Stone Thrower Scotch Ale - Big Sky Brewing Company

TheSixthRing

California

3.53/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - Pours a deep ruby brown with a 2 finger head, decent retention, and the resulting lace is thin and semi-sticky.

Smell - Lots of sweet caramel and toffee on the nose, the kind usually reserved for English bitters.

Taste - Sweet and sugary esters take the form of sweet toffee with notes of caramel. Hops are near undetectable. Sip after sip, it's unbalanced richness tends to get too sweet to enjoy.

Mouthfeel - Medium body. Carbonation is a bit on the low side.

Overall - Very rich. Anyone trying to session this might find themselves regretting their decision after the first beer or two. Consider this a one off dessert beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2012 06:28:51 | More by TheSixthRing

phishsihq

Colorado

3.18/5  rDev -15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Heavy Horse Scotch Ale pours a clear chestnut brown color, and is capped with a thin tan head that leaves only a minimal amount of lace. Sweet and toasty malt aromas dominate the nose, with some spices and fig/plum hints hidden in there. Rich, malty flavors including caramel, toast, and toffee while slight underlying wisps of smokiness, peat, and fig tease the pallet. Lower in carbonation, Heavy Horse is medium in body and a solid release from the folks at Big Sky Brewing Company.

Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2012 01:50:09 | More by phishsihq

StoutHunter

Michigan

2.93/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I picked up a bottle of Big Sky's Heavy Horse Scotch Ale last month for $1.49 at The Lager Mill. I have been drinking a lot of Dirty Bastard's lately and I thought I would switch it up and try Big Sky's example of the style, so lets see how it goes. No visible bottling date, but I know it's a spring 2012 release. Poured from a brown 12oz bottle into a imperial pint glass.

A- The label looks good and it had a nice scene of a horse towing some lumber up a dirt road, I like it. It poured a darker brown color that took on a nice bright copper/ruby red color with three fingers worth of creamy light tan head that died down to a thin layer that stayed till the end and left some nice lacing. This is a good looking Scotch Ale, I have no complaints.

S- The aroma starts off with loads of malts that have a higher amount of medium sweetness and impart some some grainy, brown bread, medium roast, and a slightly smokey aroma. After that comes a good amount of sweet dark fruits with raisins and plums sticking out the most. Next comes some more grainy and bready aromas and a really slight alcohol aroma. This is a proper smelling Scotch Ale, it has all the aromas that I look for in the style.

T- The flavor seems to be bland and muted compared to the aroma. It starts out with a pretty large amount of malts that seem to dominate the flavor of this beer, they have much lighter amount of sweetness then the aroma led me to believe, and it imparted some grainy, brown and white bread, along with a light toasted flavor. Wheres the dark fruits that I got in the aroma. I found the taste to be unimpressive, I wish it was much more like the aroma, it was pretty one note and bland.

M- Smooth, slightly creamy, on the light side of being medium bodied, and it had a nice amount of medium carbonation. The mouthfeel wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either, it needed to be thicker.

Overall I wasn't impressed with this beer and I though that it was a little below average for the style. The look and the aroma were going in the right direction but when it got to the taste it really fizzled out and left me wanting much more. This beer had OK drinkability, it went down smooth, but the flavor was pretty bland and it couldn't hold my attention, one is enough for me and I'm ready to move onto something with more flavor. What I liked most about this beer was the appearance and the aroma, they were both were they should be for the style. What I liked least about this beer was the flavor, it seems like all the nice things I picked up in the aroma never made it's way to the taste and that really hurt this beer. This beer was priced well but the lackluster taste really holds this beer back and I would much rather have a Dirty Bastard, I can't say that I would recommend this beer. I find Big Sky to be a pretty solid brewery, but I was a little let down with beer as it really didn't deliver when it came to the flavor, you guys make some good and solid beers, it's too bad this is not one of them, better luck next time, looks like I'm back to the Dirty Bastard's.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 03:41:54 | More by StoutHunter

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

a decent scotch ale. smells and tastes very very malty, with very little of the earthy depth many of these style beers showcase. palate is a little on the sweet side, with a touch of the alcohol coming through. almost tastes and feels like a barleywine in that respect, very grainy, in a good way. mouthfeel is good, i like the fuller body on this one, and the fairly heavy carbonation i think serves it quite well. this isnt my favorite scotch ale, or even my favorite big sky beer, but its sessionable for a its style and its one that works with all kinds of food, so i will probably grab this one again if i see it.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2012 23:09:41 | More by StonedTrippin

bump8628

Oklahoma

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Deep mahogany, an inch of loose tan head manages to hang on for the entire pint. Obvious caramel, toffee, and fruitcake with a fairly balanced, dry finish. Mild bitterness and hopping. Clean and drinkable. This one lacks the really full malt depth to be great, but the flavors and balance make it worth going back for another bottle or two.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2012 19:38:35 | More by bump8628

obrike

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bought a single at HEB in Round Rock for about 1.69.

