Summer Honey Ale - Big Sky Brewing Company

WesWes

New York

4.33/5  rDev +28.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a pale gold color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is good. It has a pale and bisquit malt scent with some honey notes and a musty breadlike finish. The taste is excellent. It has a very smooth pale and bisquit malt flavor that is slightly sweet and very drinkable. It goes down easy and finishes spicey and breadlike. The mouthfeel is good. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is a damn fine summer seasonal. It has real good flavor and aroma; a good drinker.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2004 22:26:22 | More by WesWes

woemad

Washington

3.6/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The bartender at The Viking in Spokane gave me a bottle of this on the house. The label features a bear doing something to a tree that's just plain wrong.


Poured a slightly dark yellow color, with a moderate white head. A very slight amount of lace.

Smell was of a honeyish sweetness, coupled with a more submissive spicy bitterness.

The first thing to greet the tastebuds is a honey flavored sweetness that, while not quite something I'd call mild, nevertheless is not over the top. This is quickly followed by a very mild peppery hop bitterness. Not a bad tasting beer, but it didn't send my tastebuds into ecstacy either.

This is a medium bodied beer. Nothing to complain about here. Nothing earthshattering either.

This is a perfectly drinkable beer, though it's nothing fantastic. I'm just not a fan of honey beers. It was quite good at the price I got it at, but I'm not sure I'd seek it out and pay actual money for it.

Serving type: bottle

06-28-2004 01:06:28 | More by woemad

freed

Oregon

3.78/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

We pulled a couple of these to try out, and frankly, I'm glad we did. This could be an excellent gateway beer, and I imagine I'll try and have some around for family.

The beer is dull yellow, has a mild amount of head, and gives off just a little aroma. The scent is mostly malt, but there is also some of the sweetness to the smell from the honey.

The taste is very pleasant, mild, and smooth. The honey aids in its smoothness, but doesn't dominate the taste. There isn't any noticeable hop flavors or bitterness, and the mild maltienss is rather nice.

I recommend this for the people in your lives who don't understand why you like beer so much. It may help them.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2004 23:36:40 | More by freed

Reidrover

Oregon

3.65/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bought in the 12 oz brown bottle..nice label with a bear taking some honey froma tree trunk.
Beer is a nice golden colour''like honey in fact..nice small sized frothy pure white head.
This is a real nice smelling beer..very malty and with honey and some spiciness.
Taste is not quite as good as the aroma..but it has all the above mentioned and a small hop bite at the end
Veru luxurious mouthfeel to the beer..smooth and creamy..nice.
Quite a drinkable honey beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2003 01:41:38 | More by Reidrover

jeffboo

Minnesota

3.43/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A lighht golden brew with white head. Aromas of honey and light grassy hops and bready yeast but nothing special. It has a light refreshing body holding bready malt and yeast flavors with a good malt backbone. It finishes with a toasted malt and lightly honey flavors, a nice summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-01-2003 20:57:25 | More by jeffboo

BeerManDan

California

4/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

When I poured this beer into a glass, the color was a light golden yellow with a little foam.

The smell of honey and spices filled the nose with a pleasant aroma. The same can be said with the taste. Honey and spices were very pleasant in the mouth and palate.

The bitterness and sweetness is well balanced in this ale. A different taste that just made it interesting and worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2003 14:37:39 | More by BeerManDan

beerguy101

California

3/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Light Gold color, medium head. Light bodied ale, flavored with honey and spices. Light and refreshing. Light bodied. Lots of flavor. Good malt/hop balance. Mouthfeel is clean. Finish is crisp. Aftertaste is spicy and slightly bitter. Nice summer beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2003 16:22:11 | More by beerguy101

Fabric8r

Montana

3.9/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Big Sky Brewing has done a great job with this light summer ale. Perfect for a hot day with both sweet tones and hop flavors. Color is just like honey. Not much head, even though it is over corbonated, which is why I gave it lower score on mouthfeel. The carbonation burn detracts from the flavor. So, I just swirl it a bit until the carbonation is released some. A bit pricey for a lighter beer, so I wait for it on sale.

