Monday Night Brewing Garage | Sympathy Weight

I’ve noticed some 500ML bottles from Monday Night Brewing in Atlanta recently. This is such a great format. You can share it with a friend or two or get into it all by yourself on a Monday night. Typically, they aren’t too pricey either. Lastly, and most important, they typically have something pretty special inside them. On deck tonight, Sympathy Weight –  Maple Bourbon Barrel Wee Heavy Scotch Ale – in a 500ML bottle.

That’s a mouthful – the name I mean. A wee heavy scotch ale is already four words. However, the three most important words in this beer’s description are maple bourbon barrel. Right off of the pour I can smell that wonderful aroma that comes from the barrel. It reminds me of the first time I visited a barrel house – Woodford Reserve – the distinct aromas of the mash dancing in a ghostly trance with the wood of the barrel. This beer, thanks to the maple, possesses an additional sweetness in the aroma that brings forth a bit of a brown sugar note mixed with the distinct alcohol and a slight bit of smoke. This beer pours a dark brown, a subtle lightness at the edges and a tan head that sticks around longer than I expected. On the palate this beer is rich, a malty sweetness that plays lightly against the strong flavors from the barrel – vanilla, caramel and a slight bourbon note. The tell-tale sweetness from the maple plays on against this wonderful backdrop. A wee heavy can have a medium to a full body and while I’d say this body is on the medium end of the scale, it provides an excellent canvas for the flavors of this beer as both the base beer and the barrel play well together. As the body isn’t as full as it could be for the style it makes that next sip all the more dangerous – but all the more tempting – at 12% ABV.

Final snobs: Wow. It’s hard to find fault with this beer. While there are only 33 ratings on Untappd at the time of this posting, it’s clocking in at a 4.36 – which suggests that others agree. It’s rich and inviting. This would pair well with a rich chocolate dessert or a fine cigar. Keep an eye out as we should see this on our Knoxville shelves soon. I know I’ll be grabbing another bottle.

Prost!