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Burning Skye Scottish Style Ale
Empyrean Brewing Company
- From:
- Empyrean Brewing Company
- Nebraska, United States
- Style:
- Scottish Ale
Ranked #75 - ABV:
- 5.3%
- Score:
- 80
Ranked #26,377 - Avg:
- 3.48 | pDev: 13.79%
- Reviews:
- 88
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 14, 2024
- Added:
- Aug 11, 2002
- Wants:
- 4
- Gots:
- 33
Brewed in the tradition of Scotland's malty-sweet beers. Sweet and smooth with a wee hint of smoked character. Brewed with American, English & German grown barley and American hops.
13 IBU
13 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by BEERchitect:
Reviewed by BEERchitect from Kentucky
3.25/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
3.25/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Decent brew that captures some of the intended Scotch Ale peat, campfire character, and with crisp, well-attenuated malts. Enough hops to balance, but not enough to compete with the sweetness or the prominant smoky character. Lightly phenolic (plastic and smoke) with a big bruised apple flavor and quite yeasty. Finishes mostly crisp, with a linger of the apple, fruity flavors. Good beer, but the apple is a bit distrating, and a better malty body would have drastically improved the beer.
Jan 18, 2008More User Ratings:
Reviewed by santan_jello from Pennsylvania
3.77/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.77/5 rDev +8.3%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Very satisfying not-too-dark color. Not too much of a scent for my pallet. Smooth malty taste, with nothing overbearing and no aftertaste. A little thick of a mouth feel for this style of ale. Overall enjoyed!
Jan 14, 2024Reviewed by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota
3.89/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
3.89/5 rDev +11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
12 oz can drink by dated Jan 8, 2024 into a Becher glass.
L: Pours murky dark apricot & tea color with brighter edges, a 1/4" thin eggshell white head that has OK retention, a few steady carbonation bubbles, moderate lacing patterns with rhythmic banding.
S: Caramelized malts, grains, background earthiness.
T: Slightly floral, light citrus, gently complex mixed fruits, a touch of brown bread, toasted grains, a touch of yeast. Moderately malty overall with a fruity aftertaste. Sweetness and bitterness are light, even-keeled and are in tandem.
F: Crisp & bright medium-bodied feel with a mild center and a smooth medium-fast drying finish.
O: Very pleasant tasting and easy drinking. A mild brew overall and very well balanced. It's a bit of a "Malty Session Ale" if ya like. It is very good in its style.
Oct 18, 2023L: Pours murky dark apricot & tea color with brighter edges, a 1/4" thin eggshell white head that has OK retention, a few steady carbonation bubbles, moderate lacing patterns with rhythmic banding.
S: Caramelized malts, grains, background earthiness.
T: Slightly floral, light citrus, gently complex mixed fruits, a touch of brown bread, toasted grains, a touch of yeast. Moderately malty overall with a fruity aftertaste. Sweetness and bitterness are light, even-keeled and are in tandem.
F: Crisp & bright medium-bodied feel with a mild center and a smooth medium-fast drying finish.
O: Very pleasant tasting and easy drinking. A mild brew overall and very well balanced. It's a bit of a "Malty Session Ale" if ya like. It is very good in its style.
Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio
3.4/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.4/5 rDev -2.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I got a bottle of this beer from my good friend and old neighbor from the 'Wego. It poured a clear copper with thin white head that is leaving a spotty lace. The scent had subtle caramel malt notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with sweet light malt base and subtle caramel presence. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall it is a good beer.
Apr 07, 2023Reviewed by Beginner2 from Illinois
3.7/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.7/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Only my second from Empyrean; that is rare since they were started in the previous century.
I give pretty good OA Hugs to Empyrean for being around so long. But also because they are traditional: milling their grist on the top floor and then the brew's steps flow down their 4 story warehouse in old Lincoln. In a college town, you'd think that tradition fits. University open-mindedness also supports Empyrean's different portfolio, which is maltier than most.
As for Burning Skye, this copy was two months past its Best By date... but as a malt-head, that doesn't bother me much. At 13 OG, Skye Looks almost like a pale... but still sports a nice lace. Smells are mostly malt, fruity. Tastes are integrated; only 13 IBU is used to tame the malt. Balanced. It sits lightly and slightly above average in my mouth. Under-rated in my book.
Feb 13, 2023I give pretty good OA Hugs to Empyrean for being around so long. But also because they are traditional: milling their grist on the top floor and then the brew's steps flow down their 4 story warehouse in old Lincoln. In a college town, you'd think that tradition fits. University open-mindedness also supports Empyrean's different portfolio, which is maltier than most.
As for Burning Skye, this copy was two months past its Best By date... but as a malt-head, that doesn't bother me much. At 13 OG, Skye Looks almost like a pale... but still sports a nice lace. Smells are mostly malt, fruity. Tastes are integrated; only 13 IBU is used to tame the malt. Balanced. It sits lightly and slightly above average in my mouth. Under-rated in my book.
Reviewed by GuyFawkes from Illinois
3.5/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.5/5 rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Smudged date on bottle, so unknown vintage; drank 7/4/22 @ the Yarchives.
Cloudy orange/brown appearance.
A rough pour yielded a huge khaki head; strong lace.
Cream soda & faint caramel notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Smoke & cream soda flavors.
This was pretty smoke heavy, and the nothing else really stood out about it.
Not one I'll return to.
Jul 05, 2022Cloudy orange/brown appearance.
A rough pour yielded a huge khaki head; strong lace.
Cream soda & faint caramel notes in the nose.
Medium mouthfeel.
Smoke & cream soda flavors.
This was pretty smoke heavy, and the nothing else really stood out about it.
Not one I'll return to.
Rated by Captain69 from Illinois
4.04/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
great malty ale slightly sweet with great malt taste in every sip- it shows retired in beer advocate but i just got a six pack marked 2022
Apr 15, 2022Rated by Try-em-all from Missouri
3.8/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.8/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Dark gold, a bit cloudy, one finger head, subtle smokey aroma and magnificent taste, perfect with bbq, try it.
Apr 05, 2017Reviewed by Franziskaner from Missouri
3.66/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.66/5 rDev +5.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Shiny copper penny colored with a fingernail of off white on top. Vibrant carbonation bubbles continue to rise to the surface from within. The aroma is of bready malt and caramel. I'm tasting caramel, honey and dark wheat. The mouth is smooth and viscous.
Oct 22, 2016Reviewed by simplejj81 from Wisconsin
3.06/5 rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
3.06/5 rDev -12.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Not what I'd expect for a scottish ale, totally drinkable, but quite a disappointment.
The mouthfeel is a bit too light, and the taste is not even a hint of smoky as the label suggests. Also the ABV at 5.3% is atypical for this style.
Sep 23, 2016The mouthfeel is a bit too light, and the taste is not even a hint of smoky as the label suggests. Also the ABV at 5.3% is atypical for this style.
Burning Skye Scottish Style Ale from Empyrean Brewing Company
Beer rating:
80 out of
100 with
191 ratings
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