Skull Splitter - Orkney Brewery

instrumentality

California

3.85/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I picked this brew up at Vin de Pays liquor store in Long Beach, an establishment for which I gain new respect from one trip to the next. They have a relatively small selection of fantastic brews, but that selection rotates periodically, so the key is to stagger your visits enough where you'll be able to try something new each time you visit.

I'm at a point in my relative newness to the BA world (about 8 months) where I have become a huge fan of scotch ales, but only a couple have really impressed me. My favorite so far is Founders Dirty Bastard, which I had from the bottle after I had already thrown back a few, so I don't know that my senses were totally up to speed. I also greatly enjoyed Alesmith's Wee Heavy on tap, but again, I had already thrown back nine tasters before I took this one on, so I may be a bit biased. Out of the bottle it was still enjoyable, but not nearly as good. Moylan's Kiltlifter was drinkable but nothing special, and McEwan's Scotch Ale I could pretty well do without.

I've heard good things about the SkullSplitter, and with a little encouragement from BA's seagoat and TheLongBeachBum, I had to grab a sample.

Poured into my Stone Russian Imperial Stout tulip glass (like everything else these days), this brew emerged a rich, opaque mahogany with about a finger of off-white head that quickly settled to a very thin lace with a thin halo of foam clinging to the glass. A quick swirl revived the head slightly before it dissolved back into a halo.

The odor wasn't as potent as some others of the style. There was a small trace of burnt malt that is one of the main draws of a good scotch ale for me, along with the faint emanation of toffee and caramel, but nothing too potent. A good smell, but I would have liked for it to have a bit more strength to it.

The flavor was definitely more interesting, although still not what I'd call the definitive scotch ale. It started off with an intense burning sensation from the alcohol, followed by a burnt maltiness mixed with an intriguing flavor that seemed to evolve from sweet to mildly bitter, first caramel, then toffee, then roasted coffee beans. The finish felt slightly chalky and tasted burnt and subtly sweet, almost like peeling off the charred skin of a roasted marshmallow and letting it dissolve in my mouth.

As I delved deeper into my glass, the sweetness seemed to become more prevalent, almost cloying, like a red wine that's gone a bit beyond its peak.

Maybe it's sacrilege for me to say I enjoy scotch ales made in the U.S. more than scotch ales made in Scotland, but so far, that seems to be the trend. This beer definitely blows out McEwan's, upstages Moylan's Kiltlifter, and has a bit more bite to it than Alesmith's Wee Heavy, but for me, Founders Dirty Bastard really raised the bar (I wish I could find it out here) and this one, which definitely tasty, has some noticeable flaws. I see enough potential, however, where I may have to pick up one or two more and let them age for some time and see if I have better luck.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2006 08:30:37 | More by instrumentality

Beer-A-Lot

Virginia

4/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A big, malty beer, with lots of caramel and sweetness. Very different from the other Scotch Ales I've had--a bit more in your faces. And why not considering the name? But still, while others are a bit more subtle, this provides a bold taste keeps you enticed and wanting more. Very tasty and glad I tried this.

Serving type: bottle

06-19-2013 01:51:22 | More by Beer-A-Lot

mick303

Ontario (Canada)

3.85/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

On cask at the brewery.
A - dark chestnut brown gold, slight lacing, dark thick body.

S - dark toffee maltiness, sticky toffee pudding, red fruits with cherries, nice rich caramel, molasses.

T - cherry syrupiness, sweet caramel start, tons of malty sweetness then drying alcohol spice, some herbs and nice dry mildly hoppy finish. Long lingering finish.

M - big, malty body, yet a light fruity element, coating caramel feel.

Found this overly sweet with tons of caramel brown sugar dextrose but still some nice hop character coming through. It holds the alcohol strength really well but I was expecting a bit more from this, tasty and full bodied though, I have a bottle so will have to do a reappraisal soon.

Serving type: cask

06-18-2013 20:15:16 | More by mick303

swinyeju

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

06-16-2013 15:45:00 | More by swinyeju

12packpoet

Arizona

4.5/5  rDev +10.3%

06-16-2013 01:59:34 | More by 12packpoet

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.94/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

in many ways the quintessential scotch ale, although not my favorite one out there. it pours a syrupy dark bock color, dense, with a small off white head showing very little carbonation. the nose is peaty but not smoky like some tend to be. its alcohol is obvious, and its sweet grain is saturated with a toasted aroma and a very earthy vibe. no hops to speak of. the taste is like birch syrup or something lighter and a little less sweet than maple. the texture is like that too. earthy, right from the soil sort of autumn compost heaviness really challenges me in warmer weather, but I am imagining a cold snowy night in front of a fire, a much more enjoyable setting for this brew. I love the grain features, complex and rich. the feels is odd, but I like it. its thick, almost sticky in my mouth, lacking carbonation. American scotch ales have bastardized this intentional weight with high carbonation gimmicks and lighter grain bills, but this feels more authentic, although very heavy and hard to drink a whole bottle. it improves as it warms, and just takes me to the dead of winter. its a nice beer, but not the first scotch ale I would reach for, even though its authenticity is appreciated.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 14:54:07 | More by StonedTrippin

Sunnanek

Sweden

4.13/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.25

A: Clear copper pour with a tall tan head, very compact. Slow dissipation leaves rich lacings.

