There was a time when if you liked Newcastle, it meant you like Newcastle Brown Ale, ‘the one & only’.  Sure, there have been the short lived iterations of things like Newcastle Star (a strong ale), but in general, there’s only been Newcastle Brown Ale.  All of that changed last fall, when the brewery (now owned by Heineken) released Newcastle Werewolf, a seasonal “blood red ale”.  So can this seasonal make you howl at the moon, or is just a B-rate thriller?   

Sight:  A copper-mahogany with a short lived head.

Smell:  It has a coffee, walnut, and slightly soy sauce smell to it.  There’s other elements like rust, caramel, and tar.  It’s a bit burnt.

Sip:  There’s a nice buttery flavor and texture, and it picks up a bunch of nutty flavors from the nose, but it also gets a burnt and slightly coppery taste to it.  It’s a bit like sticking a dirty penny in your mouth.  The rye malt contributes a spicy nature to this, but it offers more werewolf bite than might be prudent [A.B.V. 4.5%]

Savor:  On the ending it holds a dark, almost burned nutty coffee flavor that doesn’t linger long.

Overall, Newcastle Werewolf bites and doesn’t really let go.  It’s not that it’s a bad beer, but it’s one of those very polarizing brews that you’re going to love or hate.  It gives me memories of Olde Burnside’s Dirty Penny Ale, without the complexity or smoothness, and way more bite.  For people looking for a darker red ale with a lot of bite, give it a try, but this isn’t particularly for those in the same camp as Newcastle’s Brown Ale.

Verdict:  Look out for silver bullets
Price: $1.49 / 12 oz bottle
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
http://newcastlebrown.com/