Action Figures & Their Beers -- Hefty!

by Bill Cable
on 2026-09-02, 09:33:45

This week we look at the second Icelandic beer I grabbed during my visit to Shangy's in Emmaus, PA... a Scottish ale called Wee Heavy.

The can notes it's brewed with Angelica root, which is something I'd never heard of. After looking it up, I discovered it's an 8' tall herb that's related to carrots and, dangerously, hemlock. It has been used as a medicinal plant in Scandinavia since the 12th century. It's described as: Possessing an intense, sweet, earthy, and slightly bitter aroma and taste reminiscent of celery or carrots.

I also discovered, just this very moment, that "Wee Heavy" is actually they style of the beer, rather than the name if this beer. And it basically means "strong Scotch ale." I maybe should have been tipped off by my previous Einstok beer review when that one was just called "Doppelbock"...

Turns out I'm already a big fan of Wee Heavy beers. Scottish ales are my jam. And this one is exceptional. It's boldly spiced and modestly boozy. At 8% ABV it'll treat you nice. The aftertaste is slightly tart. Otherwise it's very much like a Christmas ale. The Angelica root makes it complex and flavorful in a very unique way. I found it thoroughly enjoyable. With this and the Doppelbock, I'm getting more and more motivated to take a trip up to Iceland just to sample more beers!

To pair with this one, I chose a very special C-3PO figure. I received this as a gift from my good friend Bryan back in the early 2000s. While it appears to be just a regular Vintage Kenner C-3PO, it's actually cast from bronze. The limbs and head slide into the torso on posts, so it's kinda wobbly and falls apart easily. But the one thing you notice about it immediately when someone hands it to you is that while it might be wee, it's HEAVY!

Drink this if you also like: Wee Heavy ales, Spiced ales, Christmas ales