Dark Horse Scotty Karate Review

Name: Dark Horse Scotty Karate
Style: Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy
ABV: 9.75%

It's been awhile since I've looked at any scotch ales since the colder months of the year are now behind us, but I saw this in the store and just had to try it out. This is Scotty Karate from Dark Horse Brewing, based out of Marshall, MI.

The reason why I decided to pick this up is because whenever there's an announcement that this beer is in stock, its window of availability is equivalent to that of a mosquito at a summer picnic. So it goes without saying this a lot of people seem to like this beer. Let's see just how good this beer is.

Appearance - A very dark & cloudy brown color with no carbonation to speak of. The head is khaki-colored and thin but the head & lacing retention are both quite good.

Aroma - Very strong peated scotch notes on the front of the nose with some strong caramel malts to back it up. I'm also getting some chocolate notes and even some toffee sweetness in here as well. The smokiness which I've come to expect out of Scotch Ales recently is mysteriously absent.

Taste - Strong peated scotch, plums and roasted barley flavors dominate the front of the palate. Following this up are flavors of rum raisins & chocolate before finishing with a bitter hop and blackcurrant aftertaste. It's also worth noting that I get a warming sensation when drinking this as well.

It's a great wee heavy through and through, but I can't help but feel that trademark smokiness is missing from the flavor itself. As such, I think it may taste a little too sweet for some but I'm not going to continue to nitpick. Point is that it's a great beer and that any dedicated Scotch Ale fan will find something to like about this beer.

Dark Horse Scotty Karate - 8.5/10