Weyerbacher Old Heathen

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

Fairly thin charcoal pour with a tanned marshmallow head. Burnt graham cracker, hazelnut mocha, and a powerful citrus soap. Sweet and rich with touches of strawberry, apple and cinnamon. Quiet, with a hoppy pungency in the back. Clean and empty taste. Black malt, maple, and a bright citrus punch. Overpowering acridity settles down a bit with some warmth, but the wet espresso grind lingers. Hot, reduced honey and brandy. Juicy tropical hops lend a lively disposition which is a bit misplaced in the finish. A dry bite of black cherry skin with a taint of soap. Because of this, the texture settles stubbornly on the thin side, and the malts aren’t quite brawny enough to pull it back. This example is cleary inferior, but it’s nothing intolerable. Thanks, Lou!

Very good imp stout. Had this numerous times and not mrated. Motor oil pour with creamy taste. Great with rich chocolate desert.

12 ounce bottle in pint glass. Pours black with flat brown head. Aroma of roaszted chocolate and coffee. Roasted coffee, chocolate and raisiny flavors with slight alcohol. Lingering coffee bitterness. Very full bodied, medium carbonation. A nice beer but not nearly the best in its style.

Rated while drinking: Pours pure black with a caramel head. Can’t look through this one. Smells of sweet chocolate malts and lots of alcohol, even though it’s only 8%. Tastes like chocolate cookies and a double mocha. Ultra tasty! Incredibly smooth on the palate, with a silky, but not intrusive, mouth feel. Can hardly feel the alcohol, despite the overwhelming aroma. Considering I paid a little over two dollars for this beer, it definitely took this night to a new level. Kudos to Weyerbacher.

Name: Old Heathen
Date: 08/10/2001
Mode: Bottle
Source: dogwood tasting

black, rich roasted malt flavor, velvet smooth, slight oatmeal oil character, modedate alcohol character, roasted finish
-------- /> Name: Old Heathen
Date: 03/30/2003
Score: ii

black, thin tan head that quickly dissapears but can easily be stirred back up again, light malt aroma, light body, lots of roasted malt flavor, hint of chocolate, no alcohol, touch of malt bitterness

Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 5/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 5/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.4/5.0
Score: **4
-------- /> The score was calculated based upon the notes and an old scoring system.

Inky black body. Medium tan head that settles to a foamy rim and leaves behind minimal lacing. Aroma is of sweet chocolate, with coffee and anise each adding their own personality. The flavor shows more bitter coffee up front, with sweet chocolate, anise, and a faint bit of raisons following behind. Medium-full body that goes down smooth and leaves a long, drawn out coffee and anise finish. Excellent brew all around.

Hated my first bottle of this. Disliked my second. Love the third. Thus goes my introduction to roasted malts. Great lacing. A wonderful opaque blackness rimmed by brown foam begs me to place my nostrils to the glass and inhale. With each breath comes a burnt, smokey quality complete with a bouquet of other scents my beer vocabulary isn’t yet wide enough to describe. There is alcohol present in each sip, and the brew screams burnt coffee. A yeastiness is also evident if I’m not mistaken. Wish I had more of these.

Aroma is smoke, charred oak, soy sauce, and celery, with a surprising amount of the latter. Black pour with a fairly thick dark brown head, minimal lacing. Tastes of dark fruits and hops, slightly meaty at times. Well balanced. Finish is espresso. Alcohol is evident, not masked, but compliments the intermingling of flavors quite well. For its low price, this beer is a great bargain.