Liked the look on this one...a beautiful deep copper with shades of red and brown. Medium size head that doesn't stick around, but leaves traces of lacing throughout the drink.

Certainly malt forward on the scent...rich complex peaty malt, maybe a bit of cinammon, some indisinct dark fruits. and a slight sting of alcohol.

Very smooth beer, but the flavors didn't pop like I had hoped. Sweet bread, caramel, but not the peaty goodness i was hoping for. Tastes almost like a Wee Heavy "light". Not that it's a bad thing, just did not blow my socks off.

Certainly a drinkable beer that I could recommend to friends looking for an easy drinking malt forward brew, but not one of the top Scotch Ales for sure.

Serving type: bottle

04-18-2012 23:29:17 | More by obrike

Scotchboy

Idaho

4/5  rDev +7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Heavy Horse poured into a Widmer pint glass.

A: Dark but clear amber with an ample light tan head and good lacing.

S: Malt, oak, grain, toffee, caramel spice...prototypical Scotch.

T: Malt forward, very bready, very lightly hopped...toffee and creamy oak dominate, toasted grains, caramel, toasted bread, earthy notes...clean finish.

MF: Lighter medium mouthfeel, decent carbonation.

O: I like Scotch Ale's and this one was pretty good. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 14:59:00 | More by Scotchboy

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.15/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A- Red-garnet, very clear with a very light brown head that is one and a half fingers and lays firm at a slick. Minimal lacing.
S- The smell is very mild with a very slightly peaty malt with some light coffee and medium caramel.
T- The taste is pleasing at first but very mild. Caramel and just a bit of coffee. A touch off woody flavors.
M- Medium body, maybe a touch lighter than medium. Body is fairly dry for as malt forward as this is.
O- It's ok but on the spectrum of scotch ales, there are many that are above this.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 00:16:27 | More by jsprain1

gustogasmic

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From tasting notes, about a month ago-- my bottle said Heavy Horse!

A- Very dark brown, caramely. Reveals itself to be translucent and red when held up to the light. A 1" yellowy-tan head sticks and is gone after 3 sips. Lots of quick-moving bubbles in a small column up the center. Very sticky, slow-dripping lacing, yellowy like the head.

S- Roasty malts with raisin notes and pancakes. Smells robust.

T- More of the same, with a nice light sweetness in the backdrop with a subtly bitter but very clean leave. Little aftertaste or lingering stickiness.

M- Very clean and even a bit dry. I look for a thicker, more malted mouthfeel from this style, or just to work with these bready flavors in any kind of beer.

O- Tasty and refreshing Scotch ale, But there's a few I can think of that I'll go to before this one. Worth trying either way.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2012 16:08:42 | More by gustogasmic

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.48/5  rDev -7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from 4/2011 notes. Poured into a Black Raven pint glass. Pours a dark red amber. Slight head, but some lacing. Aroma of sweet malt, caramel and slight dark fruit. Flavor starts as with sweet and caramel malt some dark fruit, somewhat nutty. Finish is a bit dry and sour with a little bit of hop kick. Initial flavors are nice, but the finish is not great. There are better Scotch ales out there

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 03:31:21 | More by LiquidAmber

EricCioe

Montana

3.45/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Part of a scotch ale blind tasting with Adam H and RWNewhouse.

This pours deep, clear red, with a tight offwhite head. On the nose there is a big dose of biscuit, much more so than the other beers here, with not much else going on. In the mouth there are fruity esters riding on top of the biscuit with some smoke in there too, but parts of it were hinting towards astringent. The finish is short with a medium body.

Overall, this was the middle of the pack for all three of us. I was happy to try this blind first before I sit down with a bottle.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2012 02:10:58 | More by EricCioe

JohnnyHopps

Indiana

3.43/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass at a restaurant, the ale produced a slight head. As scotch ales go, this one appeared a dark reddish brown with a certain degree of cloudines. The aroma was not incredibly potent, but did produce a mild wheat flavor. One may have to really search for an aroma here. The initial taste was a moderate level of scotch sweetness with a wheat backbone. This flowed into the aftertaste which was mildly warming and yet somewhat sour. Overall, this is a mild scotch ale. It would not stand-out in crowd of elite scotches, but it is an easy drinker.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2012 23:39:31 | More by JohnnyHopps

mariposafan

Wisconsin

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Duvel tulip.

