Leev me heed alone
Years ago I bought a 4pk of a beer that had long intrigued me. With a viking on the bottle, Skullsplitter is an Orkney Ale from Orkney Brewery in Scotland. The beer is named after Thorfinn Hausakluif or Skullsplitter (I wouldn’t want to hang around with him after a few too many) who lived about 1,000 AD around a small group of islands off the northern tip of Scotland.
I wondered what this was all about. One thing is 8.5%. Skullsplitter has a strong caramel flavor with a smokey overtone. Date, molasses and barley are in the aftertaste. Its flavor is too straightforward in my opinion, and when combined with all the strength of the alcohol content, is unpleasant. We’ve come a long way in 1,000 years. There’s no reason to go backwards. I’ll recommend Skullsplitter as a novelty. Just remember what you’re in for if you set sail with this viking.
February 13th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
[…] On a recent trip to the beautiful Smoky Mountains in North Carolina, I had the pleasure of trying the Highland Brewing Company’s Tasgall Ale. This is no ordinary Ale, however! This dark porterish colored ale poured from the tap with a deep sandy head that lasted the entire drinking experience. The smell of malts was immediately noticeable and was followed by a deep earthy taste of lightly toasted malts. There was an ever so slight peppery taste that subtly let you know this was a strong beer (in fact, 8% ABV); however, it was pleasant, unlike the experience of a similar Scottish style ale, Skullsplitter. The finish was agreeably clean and it seemed that over time the hints of smokiness enhanced. […]