Smuttynose Big Beer Series: Wheat Wine Ale

Brewer: Smuttynose Brewing Company
Style: Barley Wine / Wheat Wine / Rye Wine
Alcohol Content: 11.9%
Seasonal: Series

Description:

Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale is a unique hybridization of two well-known beer styles, combining the rich, voluptuous taste of a traditional barleywine with the subtle, tart flavors of an American wheat ale, topped off with a healthy dose of crisp, herbaceous hops. The much-anticipated debut edition of Smuttynose Wheat Wine, brewed and bottled early in 2005, was delayed for nearly a year due to problems stemming from the federal label approval process. The Tax and Trade Bureau (formerly ATF) rejected our original label approval application, claiming that use of the word wine in a beer name would confuse and mislead consumers and retailers. We didn’t agree (barleywine, anyone?) and appealed their rejection. Ours is the first, but definitely not the last, wheat wine application the federal government has seen, so they had to create new guidelines regarding the use of this name. We did prevail, at last, and the issue has been put to rest, and although there are several outstanding examples of this style offered at brewpubs, we are pleased to say that Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale was the first commercially bottled Wheat Wine on the market.
GOLD MEDAL WINNER – 2005 Great American Beer Festival.
GOLD MEDAL WINNER – 2010 Mondial de la Biere, Strasbourg, France
GOLD MEDAL WINNER – 2011 Great American Beer Festival

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