Serving type: bottle

05-27-2003 11:29:16 | More by Fabric8r

tavernjef

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +31.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Light honey yellow in color with a small pencil width high head of even leveled, off-white, super tight, creamy foam. The head faded a little fast and has spotty lace. The aroma is very nice, very sugary with a touch of honey thats super fresh. Nice! Taste echoes the smell with a nice light sugary taste with sweet honey and a bit of hops showing up with a very slight lemon note that together keeps this nicely balanced and super smooth. Yum! Feel is a lighter to medium body, very clean, soft, and solidly smooth. This is some remarkable stuff, very unique, yummy, and very drinkable in my book. I think I have a new summer brew to add to my list, this summer honey of a brew by Big Sky is a must try.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2003 18:23:36 | More by tavernjef

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Fine white head that leaes quickly, honey golden color. Aroma: spicy sweet, arousing, tingly, bright. Taste:utterly delicious. So far, the best honey beer I've had, though I haven't had them all (Dupont Biere de Miele, Young's Waggledance, where ARE you??. ) Bright honey flavor comes shining through. Light body, pleasant finsh, easy-drinking. Not much in the hop department, but that's not what they're going for. An excellent summertime refreshment!

Serving type: bottle

01-13-2003 13:26:48 | More by feloniousmonk

ADR

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Clear yellow ochre color with a substandard head that's a trace after 20 seconds. Bright aroma, trace of honey. Off tastes (!), tap water with spicy impressions. Stays medium-bodied to the swallow, but has some unsettling qualities in the esophagus. There's a little mid-mouth interest in this brew, but it doesn't redeem the wandering finish of sweet/sour/weird to my tongue. Big Sky Brewing is a real puzzler to me, high variation in quality in their brews.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2002 09:25:05 | More by ADR

Bighuge

Minnesota

4.43/5  rDev +31.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This clear light golden brew throws out a medium white head with little retention. Beautiful sweet clover honey is present on the nose with some light spicing perceived also (cinamon?). This is really a nice tasting summer brew. The honey is evident as well as some wheat malt it seems. There's a nice little hop bite. It's light to medium in body and glides over the tongue effortlessly. There is also a very nice dryness present throughout the drink, but moreso on the finish. One of my favorite quaffable summer beers.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2002 19:31:38 | More by Bighuge

ZAP

Minnesota

3.58/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Clear, crisp golden in color....spritzy carbonation like champagne, and with a nice creamy white lace....very nice nose...honey, and nice floral hop profile..the nose is deinitely the highlight of this beer.

The taste doesn't match the nose, but it's not bad...the honey is evident, along with a twang of grassy hops...finishes on the dry side....it does have a creamy mouhtfeel...the hops give it a real fruity flavor to accent the honey...

Not bad at all....I'd take it over Leinie's Honey any day of the week...I've got three more of these and may adjust this rating as I drink them, but my first impression is pretty good...

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2002 15:15:54 | More by ZAP

garymuchow

Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Interesting light, somewhat spicey aroma with a honey sweetness and slight fruitiness to it. Very clear, yellowish gold color, fizzy head with a relatively short life. Fairly bland flavor. The qualities that make the aroma pleasing don't transfer that well into the flavor. Fairly dry over all. Has a somewhat refreshing quality to it to make it an appropriate seasonal beer for summer. Somewhat full mouthfeel and a good amount of carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2002 21:37:08 | More by garymuchow

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the brewery in August 2009 during our West Coast road trip. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a pale golden color with a white head. Nose brings forward a dash of honey and a little bit of mildly floral hops. Pretty plain overall, and this carries over into the taste. There is some faint honey-baked bread along with some ever so slight bitterness. Feel is light and well carbonated. No apparent defects, just nothing really going for it.

Serving type: on-tap

10-15-2010 00:18:15 | More by Thorpe429

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This beer appears a clear pale golden hue, with one finger of soapy white head, which leave nary a speck of lace as it melts away. It smells of mildly sweet honey, and white grain. The taste is crisp grain, a bit of generic honey, and mild muddled dessert spices, with pretty much no discernible hops. The carbonation is moderate, the body medium weight, and plain, with an off-dry finish, some newfound earthy hops rounding out the latent honeyed graininess.

Nothing special, but nothing off-putting either. A good beer to go with intensely spicy hot wings, as was the pairing in my case.

Serving type: on-tap

08-04-2010 06:43:34 | More by biboergosum

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

The CANQuest hits the trifecta with this surprise gem! CAN you believe it - I will have had it on-tap, out of a bottle and now from a CAN?!?

