December 19th - Magic Hat Wee Heavy Champ

After last night's ramblings, I almost feel like I should just use a caveman approach tonight to review a beer.  I won't, but I'll keep it shorter.

Straight out of my case club pack tonight is a bomber bottle from Magic Hat out of Vermont.  Solid beers like #9 and Circus Boy originate from this company.  At least according to their website, their current lineup isn't super-extensive, but maybe that's a good thing.  They get the chance to perfect what they do well and please the masses.  Tonight is from their Humdinger Series...I present Wee Heavy Champ, an 8% ABV Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy.

Not wee...but definitely a heavy dude, and a past WWF World Champion

From the bottle:
"Just to the west of Burlington lie the majestic waters of Lake Champlain.  A diverse population of creatures resides in and around her shores, including the mythical lake monster Champ.  The Scotch Ale, or Wee Heavy as the Scots say, is brewed in celebration of Lake Champlain, all of its inhabitants, and the legend of Champ himself.  Catch him of you can.

Not from the bottle, but your geography lesson for tonight...

Wee Heavy Champ is a Scotch Ale nearly as dark as the deepest depths of Lake Champlain.  A rich, robust, yet smooth, malt character rises to the surface where notes of caramel, chocolate and wheat can be discovered.  A light addition of hops is present for balance in this big, complex and soon-to-be legendary brew."

The beer poured an almost hazy, dark, caramel brown color with a pretty decent creamy and tan colored head at the top.  The aroma was of sweet, roasted malts with maybe a hint of either pine or spruce notes.  The beer was a solid medium body that was surprisingly thicker than expected with caramel malts that were with roasted and smoked tinges as well.  Not a ton of hop bitterness in this beer, rather the malts and the traditional scotch flavors balance things out rather nicely.  The finish for this was sweet and coated the palate with a malty goodness that I kept coming back for.

...a duck...my glass...same difference!

I didn't get much chocolate in either the aroma or the flavor, but the wheat came through for me as a spicy wheat flavor.  

A step up from the review earlier this month from ABC, which turned out to be a Scottish ale and not a scotch ale.  This was more of what I expected in the body in the former, however, I need to get my styles straight. 

Two glasses later and I'm still digging this beer.  I'm sure I won't be finding this again anytime soon, just like the sightings of Nessie.  However, if you find it, and enjoy a scotch ale/wee heavy, I suggest grabbing a bottle of this, before it's never seen again...like Nessie!