New England Wet Willy Scotch Ale

Brewed by New England Brewing Co.
Style: Scotch Ale
Woodbridge, Connecticut USA

Serve in Thistle

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Got this in a trade and was eager to try it as part of my ongoing WH/SA journey. Appearance is underwhelming. Almost no head, quickly dissipating bubbles. Cloudy caramel color. Aroma is earthy, musty, mossy, and heady. First taste throws me off. Wow. A Scotch Ale that actually tastes a bit like Scotch... Okay, that’s a new one. Of course it’s possible. It’s all about the malt after all. But usually we don’t get this much woodiness and Glen-roaming -in-the-gloaming in ale form. Sadly, the ridiculously inane name of this beer paired with the stupid label art did not set me up for the seriousness of the brew. This beer deserves a label with a crest on it and a name like "The Highlander" or "Glen Woodbridge" or something that makes you anticipate their effort. As opposed to yet another overly goofy, fraternity-aimed gigglefest. The alcohol level is immediately up front. Not annoyingly so, but prominent. I think mine is much too cold so I’m going to back off for a little while. 20 minutes later... As it oxidizes a bit more of the phenols come out and the spice levels reveal themselves in the flavor. Lots of sweet butter, toffee, and butterscotch syrup. It’s like an alcoholic Werther’s. Too boozy for all night. And not dark or heavy enough to treat like a true sipper. But definitely something to visit.

Nose is somewhat light, notes of toffee, caramel, green apples, light earth, biscuit, tea, and peat. Pours hazy amber, thin non lasting head, no lace. Sweet and malty up front - caramel and tofee, biscuit, a touch of iced tea, a touch of earthy peat notes followed by green apple, and a very light hop balance/bitterness. Lingering caramel apple. Rather spot on for the most part, could have used a touch more peat malt, but a solid malty big strong scotch. Moderate/light carbonation, a touch of alcohol in the finish.

The aroma is light in the nose tonight - light sweet maltiness and barrels. It pours dark amber with a bubbly off white head. The flavor is light and smooth for a scotch ale! I don’t get much scotch, peat, or smoke like normal. It has smooth sweet malt and syrup notes that settle with a bit of light soft white fruit notes.

Sampled from the tap at NotB. Poured a clear gold with a white head that dissipated to the edges. Aroma had some light fruits, bread, caramel and cereal with a bit of pine coming out as well. Flavor began with sweet bread and grains with a bit of earthiness and a bit of bitterness coming out in the finish.

A - Pours a slightly bright cloudy amber-orange color with a finer of off-white head. The heads fairly quickly to a ring with some lacing. S - Aroma is full of a ton of sweet carmel malt. There is also some nice oak and smokiness mixed in. Some dark fruit aromas with a touch of booze also noticeable. T - Starts off with some sweet roasted carmel malt, some light fruit, and some smoke/oak flavor. Through the middle more of the dark fruit flavor really comes through with some more smokiness. The finish has a mix of the dark fruit flavor, some oak flavor, the sweet malt, and some booze in the background. These flavors really linger nicely. M - Medium-full bodied with a moderate amount of subtle carbonation. Really nice and smooth and even crisp. Feels really balanced in the mouth. The finish is just a slightly bit syrupy. D - For 10% abv and a ton a flavor this stays fairly drinkable. There is a lot of flavor going on, but it all stays really nice and balanced. Lots of sweetness, but again, it stays very enjoyable and avoids getting cloying.

Pours a three finger white head fades slowly leaving some lace. Slightly hazy amber color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Nose is complex maybe sherry and flavor is sweetish sherry. Different scotch ale expecting more dark fruit. High ABV is hidden. Not cheap - $7.99 for a 500ml bottle from Julio’s Liquors Westborough, Ma.

Bottle. Amber/orange pour. Not really getting the Scotch Ale here. It’s dry, some what spicy, and has some hoppy characteristics...

500ml bottle in a thistle. Pours deep amber with a lacy, cream-colored head. Aroma of roasted, caramel malts, some light fruit, and a little hops and alcohol. Flavor about the same with a nice caramel malt note. Almost a wine like texture. A good Scotch ale.

Bottle. Moderate aromas all around, with cookie for the malt, herbs for the hops, meat for the yeast, with hints of smoke, wine, date, toffee and a faint note of vinegar. Head is small, frothy turning wispy with bigger bubbles, slightly off-white, with fair lacing and good legs and is mostly diminishing. Color is murky brown. Flavor starts lightly sweet and moderately acidic, then finishes lightly sweet and acidic and moderately to heavily bitter. Palate is on the fuller side of medium, oily with a lively carbonation. It finishes astringent and very dry. It’s just missing a few things I expect in a Scotch Ale, but it’s complex and worth trying.

Bottle. Pours orange/amber, with a white head. Not much going on in the aroma. Malt and fruit. Flavor is malt, hops, fruit, and alcohol.