From the CAN: "We make water fun! 'Some Catchy Phrase Goes Here.' Ale brewed with honey and spices." I should also mention that unlike the bottle label, where the bear is upright and rampant, on the CAN he is on all fours, surveying a river vista with mountains in the background.

My pour created a finger of eggshell-white head with good retention. The color was a golden-yellow with NE-quality clarity. I got the honey up front on the nose. There was a light spiciness in there, but it seemed more yeast-driven than anything else. Mouthfeel was slightly thin with a honey-sweet taste on the tongue. Finish had a spicy dryness that I would have otherwise attributed to a yeast strain doing its thing. The spices were there, but they did not seem readily identifiable to me. This is definitely a summer beer! Light, smooth, dry on the finish - a definite CANdidate for the cooler (if only it were readily available). Tasty.

Serving type: can

07-10-2010 16:06:41 | More by woodychandler

beertunes

Washington

2.42/5  rDev -28.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Served in Imperial Pint glass. Poured a clear light gold with a thin head that had no retention or lacing.

A bland, although slightly sweet, aroma greets the nose. The flavors are similar, without there being any noticeable features. with a slightly astringent finish.

The body was very thin, you almost don't even notice it's in your mouth. The beer was certainly drinkable, but why bother? Try this if you're looking to add another notch on your gunhandle, but otherwise avoid.

Serving type: on-tap

08-21-2009 19:18:16 | More by beertunes

SurlyDuff

Oregon

2.78/5  rDev -17.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Had this one on-tap at the BendBrewfest, as well as their Moose Drool Ale.

Pours a light golden, straw/yellow to be more exact. Very dense head, especially after a pretty vigorous pour by the barkeep.
Aroma is a bit mild. If fact, pretty unremarkable. Some spices, coriander.

Not finding much honey in the taste. Bit of a citrus zest, peach/apricot and maybe some apple flavors there.

Sweeter finish, with some floral notes.

Drinkability isn't quite there. I try to be optimistic when trying (and rating) styles that I don't have a strong affinity for. Big Sky does justice in the fact that its a decent summer ale, light and refreshing. Just seems that some more honey and a moderate increase in hopping couldv'e kicked this one up a few notches.

Serving type: on-tap

09-27-2007 00:17:46 | More by SurlyDuff

rhoadsrage

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

(Served in a mug)

A- This beer has a golden light copper body with a crystal clear body and a soapy foam head. There was a very gentle carbonation of tiny bubbles.

S- The slight sweet honey notes came with a pale malt note that was dry and fresh. There was a light sulfur note in the finish.

T- The taste of fresh pale malt had a slight honey sweetness that followed. There was a bitter hop finish that had a soft grassy quality to it.

M- This beer had a medium-light mouthfeel with a tight fizz texture at the finish.

D- The sweetness of the honey was nice and the bitterness of the hops offered a nice balance. Most beers that add honey have some odd fermented honey flavors but this one wasn't bad.

Serving type: on-tap

06-08-2006 18:58:40 | More by rhoadsrage

GClarkage

California

4.3/5  rDev +27.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

11/08/04- Sampled at the Big Sky Brewery on tap.

*taken from notes in August 2004.

Appearance- Pours with a small, quickly disappearing head and not much lacing. A decent dark golden color.

Smell- Lots of sweet honey and spices throughout.

Taste- One of the first beers that claim they have honey that you can actually taste! Not really any hop or malt taste here, which I find a little weird. Very sweet and spicy taste with maybe even a bit of citrus in there holding everything together.

Mouthfeel- Pretty decent carbonation which makes it very easy to go down. A little less carb and a little warmer at tasting would make this a higher rating.

Drinkability- All in all a great beer with different and great flavors. This may take over my top Montana beer.

Serving type: on-tap

11-08-2004 18:18:06 | More by GClarkage

beernut7

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This light golden summer brew from Big Sky presents with a bold honey malt character and a rather aggressive hop profile
for a beer brewed with honey. This is a quality beer.

Serving type: on-tap

08-17-2002 09:22:32 | More by beernut7

jreitman

California

3.05/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Nice gold-orange color, but unfortunately for me the beer quality did not match it's appearance. Honey sweet with citrus undertones and a medium (leaning towards the light) bitterness. Subtle hints of nuts.

Serving type: on-tap

06-16-2002 08:16:42 | More by jreitman