Released just in time for Burns Night, Wee Beastie recalls one of the Bard’s most famous odes, To A Mouse – although here, Howe Sound has used some artistic labeling licence to turn the mouse from a fleeing rodent into a bekilted tiny terror.
And though it’s a wee heavy in style, there’s really nothing wee about this bold, rich, yet subtly complex ale.
Wee Beastie pours a deep, brooding ruby red and is capped with a dense off-white head that settles to maintain a thin cap.
Rich, rich caramel and toffee are on the nose, veering a little toward red wine and leather, and there’s a background whiff of peat smoke. The aroma almost has a meaty, savoury body to it.
Flavourwise, the sweetness is more restrained than the aroma suggests but it’s beautifully pitched and tempered by a certain savoury saltiness. This is followed by a gentle roast, some subtle herbal patterns and then a smoky finish, coupled with a gentle spiced heat that follows the beer slowly down the gullet.
A decent bitterness hits the mouth dead centre and dissipates outwards. The mouthfeel is beautifully soft, the finish gently dry.
Read more Scottish ale reviews here
This is definitely a smokier rival to Russell’s fabulous Wee Angry, though maybe not quite as drinkable.
Wee Angry and now Wee Beastie. It’s almost as if the Scots have an image problem. What’s next, Wee Ned fortified barley wine, a la Buckfast?
Beer Cat: LOVES
1 litre, from $8.50, at private liquor stores
Read more Howe Sound beer reviews here
