style and the relatively low hop rates, it doesn’t travel very well, especially to America. Therefore, unless you have been to Great Britain it is unlikely that you have tried a truly fresh Scotch Ale. Since we made it here and it only had to travel about 100 feet instead of a few thousand miles, you will get a very fresh Scotch Ale. A few commercial examples of Scotch ales available in the States are McEwans, MacAndrews, and Traquair House. Cheers, Brewer B


3
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 13/20
pjweaver (136) - Charlottesville, Virginia, USA - JAN 4, 2009
Tap Pours a dark reddish tan, with a thin white head. Aroma has an iron smoke quality, with some sweet malt. Slight smoke flavor, with iron tones that annoy and overwhelm the other flavors. Some chocolate, little booze. Tastes and feels more like a smoked brown ale than a scotch ale. Boring on the tongue, palate, and nose.

2.8
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 2/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 11/20
joshwilfong (1200) - Cleveland, Ohio, USA - FEB 26, 2008
medium brown appearance with mild white head. not a great deal of flavor, really lacking in the toasted malt character of a good scotch ale. a rather mundane version

3.8
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
mtoast (336) - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA - FEB 10, 2008
Poured from growler courtesy of zebracakes at 1/27/08 Pittsburgh gathering. Slightly hazy brown in color, nominal head and not much to speak of in the lacing area. Big smoked malt aroma, not the usual smoked meat style smokiness either, almost a woody smokiness. Flavor is big and malty, again with the VERY nice smokiness without getting too meaty. Very nice stuff.

2.1
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 4/10   PALATE 2/5   OVERALL 7/20
cheapdark (2960) - Quiptown & Central Valley, Pennsylvania, USA - JAN 31, 2008
Had the pleasure of sampling this at the 1/27/2008 Pittsburgh ratebeer.com gathering and festival upstairs, Sharp Edge Creekhouse. It will be a long time, if ever I am invited again and I see a spread of bottles like I did there - ever again. I am not good enough for the beers that were that we sampled! For example, how about this beer; 120 smoked schilling from zebracakes, you are the woman! Good refreshing typical Church Brew aroma. Hazy orangish brown color. More brown that orange I think. Barely any carbonation, but it is there. Strongish smoked flavors that are not over the top, but could use some manners. Woody rasty wood and smoke attributes. Overall, perhaps more than my lager loven taste buds care for, but I was really glad to have had a chance to taste this rare local beer. Thanks Joyce!

3.2
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 12/20
Nate (3093) - Indiana, Pennsylvania, USA - JAN 30, 2008
Sampled at the RBPG; growler courtesy of zebracakes. Light grainy smoky aroma - sweetish, with no hops contribution to the aroma. Decent smell, with just a bit of smoke. Hazy light brown in body with a off-white thinly laced head. Medium heavy watery body with medium carbonation. Starts sweet with some light smoke, predominantly malty beer. Caramel and sweet finish, with light nutty after and a mild smoky presence. Not too bad, but really is a bit too sweet.

2.8
   AROMA 4/10   APPEARANCE 2/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 2/5   OVERALL 14/20
LinusStick (2444) - Moon Twp, suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA - JAN 27, 2008
Aroma was weak. Could pick up some smoke with just a tad of malt. Pour was a flat dark amber with no head. Taste was very alcoholic. Heavy caramel malt with a strong underlying smokiness and a sausage/beef jerky aftertaste. Very little carbonation in this one which would have helped the flavor come out a bit. Decent.

3.8
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
zebracakes (1340) - Washington DC, USA - JAN 22, 2008
Growler from CBW. Almost opaque orange amber, no head. Aroma is caramel, vanilla, sweet red wine. Flavor is smoky, meaty, sweet & sour, slightly tangy and bitter.


We Want To Hear From You



Join us! RateBeer is made by beer enthusiasts for the craft beer community. Your basic membership is free and allows you to read all beer ratings. Click here to create your account... and give your opinion!

Join Us »






Tick this beer

for your profile
  • Currently 0/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5




Copyright © 2000-2012,
RateBeer LLC. All rights
reserved.
about us
About RateBeer
FAQ
Feedback?
New Beers
add
Advanced Search
Add A Beer
Add A Brewer
Add A Place
membership
Log In
Edit Personal Info
Premium Membership
Your Messages
the best
100 Beer Club
The Top 50