Thanks to the ‘80s one-hit-wonder Warren Zevon, we all know about the werewolves in London. Newcastle’s Werewolf brew, however, declares on its bottle label that at least one of these storybook beasts has “escaped from Britain” and landed in America. The rye malt ale appears just in time for Halloween, and this sweet, but multifaceted brew will send shivers down your spine.

Newcastle Werewolf, named after the mythical — we hope — wolf-like creature that is said to roam the bleak moorland surrounding Newcastle, England, packs a punch that will liven up any Halloween party. With claw marks slicing through the bottle label, it’s clear from the first glance that this beer is no tricks and all treats.

I was surprised to smell fruity notes in the beer, since I don’t typically associate werewolves with fruity and flowery scents. I proceeded to pour the brew into a glass, and was surprised to find that my nose had not led me astray as the berry scent became more pungent as the liquid flowed into the cup.

The bottle advertises a beer that is naturally “blood red” in color, but really it pours a nice auburn color. The low density of bubbles that was apparent after the pour revealed the beer’s moderate to low carbonation.

Although a name like “werewolf” might imply a howling beer that chills you to your bones, Newcastle Werewolf is unexpectedly smooth and light. The sweet, berry taste that laps at your tongue upon the first sip dissipates as richer, malt-based flavors take over.

The spooky thing about this beer is that it has almost no aftertaste. I usually have a heap of treats like popcorn or chips handy when drinking beer so I can rid my palette of the characteristic bitter aftertaste. In this case, I didn’t have to be prepared to load on the carbs. The beer has an International Bittering Units score of 23.4 due to its absence of bitter hops.

This mellow but complex beer is just as mysterious and electrifying as the legend of the werewolf has been for hundreds of years. Newcastle Werewolf is a beer that won’t disappoint this Halloween season.