In the late seventies, Warren Zevon regaled listeners with a tale of the Werewolves of London. They, however, had more of a taste for Pina Coladas at Trader Vic’s or perhaps a dish of beef Chow Mein than they did human blood. Things got worse in 1981, when there was an American Werewolf in London, but luckily the bobbies showed up and put an end to all that. Life was good again in jolly old England, and the werewolf threat seemed to be over.

You can kill a werewolf, of course, but you can never really end the curse. And so it was inevitable that another werewolf would rear its head, this time in Newcastle. There had been rumors for centuries of werewolves roaming through the Newcastle moors. Those rumors were confirmed in 2011, however, when a werewolf was seen in supermarkets, convenience stores, and liquor shops. Certainly, too, if an American werewolf could visit London, then it seemed only fitting that one might escape from Britain and invade the United States.

Which is just what happened with Newcastle Werewolf Blood Red Ale. I happened to see this beer in late August in my local supermarket here in Georgia. I was a bit averse to picking it up, mainly because it showed up first only in 12-packs, but partially because the Newcastle Summer Ale I had tried not long before had been so abysmal. Still, the packaging intrigued, and I finally broke down and bought a six-pack.

Brewed by Caledonian Breweries in Edinburgh, Newcastle Werewolf is most assuredly a gimmicky beer marketed for fall and, especially, Halloween. That’s OK, though, lots of breweries release seasonals these days. As long as the beer is decent, I can live with it. It’s not even the first werewolf themed beer, of course, as Lithuania’s Rinkuskiai brewery released their own Werewolf Beer years ago.

Newcastle Werewolf Blood Red Ale pours to more of a light brown color than a truly red one with a slightly vinous nose and a very light head formation. Taking a sip, I get a bit of classic light chocolaty malt at the very base laced with some noticeable spicy rye notes. The vinous fruit character (such as I’ve found in some Sam Smith’s beer before) noticed in the nose makes an appearance in the palate as well, and a surprisingly herbal bitter finish rounds the whole affair out.

Overall, this was better than I expected a decent malty English ale perfect for fall weather sipping. While perhaps not the “formidable beast” that the label pronounces it to be, it’s still an enjoyable little brew. At $8.49 a six-pack, it’s about what I would expect to pay for an import, too. If you like Newcastle Brown Ale, you’ll probably like this beer too. It’s not all that different save for a bit of rye malt and a dash more hops, and is more of a brown ale than a red one anyway. Still, a great choice for your Halloween parties, and a decent drinkable brew for cool fall weather.



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