Review – Orkney Skull Splitter Ale

From The Orkney Brewery – This powerful ale is named after Thorfinn Hausakluif, the 7th Viking Earl of Orkney – who lived and ruled around 950 AD. Although he lived and loved and fought amidst a violent way of life, he was sufficiently adept at surviving the perils of his precarious existence and died in his bed leaving five strong sons to meet a premature and not so peaceful end!

Orkney Brewing – Skull Splitter Poured into a 12 oz beer glass. 8.5% ABV.

Appearance: Deep ruby red with a frothy, eggshell head. Sparse lacing is left on the glass.

Aroma: The malt overwhelms the hops, as with most ales from Scotland. Aromas of toffee and filberts are present.

Taste: Rather sweet, but not sickeningly so. Toasted malt is the predominant flavor with brown sugar and just a touch of European hops on the finish.

Mouthfeel: Viscous and clingy on the palate, yet finishes fairly clean for a sweeter beer.

Overall: My sweet tooth is begging me to put away lots of this. Such a fantastic beer, and, not surprisingly, better than most American interpretations of “Scotch Ales.”