BA Scotty Karate

Too expensive compared to CW BBSA and Founders BB.

 

How does it stack up to them without factoring cost? I realize cost is part of the overall value equation, but just curious how it is against the other two. I've got a couple BA Scotty Karate coming my way soon, and plan to do a side by side of the 3 of them at some point, but am curious to hear others' thoughts on them.

 

I can't say. I had a bottle in my hand, but $5 was just too steep as CW BBSA will be out again in June for $13 a 4pk, and is my favorite compared to Founders BB and Wulver (which is also expensive).

 

I had BASK on tap to help me decide whether to get a 4-pack. It's a good beer, but the bourbon doesn't come through as strongly as what I'd like in a BBA beer, so I didn't buy it. Backwoods Bastard is a much better beer. I have not had the opportunity to have CW BBSA.

 

It basically tastes like regular Scotty.

 

If the beer is good, I don't mind the $5 price tag that much...granted, $3.25 per bottle for CW BBSA is better (although I don't think I got mine quite that cheap). If I had to gauge, I would expect to like Scotty less than CW and Backwoods (which I like the best of the two I've had thus far). But, I'm hoping to do them blind, so it will remove any pre-conceived bias I may have.

I've heard others mention that about BASK, which is why I suspect I won't like it as much as the others, but who knows. If you get the chance to try some CW BBSA, I'd definitely recommend it. It's no Backwoods, but it's still a good beer.

 

It is less Bourbon forward. I'm a regular drinker of CW and BB and those both have a thicker mouth feel and more "hot". Both great. The BA Scotty was thinner and more mellow, but the bourbon did come through more as it warmed. Lets just say I took big mouth fulls of the Scotty and the other two a sip. I would say CW>BB>Scotty - CW is something like 14%, BB 12ish and Scotty was about 10%. I did enjoy the Scotty

 

My ranking: CW BBSA > BB > BA Scotty

 

I've never gotten around to trying regular Scotty, but having opened the BA this past weekend, I'm not surprised at the comments that it's pretty similar to regular, because the BA version had a lot of the dark fruit that I think is indicative of the style. I've had regular wee heavy ales that tasted like BA Scotty did.

My personal ranking is BB > CW BBSA > > > BA Scotty, although I did like BA Scotty. I just love the other two.

But if we're talking labels, it's probably more like BA Scotty > BB > > CW BBSA

 

Nice surprise at Binny's in Chicago area today to get two bottles at $4.99 each. A little pricier than Backwoods Bastard and Central Waters BA Scotch Ale, but we're lucky it made out here in distribution. Review to come later...

 

Which Chicago Binny's if you don't mind me asking?

 

Friends got theirs at Downers Grove and Naperville, I got mine Plainfield - all were supposed to get it and I heard on FB that there are still some available around.
It is tasting pretty good - like regular Scotty with a small touch of the barrel. I'm pretty sure I would take Backwoods or Central Waters over this on taste alone, and the prices are better as well. But it's still good.

 

My exact thoughts... barrel was super subtle. tasted more like a regular scotty with a year or two on it. while good, not what I was expecting for a BA beer. Backwoods bastard blows it away.

 

As far as BBA Scotty vs. Backwoods, in my opinion, BBA Scotty is the same beer with a little more burn, which I appreciate.

Backwoods is almost an entirely different beast. I appreciate both for different reasons, but I'll probably let the remainder of my Backwoods calm down a bit while the BBA Scotty is good as is.

 

My thoughts exactly. I probably could not pick out the BA version in a blind taste test with the regular version. I have to say I am disappointed with the many "barrel aged" beers that are only in the barrel for a few months. The whole point of the process is to lend a certain character to the beer, why age them for such a short time as to not impart that character?

I know Dark Horse can make great BA beers(PT5 for example), so why skimp on the Scotty?

 

Good not great
Not worth the price
Don't care about the abv(no interest in being a snitch)

 

Passed on this at my local store. 3 4 packs still on the shelf but couldn't bring myself to buy them at $18. I LOVE Backwoods, Wulver was a very close second but reading some of the reviews solidified my decision.

 

And you just summed up their entire barrel program! I swear barrel aging for these guys is just setting some cases ON barrels.

 

I did them side by side and I can tell you for sure they are different enough. Color, aroma, taste. All very different. To the extreme it could have been taken in the barrel? No. But they are different beasts.

If I had NOT done them side by side I would probably have the same opinion, that it was basically the same. But drink them together and there is a clear difference.

Backwoods still wins.

 

Was surprised to see this on the shelves in NYC. It was ok. I wouldn't buy it again though