S: Sour and tart. Cherry kernel bitterness. Very rich and sweet maltyness - molasess. Dark dried fruits.

T: Rich sweet malt, caramell. Molasses. A bit sour. Dark dried fruits. Very complex. Some alcohol.

M: Full thick body and low carbonation makes this a very smooth beer. Aftertaste is rather short and very sweet.

O: A nice and complex Wee Heavy. The high ABV adds to the complexity.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2013 19:02:41 | More by Sunnanek

Lanstrum

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

06-12-2013 03:22:11 | More by Lanstrum

Lpfanatic87

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

06-11-2013 15:39:29 | More by Lpfanatic87

kyle86

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

06-10-2013 11:59:25 | More by kyle86

WaterCzar

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

06-08-2013 04:16:52 | More by WaterCzar

lonewolfcry

Minnesota

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

06-08-2013 03:51:04 | More by lonewolfcry

ZEB89

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

06-07-2013 01:34:35 | More by ZEB89

ajzy

Wisconsin

4/5  rDev -2%

06-01-2013 15:56:42 | More by ajzy

zdeck37

Virginia

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

05-31-2013 02:01:50 | More by zdeck37

cannunzi

Florida

2/5  rDev -51%

05-29-2013 19:33:37 | More by cannunzi

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4/5  rDev -2%

05-27-2013 19:45:59 | More by BeerForMuscle

RyanTheLion13

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

05-27-2013 02:11:22 | More by RyanTheLion13

NightINgale

Quebec (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

05-27-2013 01:07:09 | More by NightINgale

bigbelcher

Arizona

4.43/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Great full bodied Scotch Ale, travels well from Scotland because of the high alcohol. Deep rich color with some red hues. Malty, sweet and strong. Very satisfying. Pairs well with a good steak. No hop aroma or flavor but there really shouldnt be ny in this beer. If you are looking for a smokey scotch ale well then this isn't it. It is clean and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 19:40:08 | More by bigbelcher

mikeincharleston

South Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -14.2%

05-26-2013 19:32:12 | More by mikeincharleston

SpruceMoose

Australia

4.86/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

It's going to be extremely hard for me to not be ridiculously biased in this review. I love, love, love my scotch ales and I especially love Skull Splitter. It's my bloody avatar, for god's sake. However, after trying several other scotch ales, I decided to return to the good old Orkney brew and compare it to others I've enjoyed in the past couple of months. Almost nothing has changed (what a surprise, he lied).

Serving Type: 330ml bottle poured into a Duvel tulip glass.

Appearance: An aggressive pour leaves a dark-brown opaque body with a thick white head. Bewdeful.

Smell: Chicory, caramel, toffee, plum, apricot and wood(?) dominate the nostrils, with some subtle booziness unraveling itself as smelling persists. It literally begs for me to take that first, prolonged sip. Oh, temptress!

Taste: Wham! There's so much going on here that it's hard to isolate the flavours. Fruitiness, nuttiness, bitterness, sourness...it's all here. Wrapped up in a neat little bow (or glass?) for you to enjoy.

Mouthfeel: Surprisingly light for a scotch ale, but not to the point where it comes off as watery and plain. The body is definitely there, but it takes a few sips to truly embrace the intensity of this ale. The taste throws the first punch, and the developing body is the knockout hit.

Overall: There's a reason I hold Skull Splitter above the many other scotch ales I've had, and that's because I'm biased. But why, you scream and point accusingly? Because it's simply everything you'd want in a beer of its kind (strong caramelised taste, decent strength, consistent body) plus more. Open a bottle, take a sip and split your skull. Split it beyond the point of repair. You won't regret it.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2013 13:37:13 | More by SpruceMoose

vicsju1991

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -20.3%

05-25-2013 08:46:55 | More by vicsju1991

ramblinwreck101

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev -8.1%

05-24-2013 23:20:22 | More by ramblinwreck101

Phillyz

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +4.2%

05-24-2013 04:34:34 | More by Phillyz