Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale
Review Date 4/19/2011 Last Updated 4/24/2014 By John Staradumsky
Now here’s a beer style you don’t see every day: wheat wine. Sure, lots of folks are familiar with barleywine style ales, but wheat wines? Not so much. That’s mostly because wheat wine is an infrequently done style, and I’ve only come across a few of them in my beer hunting career; Terrapin’s Gamma Ray Wheat Wine coming to mind most immediately.
Wheat wines are not all that dissimilar to barleywines, actually. They still contain barley, but a part of the grist bill also consists of wheat. Smuttynose’s version (at least the 2009, it does change from year to year) is made from 53% wheat and 47% barley.
“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. ….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.”
This is indeed a big beer at 11.4% alcohol by volume for the 2009 edition. Should you happen to have a bottle of the 2010, that’s even stronger at 12% ABV. Either bode well for lying down, and my bottle of the 2009 certainly supports that theory.
Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale pours to a dark caramel amber color with a light creamy head formation and a very rich sweet caramel malty nose. The palate on this one is imposing indeed, smacking the tongue with waves and waves of thick chewy caramel laced with fruity apple and dates, raisin, fresh bread, sweet honey, and candied mincemeat pie. The beer is sweet up front, but is attenuated in the finish by some slightly minty and decidedly peppery hops. The big alcohol warmth helps to dry things out, and lingers on the tongue leaving a pleasant feeling.
My Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale was bottled in 2009, so it’s nearly two years old. I’ve never had it young so can’t compare notes, but I will say that right now it is absolutely amazing. So complex, warming, and delicious that it makes a terrific sipping brew on a cool spring evening like tonight. The wheat doesn’t really add a lot flavorwise for me, but it does allow for a bigger beer without being overly cloying. I didn’t get the tartness wheat normally imparts, but then maybe that’s due to the age of my bottle.
Not to be missed, if you can find it.
Update 4/24/2014: Will wonders never cease! Here I am sitting at my local Taco Mac with a glass of Smuttynose Wheat Wine Ale in front of me. And you know, as much as I love this one in the bottle, it's simply amazing on tap. They do not brew it all the time, and it seems 2010 was the last year this beer was brewed since what I'm drinking tonight, the 2014 edition.
I have a bottle at home I bought a month ago I will likely sit on now. But my draft glass is so smooth and drinkable, a bit of caramel and fruit, raisins and pears I think, and a huge alcohol finish. The wheat smoothes it out but the huge alcohol warmth and subtle grassy hops balance it to perfection. I'm going to repeat my description from 2011 because it is still apt: smacking the tongue with waves and waves of thick chewy caramel laced with fruity apple and dates, raisin, fresh bread, sweet honey, and candied mincemeat pie.
This is strong ale at 11.4% alcohol by volume, same as the 2009 release, so an 11 ounce glass at Taco Mac but only $6.75 for that. Amazingly, a 22 ounce bomber runs $5.99, one of the best beer bargains out there!
Glad I tried it?
T
Would I rebuy it??
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled, Canned
(D)=Draft
