Samuel Adams Wee Heavy (Imperial Series)
A - Pours a deep chestnut hue with sturdy tan froth and spotty lace. S - The aroma is straddling the line between pungent and sublime. Rich suggestions of dark fruit, soy sauce, raisin, hardwood smoke, and molasses are noted; it all melds quite well. T - Though the label claims otherwise, it seems like the brew is dosed with hardwood smoke in lieu of peat, and it works well. Dark fruit, toffee-caramel, and smoked meats are the mainstay and there is some herbal bitterness on finish. Perhaps the smoke may be a tad heavy. M - Quite nice; it has a big body and a soft feel. O - Color me impressed; it is sort of like a Wee Heavy - done Bamberg style - and it is really a successful concoction on all levels. The only knock I really have is that it is a really big beer and very full-flavored, so its drinkability is diminished.