Crystal clear dark amber body. Just a little creamy head, even from a fairly stiff pour, and it dies far too quickly.

The aroma is sweet - caramel and toffee with just a slight herbal note. Very nice, I only wish it had been a little more pronounced.

The flavor follows the aroma almost perfectly. A little grassy bitterness but mostly caramel/toffee maltiness. As with the aroma it just lacks a little oomph of being incredible, but it's still very, very good.

A little thin but the carbonation is very pleasant.

Overall, I'd happily buy this again and again. With a little more richness it would be in my top-tier as the flavors and aroma that are there are top notch.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 21:38:42 | More by mariposafan

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

caramel in color with a light tan head on top that reached a height of around an inch before fading and leaving the top of the glass mostly bare. Light lacing on the sides as well. Aroma was spectacular. Rich notes of caramel and toffee, oozing with butterscotch and sweet herbal notes. Light hint of a boozy alcohol touch to it at well, but it played out quite nicely. The first sip made me fall back in my chair. Simply brilliant. Rich butterscotch and toffee flavors roll across the tongue. Enormously sweet like a wonderful piece of hard candy, each sip seemed more compelling then the one before it. Sublime. Nice herbal hop notes playing it up quite well and the smooth, delicate caramel finish with a light touch of booziness is just what the doctor ordered

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 04:43:47 | More by mikesgroove

LXIXME

New Mexico

4.22/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from an inch or so above the glass leaves a nice big light brown head that settles into a pretty decent lacing above a clear dark burnt reddish colored beer.

Butterscotch, and roasted caramelized malt aroma with a slight alcohol hint aroma is transfer to the taste just about the same, maybe a touch more alcohol in the taste.

The aftertaste of this medium bodied ale is a light dry with hints of alcohol, I was pretty pleased with this beer, you should check it out if given the opportunity.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 00:02:53 | More by LXIXME

awmiller

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Another entry into the AW BHoF! Big Sky nailed it with this brew; simply nailed it! It pours up a deep mahogany body with a nice 1-finger head that hangs around for quite a while. Scents of rich malts and dark fruits like cherries and plums precede the flavors of sweet malts, caramel and dark fruits. Put the sense of smell and taste into overdrive by breathing in through your nose just as you are drinking some of this fine brew!! Oh yeah! There’s just enough hit of hops to make this one amazingly fine brew! This is a easy brew to drink so keep track of how many you enjoy!

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 21:26:30 | More by awmiller

chugalug06

Colorado

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Nice dark purple color. Lots of reds and browns. Head pours aggressive with little staying power.

S - Nice deep woody scent. Mild vanilla scent. Super strong raisin scent.

T - Silky. Very deep vanilla taste. Lots of strong deep grape flavors.

M - Slightly dry and slightly bitter. Very nice carbonation and body.

O - Nice brew from BSB! Definitely worth purchasing if you're able to locate it. Cheers to this unique brew.

Serving type: bottle

07-07-2011 01:14:32 | More by chugalug06

TheSarge

Illinois

4.47/5  rDev +19.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a standard pint glass, and this produces a finger thick light tan head, and has a clear ruby red colored body.

Has a hearty aroma of sweet bready malts, dark fig and raison, and a little hint of peat.

Raison is upfront in the taste, along with cherry, and maybe some overripe orange.

Feels full in body, though a little lower in ABV than most wee heavies. Makes this beer a little more enjoyable. Very complex for the weaker ABV. Daddy like.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 21:30:44 | More by TheSarge

Kiwano

New York

3.43/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Reddish brown with almost no head - thin layer that dissipates

S - OK some fruit

T - Slightly sweet - malt comes through with some stone fruits ? and bready

M - Could be a bit more carbonated but fine

O - A decent beer- would be nice if a layer of flavor cut through some of the sweetness after the initial taste

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 03:27:54 | More by Kiwano

pitasoup

Tennessee

3.8/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to flexabull for another blind beer.

A: Clear dark brown, about the same color as a standard glass bottle plus a hint of ruby. Billowing two inches of off-white head that is very slow to subside. 4.5

S: Raisins, caramel, metallic, a touch of leather and cardboard. faint hops if any. 4.0

T: Rich caramel and biscuit malts. Barley. Raisins, a bit of plum and coconut. Very subtle nutty and smokiness as it warms. abv is hidden well but I suspect 8% area. 3.5

M: medium to medium-full body. creamy and smooth with a slightly dry finish. 4.0

O: nice smooth, not quite sweet yet. This might be much tastier with another year or two. 4.0

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 04:09:13 | More by pitasoup

seeswo

Ohio

2.65/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Pours a slightly see-through brown with a tannish head. The nose is light caramel and breadiness. None of the smokiness/particular roasted malt character I always hope for and sometimes fail to get off of a scotch ale. A little concerned already that this is going to be a Scottish Ale. Taste is pretty light - caramel malt and bready sweetness in a package with a thin flavor and a thin body. No depth in the flavor. Seems to be short of the style. Someone mentioned that it was more like a odd brown ale than a Scotch Ale, and I would say it represents something more like a Scottish Style Ale or a Brown Ale than a Scotch Ale. Overall, this is not nearly my favorite representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2011 00:44:03 | More by seeswo

FanofHefe

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Served on- tap in a pint glass. Deep brown color, just a touch of red hue. Creamy, tan head with good retention and good lacing along the glass.

A little weak in the aroma department. Some light caramel malt and a hint of bready yeast.

A little better in the flavors, but odd for the style. Again, strong on the caramel malt, but with a more roasted flavor in the taste. Some wood flavor, almost as if it had been in a barrel. Finally, some tea-like flavors.

Overall, it seems more like a woody brown ale than a scotch ale, so I marked it down there a bit.

Serving type: on-tap

04-26-2011 00:19:04 | More by FanofHefe

tavernjef

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Deep crimson brown with a smearish body of clearness. Small, dense, compacted, dark beige foam sits briefly before fading to an always present thick ring and moderate lacing in small waves of sheeting.

Soft, faint aroma of barely there raisin, purple grape, and roasted grains.

Taste is a simple quick tone of malt sweetness. Short toned maple and raisin switch with some brief caramel and toasted doughy breadyness. Finish has a bit of the Scotch ale tint to it with a slight cloying malt stick and warming toasted malt.

Body is just about medium to light medium with a smooth clean profile to the palate. Malts mostly prevail, but comes up a bit short for a being a solid Scotch ale. The body and drinkability are probably the best aspect of the entire experience of this Heavy Horse other then its solid appearance. About what you'd expect form Big Sky if its not their bigger beers.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2011 21:23:22 | More by tavernjef

HaysAmerica

Kansas

3.43/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle w/ faint markings of 070611 on the side into a small snifter. Can only assume this would be the best by date as I am reviewing this in April '11. Clear, dark ruby red color w/ a off white head that quickly fades. Lacing is decent.

Nose is malty sweet w/ some caramelized sugars. Almost a slight milk chocolate powder smell comes out. No hop presence in the smell of this beer. Taste is quite malty & sweet to match the nose. A slight hop presence/bitterness on the back of the palate which lingers for several seconds. Malt is what keeps coming to mind as I think about this one. Perhaps some chocolate malt. Appears to be a well balanced beer from the taste of it. Given this style of course. Very minimal hop presence as this one goes down. That is, until this one warms up to 60F & then hops come out a lot more. I like my beers luke cool & this new smell throws me for a bit of a loop.

Mouthfeel is medium. This one is appropriately mouth coating. As the beer warms up a little more, the lingering hop on the back end becomes a little more pronounced. Has a little bit of a warming effect, not sure if the alcohol has much to do w/ that or if it's really just all the various malts that went in to making this one.

Overall, a decent rendition of this style. Would have it again but wouldn't really go out of my way to find it. At 6.7% ABV, it's not quite a session beer. I might buy some if I find it when the temps go up & BBQ parties come around.

Serving type: bottle

04-24-2011 20:53:23 | More by HaysAmerica

SpecialK088

Missouri

3.05/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had this at the mud lounge on tap

A-good deep amber color. No real head or lacing to it but that's not a huge surprise.

S-not alot at all going on in the nose. Get some very feint dark fruit notes as well as some light malty ones

T-while a pretty complex beer in flavor I felt they kinda wiffed on the style. It was Slightly roasty when you very first take a drink then right after that I got a very small hint of the scotch ale and the middle and finish were more like an over hopped brown ale.

M-fairly thin bodied not quite watery but just above. Slightly oily feeling

Overall it was an alright beer. Had a very bitter hoppy finish for a scotch ale I think reviewing it style in mind was what brought my grade down had I not known this was a scotch ale I probably would not have been able to tell you it was.

Serving type: on-tap

04-18-2011 13:25:02 | More by SpecialK088