Erie "Ol' Red Cease & Desist" Wee Heavy Ale

I know I have had a couple beers from this brewery in the past, but it was probably before I had a blog of any kind. As a result, there's no documentation as to what my feelings were about any of them. On the plus side, I don't think I ever had this particular scotch ale, so we get to break new ground together. I may recall enjoying some of their beers in the past, but I mostly had them while I was out with friends, and enjoyment of beer tends to go up dramatically with good company.

I intentionally didn't put this in the right glass. I so rarely use the glasses that were etched with my logo on them, and I decided to treat myself tonight. The very brown beer produces almost no head with a regular pour, so it enticed me to pour more aggressively. Even an aggressive poor did not dramatically increase the amount of head that this beer could produce. The aroma is brown sugar and heavy, sweet malt. A brown liquor alcohol heaviness is intertwined, and my mouth waters in anticipation.

First sip is quite a mouthful. It has been a while since I had a scotch ale, but I do not recall them being this musty and stuffy. There is dark fruit swirling around with toffee and brown sugar, but the overly boozy mist that is swirling around seems unjustified by the 10.1% ABV. Yes, that is fairly high, but I expect a lot more flavor with the alcohol punch. I don't know what more to say about it other than I do not think this was intended to be sipped.

Tip-in is light carbonation sting with dark fruit and sweet toffee making a very nice home. The middle brings a sting that seems to pick at the top of the mouth while the center is smooth and rich with dark fruit bits and a swing toward nuttiness. The finish is where the mustiness lies, and it dances with the alcohol heaviness before a caramel and toffee trail off.

Bottom Line: Drink it swiftly, and this will reward you just fine.

3.0/5