Beer Review: Dark Horse Scotty Karate

Dark Horse Brewing Company: Scotty Karate
Michigan, U.S.
Style: Scotch Ale
ABV: 9.75%
Beeradvocate Rating: B+, #23 on top 50 Scotch Ale list
Serving Type: Bottle
Purchased at: The Foodery

Look: Mahogany

Smell: Earthy, Oak, Cinnamon

Taste: Chocolate, Dark Malt

Feel: Spicy & Clean

Drinkability: Medium-Low

Scotty Karate is a fall/winter seasonal beer. The first and only time I had Scotty Karate (before this) was on tap at City Tap House in West Philly and it was a memorable one. That night I went out with a couple friends and one of my friends was supposed to meet a girl there. Long story short, I got drunk. Intoxication was completely acceptable due to the huge selection of tasty beers they had to offer. What wasn’t acceptable was me ending up playing grab ass with the girl my friend was meeting (and supposedly her crotch, but I disagree), spilling her beer all over the floor, and getting caught stealing cookies from Jimmy John’s and bullshitting my way out of it. I went home and my friend stayed behind with that girl to try and get some play (he didn’t). To add insult to injury, when he made it back to the house I was knocked out and the door was locked. Sorry Roni!

On my second encounter with this beer I took a more civil approach. As you can see it was poured into a piece of my finest stem wear. This glass is actually the same exact glass that Scotty Karate was served to me in by a waiter that said “chop suey” as he gave it to me at City Tap House. Somehow the glass magically made it back to my apartment (sorry City Tap House, I steal when I’m drunk), and served as my glass for this review. It pours a dark mahogany like color with a dissipating head. There is a strong smoky/toasted earth smell to the beer. You can smell the presence of cinnamon and toffee. It has a very dark malt taste like smoky chocolate with notes of dark fruit (raisins). The toasted oak taste gives off a warming feeling. This beer is not hoppy and has little carbonation. Its clean and spicy finish makes this beer more drinkable than other beers carrying similar ABV.

My Rating: A. It tastes so damn good.