Judge’s Review: 87 Rating – Sláinte by Seven Tribesmen Brewery

Wee Heavy | Seasonal | USA

By Scott Birdwell

Judges Rating: 87.00
Aroma: 21.00
Appearance: 5.00
Flavor: 35.00
Mouthfeel: 9.00
Overall Impression: 17.00

Sláinte by Seven Tribesmen Brewery is being evaluated as a BJCP category 17C, Wee Heavy.
The beer pours brilliantly clear with a ruby-red/brown hue. A rich tan head forms rapidly, though it does dissipate fairly quickly as well. The aroma is distinctly malty, with pronounced notes of base and crystal malts and perhaps a slightly nutty, roasted grain character in the background. There are also the slightly fruity ale esters you would expect in a Wee Heavy. Hop aroma is minimal, which is entirely appropriate for the style. While the aroma is not especially intense for a Wee Heavy, it is well balanced.

On first taste, those pale ale and crystal malt flavors come through right away, along with a bit of raisin-like roasted grain character. There is only the slightest hint of hops, but that is very typical for the style. Yes, this beer leans to the malty, sweet side, but again, that is spot on for a Wee Heavy. The malt-hop balance is right where it should be. As with the aroma, the flavor is not as rich or intense as many examples of the style, but it finishes clean and leaves you wanting another sip.

The mouthfeel is medium-full to full-bodied. At 7% ABV, there is some alcohol warmth, though it is not especially intense. The beer is lively with good carbonation. There is no astringency and no off-flavors or other distracting sensations in the finish. It drinks clean.

Overall, I like this beer. It is well made. My only real issue is that this comes across a bit like a “Wee Heavy Lite,” meaning it sits very much on the lighter end of the category. If you read the BJCP descriptors for the style, you will see repeated references to words like rich, intense, strong, high, and bready-toasty. Most of those words do not fully describe this beer. At the same time, the guidelines also allow for a fairly broad range, and at 7.0% ABV this example falls around the low end of that spectrum. So, in that sense, I am grading this one on a bit of a curve. I think the brewers have produced a good-quality Wee Heavy with about as much intensity as you can reasonably expect at this strength. Not everyone wants their Wee Heavy to feel like it should be eaten with a knife and fork. If you like Scottish strong ales, this one is definitely worth a try.