Big Sky Montana Trout Slayer Ale

Brewed by Big Sky Brewing Company
Style: Wheat Ale
Missoula, Montana USA

Definitely a session beer, pretty light body for a wheat ale. Not much nose, pale straw in color. Some bitter hop notes up front with some malt balance. Decent for what it is.

With a name like "trout slayer", it sets expectations too high from the start. Granted, the trout is not much of an animal to slay, however the verb "slay" implies awesomeness or at least action, which is a false descriptor of this beer. It pours golden, no haze. It has a thin white head, and a very light, fresh aroma. It tastes a bit like watery cream of wheat, with a flabby aftertaste. Granted, it’s very light and very carbonated, if you’re into that sort of thing. Overall, very disappointing.

Tap in West Yellowstone. Pour was a clear golden with little head. Aroma was fruitty and doughy. Flavor is sweet malt, fruitty, with a little bitterness. Not really what I would call a wheat, but very drinkable.

Bottle poured a clear gold with a small lingering white head. Aromas of bread, light citrus and light styraw. Palate was light bodied and crisp. Flavors of straw and light citrus with a crisp dry clean finish.

Bottle... Poured clear honey tone with a fluffy white head. Aroma is faint with corn-malt and slight hops. Flavors are pretty pleasant, with floral characters that give way to sweet tones of malt and herbal hops. Other flavors of spices and maybe coriandor. This reminds me more of maybe a golden ale of some short.

Pours hazy yellow with a moderate white head that is moderately persistent. Aroma is somewhat malty with some bitter hop accents...not much else, but smells decent nevertheless. Flavor is malty up front, and turns bitter near the end...although the finish is bitter, there really isn’t any telltale hop flavors to go along with it...just bitterness. However, the beer is very clean in my flavor, and has some decent balance...didn’t really come across as a wheat ale to me, but who knows...more of a weak APA IMO. Palate is average...decently thick for a beer of said ABV. Although this is far from a mindblowing experience, I think this is catching a bad rap because its a) not a cool style and b) isn’t extremely hoppy...not running back for more, but would happily quaff another of these in the future.

Bonus bottle from a long time ago, sitting in my frig waiting. Popped cap and I smell some melanoidins, which i usually like, but seem a little out of place here. Head fades instantly. Yellow color. Lots of bitterness, but not of the good kind. The flavor is not good. The bitterness lingers on my tongue and makes my face cringes the whole time I’m writing this. Yuck.

Hazy yellow gold, moderate white head. Lightly fruit-accented pale malts, slightly wheaty, very low bitterness. Not bad, but not a standout either.