Belhaven, you see, has long been a favorite beer of mine. Good old Belhaven Scottish Ale is an excellent sipping beer, a smooth and flavorful delight that’s sessionable as well as approachable to the beer newcomer. At about 5.2% alcohol by volume, you can enjoy a few of these without too much ill effect. Belhaven calls this beer “the classic Scottish Ale”, and I would agree with that assessment. A former boss of mine, owner of a liquor store in the eighties and early nineties, turned me on the Belhaven and I’ve loved it ever since.
Belhaven makes more than just their Scottish ale, however. They make a bigger, bolder beer called Belhaven Wee Heavy. Wee heavy is a style unto itself, and is otherwise known as Scotch Ale. Dunbar, Scotland’s Belhaven says this about their Wee Heavy:
It may have come from a right old recipe but Wee Heavy fits the bill today as much as it ever has. It is a classic Scottish heavy but has a lightness of flavour and a great reddish colour in the glass. Cracking stuff if we do say so ourselves.
On 7/20/99 I wrote the following about Belhaven Wee Heavy:
Burnt ruby red color, healthy head formation and retention, sweet-n-salty nose is like a breath of sea air. Palate is huge with rich, sweet chewy malt, you won't get a lot of hops from this brew but you will get a very satisfying malt experience that best suits a cool evening like tonight. A subtle smokiness is evident too. A very big brother to Belhaven's Scottish Ale.
And today I say:
Belhaven Wee Heavy pours to an appetizing burnt caramel color with a thick creamy head formation and a simply lovely rum raisin ice cream nose. Smooth and subtly chocolaty with nutty malt up front in the palate, dark fruity raisin notes quickly emerge atop a smooth creamy texture. This is strongly reminiscent of rum raisin ice cream with notes of toffee and, in the finish, the gentlest kiss of grassy hops. Just to keep the beer from being too sweet, mind you.
Certainly, this is a bigger beer than Belhaven’s classic Scottish Ale, but at 6.5% isn’t really the biggest of Scotch Ales. That said, it’s amazingly delicious and all the more drinkable for not being so strong. Sip it gently, as the label suggests, roll it around on your tongue, and bathe your taste buds in this luxuriously delightful beer. Reasonably priced at $3.99 for a half liter bottle as well, and best enjoyed in a thistle-shaped Scotch Ale glass after dinner. Dare I suggest it poured over vanilla ice cream?
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft