Dark Horse Scotty Karate Scotch Ale - Dark Horse Brewing Company

cnbrown313

Illinois

4.78/5  rDev +18.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Scotch Ales are typically not my favorite style of beer, and I used to shy away from them, but Scotty Karate changed that for me. This is by far my favorite Scotch Ale and my 2nd favorite Dark Horse beer, behind Plead the 5th.

A - Pours a dark, caramel color - with very little head.

S - Smells of sweet, dark fruit and a little bit of oak too.

T - At first, Scotty Karate tastes a little sweet and boozy too, but that quickly dissipates and you get some nice dark fruit flavor and lots of malt. The high ABV is masked nicely by all of the complex flavors. Truly, a tasty Scotch Ale.

M - The mouth feel is perfect. It's almost chewy and viscous as you swirl it around your mouth.

O - Like I said, this is the best Scotch Ale I have ever tried. If you are a fan of malty and complex sippers, you won't be disappointed by this.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2012 19:50:35 | More by cnbrown313

mountdew1

New Hampshire

4.1/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into an imperial pint glass. Color was a dark brown that was slightly hazy. Very thin trace of an off white head clung to the sides. Aroma was slightly sweet, kinda of like a caramel candy. A small hint of alcohol was hidden underneath the sweet. Kind of a sugary roasted date taste as well. Felt good in the mouth. Coated very well with just a touch of carbonation. Overall a very pleasant well balanced beer. The ABV hit a little fast, but wasn't noticeable in the beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 23:12:31 | More by mountdew1

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bottle shared by jerc from RB, 12oz bottle into a tulip.

Dirty, almost muddy, brown, with a beige head. Light film and a collar of retention. Nose holds dark fruits, sweet caramels, toffee and some marshmallow. Taste has dark bready notes, a bit earthy, sweet malt with a bit of chocolate and some fruitiness again. Quite big in terms of body/viscosity, bit there's no alcohol to be found (at all) which is magnificent for a beer of this size. Low carbonation. A really good scotch ale/wee heavy.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 01:49:00 | More by liamt07

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into a large snifter.

A: Pours a deep brown, almost opaque. Tan head is short lived. Spotty, wispy lacing.

S: Strong malt backbone of crusty brown bread, blackstrap molasses, chewy caramel, tootsie roll, and bread pudding. Burnt sugar and faint smoke. Very sweet on the nose. Juicy scents of fig, raspberry, cherry, and grape. Vanilla extract. Spicy alcohol.

T: Juicy tastes of cherry and raspberry up front. Firm malt backbone takes over from there. Crusty, toasted brown bread, caramel-chocolate chews, slight cola and molasses. Slight vanilla impression. A bit of a spicy alcohol taste creeps through, but it's subtle and fleeting. No hop tastes to be found here, they play a balancing role only. This beer is entrenched firmly in the sweet and malty side of the spectrum, as one would expect. Light kiss of smoke in the finish with fading flavors of bread crust and bread pudding.

M: Moderately thick body. Full and rich in the mouth with a chewy and slightly viscous feel. Carbonation is very restrained and slightly prickly. Very nice mouthfeel, very well-rounded.

O: This beer has some serious clout. Big, rich, warming. Great for when you're really jonesing for something malty. A relaxing sipper.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2012 01:01:53 | More by ryan1788a5

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

4.15/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Bought this brew mainly because of the label art and name but it turned out be be a nice choice.

This Beer is one of the best scotch ales I have had hands down. It has a ton of flavor, lots of caramel flavors, tons of roasted malts and a subtle but nice dark fruit quality. It has a full feel and body but drinks surprisingly easy. It goes down smooth and leaves you with a nice dark fruit and roasty dry mouth feel. A fantastic scotch ale that I wish I could get more readily.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 00:39:00 | More by TwelveOunces

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle served in an oversized wineglass.

pours an opaque, deep mahogany tone with a finger's worth of a beige/tan head that quickly dissipates into a collar around the glass; spotty lacing evident.

nose is fronted by caramel maltiness and accompanied by earthy, peaty notes. caramel malt pulls through in the flavor, as does the earthy character, but i get some subtle fruitiness i didn't pick up in the aroma... nice twang of smoky peatiness, as well as a hint of pepper... distinct bitterness to the finish. 9.75% ABV present but not overpowering. all in all, a decent if unspectacular scotch ale.

medium-bodied mouthfeel with appropriate carbonation. wouldn't object to a revisit, but i'm set with a bottle per sitting.

originally reviewed: 10-26-2010

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2012 22:30:27 | More by BostonHops

superspak

Michigan

4.33/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 ounce bottle into snifter, bottled 8/6/2011. Pours very cloudy dark reddish brown color with a good 1 finger dense khaki head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Some decent spotty lacing on the glass. Aromas of big caramel, molasses, apple, toasted biscuit, peat, leather, raisin, toffee, light chocolate, and spices. Very nice and complex aromas with great balance and strength. Taste of caramel, molasses, smoke, toasted biscuit, toffee, apple, raisin, wood, light chocolate, earth, and spices. Light spicy bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, toffee, biscuit, smoke, molasses, and wood on the finish for a good bit. Great flavor balance with a good amount of robustness; and absolutely no cloying sweetness. Light-medium carbonation and fairly full bodied; with a very creamy, lush, and slick mouthfeel. Alcohol is insanely well hidden for being almost 10%, with only a small warming well after the finish. Extremely smooth to sip on for such a big beer; drinks much smoother than some lower gravity beers. Overall this is a fantastic scotch ale! Great balance of flavors with good complexity; and extremely smooth.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 04:51:40 | More by superspak

Phade42

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bought a 12oz bottle at my first trip to Julios Liquors in Westboro MA today. The placard there said it tastes like chocolate chip cookies. And it wasn't lying.

A- Poured into a Sam Adams glass, pours just a few shades shy of molasses in color. Almost no head at all.

S- as it poured, i could almost immediately smell cookies. upon closer inspection, I get toasted cocoa nibs, some sweetness, and just the faintest hint of that 9.75% ABV booziness.

T- Well, this is something. Chocolate, vanilla, caramel, toffee. Malty, like a milkshake. All the "dessert"-y flavors make their presence. Just like a really good cookie would.

M- Very low carbonation. Smooth & sweet, just a little syrupy. Bit of harshness on the back of the throat, but dissipates quickly.

O- I really like this. I'm not too familiar with Scotch Ales, but I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another one of these and alse delve into some other offerings in this style.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 02:06:44 | More by Phade42

BB1313

Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle poured into a snifter. Pours a very hazy ruby brown, lots of sediment and floaties; not much head and lacing at all. There's a great nuttiness in the aromas. Tons of maple, tons of chocolate. Lots of caramel and butterscotch. There's also a touch of vanilla and hazelnut. The nuttiness translates in the flavors, very nice. Wood and oak are present in the nose and flavors, although it's isn't aged on either. More chocolate in the flavors. Dark fruits and fig is there. Mouthfeel is nice and on the lighter side of full-bodied. Moderate carbonation, smooth and easy drinking. The alcohol isn't really noticeable at all. This is a treat!

I forgot how great this beer is. This is a great example of the style.. very, very enjoyable. Wow!

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2012 00:32:08 | More by BB1313

righthereisay

Pennsylvania

4.4/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Had this on tap at Mad Mex in Pittsburgh.

Very nice pour. Dark brown with some minor white head, and some lacing, not too much.

Doesn't smell like alcohol, which is impressive. Maybe some carmel and fruits.

Taste...I came in with low expectations as I am not a huge fan of Scotch Ales. This was great. I was very impressed. Caramel, malts, minor fruits,...not too heavy on anything.

This was very full bodied. It went down smooth, not too much carbonation...nice finish. Very impressed.

This is my favorite scotch ales. Considering Too Cream Stout is one of my favorite stouts, it looks like I need to try more Dark Horse beers.

Serving type: on-tap

04-03-2012 14:09:07 | More by righthereisay

CliffBrake

New Hampshire

4.3/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Bright, deep red color with a tinge of orange on the edges. Pretty color. Pours with a minimal head that is maintained as a ring of bubbles at the glass, but leaves no lacing.

Caramel and cherry nose, with a bit of leather. Malty caramel flavor. Sweet and creamy but not overly so. Stong impression of figs with a medium spicy finish.

Medium body with a lively carbonation that helps cleanse the palate and inspires another sip.

A tasty night cap. I served it at cellar temperature, but found that it good more complex and interesting as it approached room temperature.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 23:08:02 | More by CliffBrake

secondtooth

Indiana

3.98/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark and opaque ruby-hued amber here. with a medium head of off-white bubbles. No lace at all.

Nose is caramel malty sweetness. Seems well in line with a traditional Scottish ale.

Taste is spicy and sweet at front, with traces of peat, dates, figs, and candied berries entering later. Quite complex and palate-pleasing, and the alcohol is subdued. Additionally, the warmer this one gets, the smoother it is. Enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 20:38:01 | More by secondtooth

nickapalooza86

Wisconsin

4.9/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Grabbed from the basement for a review this evening.

Poured a clear brownish amber. With little to no head.

Smell is toffee, sweet candy malt, caramel.

Taste is what every scotch ale should me molded after. Starts dry then the caramel, toffee, sweet malt and a slight bourbon like? flavor hit you.

Mouthfeel is very creamy and full, very nice and not something I would expect for the style. Carbonation is very low, also nice.

Well by now you know this is my favorite scotch ale. Scotch ales have always been one of my favorite style and this is better then every other one I have tried.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 02:29:42 | More by nickapalooza86

Vonerichs

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A rather flat appearing root beer colored body with tiny floaters.

Smells of caramel, peat, and bread.

This thing is all malt, no doubt. There's a light warm burn to it. Slightly Sweet caramel and brown sugar favors, peat, bread, and dates.

Smooth and creamy mouthfeel with light carbonation, which plays well with the flavor.

This started out average, but came through in the flavor and mouthfeel. It packs a punch yet is very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 01:35:34 | More by Vonerichs

ritzkiss

Ontario (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle from Hawthornes in Philly. No date.

Pours a dark ruddy brown, thin foam which recedes to a collar - don't really expect too much head for this style.

Nose is rich malty caramel sweetness, dark fruit, bread. Hints of smoke in the flavor, light but balancing. Rich without being syrupy, sweet in the middle with a nice dry finish. On top of malty, bready goodness - Cherry, dark fruits, slight leather and tobacco notes. Scary drinkable for ABV. Real nice.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 03:36:22 | More by ritzkiss

buschbeer

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle
Served in a snifter

A - It pours a deep copper color and is topped with an inch of beige head.

S - The aroma is a ton of caramel and toffee malt. No alcohol to speak of.

T - The taste follows the nose, tons of caramel and toffee malt. The alcohol is well hidden.

M - Moderate

O - This malt bomb is packed with alcohol. I didn't realize it was 9.75% until my third. That explains my happiness despite my bracket being busted.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 02:02:24 | More by buschbeer

ksimons

New York

4.05/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-a dark chestnut brown with a slight ruby like tinge. A small amount of white head leaves a bit of lacing around the top.

S-Smell is very nice. Big sticky malt and caramel predominates, with some dark sticky fruits mixed in.

T-Taste matches the smell but is even bigger, if that is possible. Big sweet malts, caramel, and a very light fruitiness.

M-full body, one of the biggest I can remember having in a while. Low/Medium carbonation and a malty sweet finish.

Overall this is one of the better scotch ales I’ve had. Big malt and caramel, full body, and great aroma. I will look for this again.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2012 21:02:51 | More by ksimons

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

3.7/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The label and the name got me again: really, how could you pass up a beer called Scotty Karate, especially when it’s emblazoned in a crazy purple and yellow designs? Plus, it’s my first Dark Horse beer, and that certainly helped me make the decision.

No freshness date to be found, but it was probably brewed recently (since I just began seeing it on the shelves).

A: Classic Scotch ale murkiness on the body, pouring a brownish-maroon color that lets just about 20% of light through. As I swirl it, I’m imagining what it would look like if you liquefied a chocolate Tootsie Pop; I’m guessing it would look something like this. Short and creamy white was the head – I say “was” because it’s down to nothing in a matter of seconds, without even a thought of lacing. For now, some bubbles hit the top of the body and make fizzy little patterns of film, and that’s all there is to the head. Though it’s 9.75% ABV, it doesn’t show off a thick character – on the contrary, its body color and lack of a head put a watery spin on the appearance.

S: Wow – I love this beer’s nose. Scotch ales have a tendency to have this overpowering booze and peat aroma, usually distracting me from everything underneath, but not this time: turns out that Scotty has a predominantly sweet profile, with notes of everything from cherry and strawberry to peach cobbler, pear, and raisin. This light, cheerful presence is contrasted by a wave of malt soon after, rising up high on aromas of maple syrup and caramel before crashing (smoothly) into the peat, wood, and chocolate aromas that have defined my previous Scotch ale experiences. Going along that same theme, there’s a noseful of whiskey at the end, almost as if Scotty needed to confirm with my memory that this really is a Scotch ale.

T: Miso soup. How the hell…? I’m seriously getting a crazy taste memory of that brothy Japanese dish every time I take a drink. And you know what? I kind of like it. It’s probably due to the buttery, grainy, somewhat salty malt/hop balance that casts its character over the rest of the beer’s palate – to me, though, it brings a good sensation to the taste buds, and that’s all that really matters in the end. Between the two, the hops are probably the main culprit, which are astringently pale but without so much as a second of pine or citrus taste. The malts give off that buttery straw feeling, but with some apple butter, fresh pear, and grape jelly flavors. Yeast and alcohol, playing second fiddle to the Asian food profile, give some rye bread and bourbon spice before hitting the aftertaste with a nutty earthiness. Some bitter hop notes end up mixing in to form a lightly-salted finish.

M: Not as watery as the appearance made it seem, though thankfully not as thick as miso soup. Good balance between the two extremes, you might say, though the watery tone wins out in the end.

O: I had an odd, yet pleasant experience with this beer. At least it left with something to remember it by, at least; and even apart from that, it certainly was a good beer. Give me a month and a second bottle to see if I get some more tastes of Japanese food…

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 22:47:33 | More by BarryMFBurton

warnerry

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours a clear deep amber/copper with one finger of creamy tan head. Head has pretty good retention, eventually fading to a collar. Some lacing.

S - Sweet caramel malt and earthy brown bread, some spice,and a faint raisin aroma. Didn't really get any alcohol aroma from this.

T - Starts with a big rush of sweet caramel and quickly turns quite dry. Very bready, with a nice dense brown bread taste. Some subtle dark fruits and a faint tea-like flavor on the finish.

M - Starts a bit sticky sweet and very creamy. Finishes earthy and dry.

O - One of my favorite Scotch Ales. Very drinkable. Nice combination of initial sweetness eventually yielding to an earthy dryness.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 23:23:42 | More by warnerry

JTSbeerislife

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Purchased from a reliable bottle shop 11/2011 and well stored at 45 degrees since.

Poured into a Dogfish Head Signature Snifter.

Pours a huge two finger head, frothy, this reduces very slowly to a ¼ “ head, then to a very nice opaque cap, which is excellent progression for a bottled beer, picture perfect.
Very deep reddish amber with fine bubble carbonation. Excellent thick lace which clings to the side of the glass. Beautiful Ale look.

Malt and yeast dominated aroma when first poured, followed by candish sweet malt and a sense of richness, sorry this is the best I can do because I sense there is more here than I can detect.

Big, crisp, frothily carbonated and malty entry on the palate followed by rich, faintly chocolate, candied, yeasty ale flavors. Rather refined and elegant flavors. Full mouth feel, with the acidity and carbonation just balancing everything out. There us no sense of this ale being 9.7 % ABV. Delicious!

Good smooth finish of candied malt.

For whatever reason, visually, tonight’s pour was a classic. Bravo!
While maybe not overly complex it has what it takes to be a Scotch Ale.
With no bottle date info and the fact that I had stored it for a while, this ale may be past its prime, I really don’t know.
That being said, take the chance, it was delicious and a very enjoyable ale, and one that I will be drinking again.
Recommended!

