Weyerbacher Old Heathen

Brewed by Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Style: Imperial Stout
Easton, Pennsylvania USA

12 oz bottle I’ve been holding onto for a few months now. Darkest of brown appearing black with a thin coating of brown foam. Huge sweet malty scents with vanilla, raisin, chocolate, some espresso notes. Some alcohol creeps in as it warms more. Big and malty taste, but not rich like I expect from an Impy. Sweet raisins and slight fruity acidity up front finishes with more roastiness and dry cocoa flavors. A little more carbonation than I usually like in the style. Overall, a good easy-drinking Impy Stout that’s not too rich or strong in alcohol.

sampled at the San Diego Strong Ale Festival Nov 2008, an event shared with what seemed liked hundreds of ratebeerians and enjoyed mostly through a straw, since my face was a bloody mess of scabs and stitches. this came from the RB table full of bottles. this was an older 750 ml bottle. Balck pour without much head. choclate and coffee and dominated in a complex see of roasted malt.

Bottle at HogTownHarry Fest ’08. Now this caused a lot of hilarity with the fact that it is named after a female chicken on the pull (or so we managed to make up on the night). Black with tan head. Tar aroma. Very tarry in mouth, bit of carbonation. Bit oily tarry. Not to my taste as an Impy stout.

bottle. pours a very dark black with no head. strong coffee and malty aromas. medium body which thins on the sides... chocolate, malts, coffee and a slight bitterness dominate the palate. the finish leaves me a bit disappointed. an average imperial stout.

Pours pitch black, tan head. Looks like trouble. Nose is deep coffee. Strong malts. Just a thick and deep fragrance. Hmmm. If only it tastes as good as it has built up to... Flavor is thick with malts. Strong and firm, it does not waver. Hearty, tar like, so deep, it goes beyond coffee or chocolate and just enters a realm of robust that you don’t want to mess with. Coffee hits you in the end after the thick malts have finally calmed down. Feel is thick on liquid with a lower carbonation that you’d expect. Definitely drinkable. Very smooth and very well made. This is one to try. Go get it.

Pours deliciously thick black with very little brown head. Sweet malty aroma contains notes of chocolate and coffee, a bit of floral hops, burnt malts, licorice and slight hints of dark fruit. Flavor is an intriguing mix between floral hop, roastiness, and dark chocolate, with a fair amount of dark fruit. Carbonation is surprising lively, body isn’t quite as thick as I would have expected, and the finish is nicely dry. I like this one.

A Mes rate: Bottle at HogTownHarry Fest ’08
Black and tan with a so so head. Standard stuff really. Mellow hops, chocolate, spice and yeast aroma. Lovely earthy, peaty and spicy flavour with a bit of yeast and an absolutely gorgeous coffee finish that really makes it. Very drinkable and a welcome interlude from the syrup fest we have had this evening.

Strong bitter malt aroma with moderate alcohol. Black color with a medium brown head. Very malt taste with a bit of bitterness on the tongue and a mild finish.