Parallel 49 / Firehall Brewery Brews Brothers One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer Barrel Aged Smoked Scotch Ale Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy at 8.5% ABV ($2.63 at Andrew Hilton Wine & Spirits, 341 ml, no bottle date or best before)
Pours clear medium amber with one finger of light tan head, good retention and excellent lacing. (4/5) Nose is smoke, citrus, caramel malt, lightly boozy dark fruit. (7/10) Taste is moderate sweet, mild tart, light bitter. (7/10) Light to medium bodied, lively to moderate carbonation, mildly tart and lightly bitter longish finish. (4/5)
Well, I dunno what the heck this is, but it’s not much like a Wee Heavy. Smokey and sour, with just a hint of scotch ale maltiness in the middle. The longish finish is mildly tart and lightly bitter, with only a very mild warming from the fairly beefy ABV. The tartness might well be due to an infection, but if so it’s a serendipitous one, because it makes this stand out as a unique and interesting version of what I consider to be a dreadfully dull style. Worth trying with an open mind. (15/20)
7.5/10 #ryansbooze ryansbooze.com