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 01:32:59 | More by JTSbeerislife

TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

4.2/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a tulip

A: Pours a very cloudy, milk chocolate brown color with a thin tan head.

S: Gratuitous malty sweetness fills the nose and lingers beyond anything else while hints of Belgian yeastiness and dark, heavy fruits meander their way through as well.

T/M: Tastes sweet with plum, dates, even some chocolate. Really very nice and one of the sweeter scotch ales. Faint traces of alcohol become apparent at the end, but it's not terribly potent and it tends to balance the sweetness for a cleaner finish.

An interesting and unique scotch ale, but a great one at that.

TheBeerAlmanac.com

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 00:41:21 | More by TheBeerAlmanac

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.95/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I was kung-fu fighting with a nonic pint glass. A big thank you to Geneseohawk for this one.

Appearance- The ecru-colored foam gets to about a finger in width. The frothy stuff dies pretty quickly, and no lace is present on the side of my pint glass.

The body is a smidge better, sporting a dark hazelnut hue that has a vibrant wash of ruby colored highlights.

Smell- The distinct caramel, peaty quality of a Scotch Ale is present. Also some woodiness, grassy hops, and a dark fruit tang. I guess it is more like dark cherries after a couple more sniffs.

Taste- More sweetness on the palate than the woody and smokey peat. Vanilla and a dash of caramel. I still get some dark cherries rolling up onto the palate.

Mid-drink there is a little smokiness and a touch of peat. The finish actually devolves into a char-like quality chocolate, caramel note. This drink is pretty rich, and has just a little edge.

Mouth feel- I was surprised this aspect of the beer was not better. It is a little thin for the luscious flavors that this beer contains. A decent enough medium body, I feel that this could be a bit bigger as well.

It rolls over the tongue nicely enough, and is in no way hard to drink. It would be nice if there was a little more coating to get this good finish to last longer.

Overall- This beer is very solid, and will certainly be one I will have again. The flavors are a nice mix of sweet and smokey, although the vanilla should hang on a little longer and not get muddled behind the smokiness.

The feel is by far the biggest "problem" with Scotty Karate. Just not full enough, and it lacks the coating that could let you really savor the beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2012 02:02:28 | More by Pintofbrown

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +12.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

16oz draft pour into Pint Glass at The Ram's Head in West Chester, Penna.

A: Mahogany with a nice tan head that quickly thins. Beautiful.

S: Smells like a finely aged whiskey with no kick. Very subtle.

T: Getting alot of grain in this. If you've ever eaten roasted, caramelized barley, this is the exact taste. A little sweet, a little bite, subtly mild with a nice whiskey finish.

M: Smooth. So smooth. Slightly malty, but not much. Not annoyingly sugary like most recipes that try to cover up for their lack of flavor.

OVERALL: This may be the best beer ever. I'm a sucker for Scotch Ales, but this one is spot on stylistically and goes well beyond par. It's an absolute knockout!

NOTE: Live review @ The Ram's Head in West Chester, Penna.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2012 06:22:05 | More by RobertColianni

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark Horse Brewing
Scotty Karate

Appearance: Brown appearance, with some yeast particles suspended. Little head forms and dies a quick death.

Smell: Peaty, roasted malts and alcohol.

Taste: A strong scotch ale, abounding with suggestions of peat smoked malt, brown sugar, nutty flavors, and muted citrus hop notes. There is an omnipresent alcohol presence but it works well here.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, soft feel and chewey. Carbonation is medium-low.

Overall: A big tasty scotch ale. Good character, hides the strength well enough, and I can dig it.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2012 00:42:50 | More by Stinkypuss

CuriousMonk

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 12oz bottle into tulip glass. Pours a deep coppery brown body with a small, short-lived white head. Aroma is deep malty tones with burnt caramel, molasses and hints of booze. Taste is more caramel, dark toffee, roasty malt tones and hints of walnut. Smooth mouthfeel, well hidden alcohol. Pretty nice. Maybe lacking a bit in complexity but overall a decent scotch ale from Dark Horse.

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2012 22:39:25 | More by CuriousMonk