Smuttynose
Big Beer Series Wheat Wine Ale
Review Date 04/19/2011
Smuttynose
Big Beer Series Wheat Wine Ale
Review Date 04/19/2011
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.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
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