Big Sky Montana Trout Slayer Ale

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

Date: March 14, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Ticker Tasting
Appearance: hazy dark yellow, wispy white head, streaks of drippy lace
Aroma: light floral hop aroma backed by dry crystal malt
Flavor: sweet malt flavor, lots of balancing hops, light bitterness, just a touch of sweetness
Aroma: 6/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 6/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 12/20
Rating: 3/5.0
Drinkability: 8/10
Score: *4

Dark straw color with a taller off-white, bubbly head. Smells just like a american pils/premium lager. LIght pale malt, hints of corn, with some herbal and floral hops jumping in and out in the background. A hint of pale malt sweetness in the front that is quickly swept away with lemon peels and light grass. Quite bitter in the finish, without enough malt to bring it back into check. The acidity continues into the linger. Not quite quenching. Linger leads to a touch of pale malt that is inviting to the next quaff. Not much of a kristallweizen, but not a bad pale lager/pils.

Bottle: Pellucid hazy yellow with a light fluffy white head. The nose has a hint of fruity wheat and husky esters, no hop. The flavor is lightly bitter, a semi-sweet wheat note. Bland and unfulfilling. An unseasoned steak, a bath without bubbles, tires without air, boardgames without light, fire without heat. You get the picture. Kristallweizens are so pointless, even pale lagers have more of a place in the world.

Draught @ WABF 2008. Pours a clear golden color with a small white head. Sweetish malty and slightly wheaty aroma with somw hints of hops. Sweet slightly wheat malty flavor with some citrus hoppy hints. Has a slightly fruity malty finish.

Bottle from beeronthewall. PAle medium gold with 2-fingers of off-white head. Aroma is pale malt, apricotty fruit, some honey, hops, and citrus. Tastes crisp, with pale malty honey notes and a hopcitric body. I enjoyed this one.

A golden ale with a thin creamy white head. A lightly phenolic and perfumey malt aroma, with light wheat. In mouth, a light wheaty and grainy malt, mineral notes, lighter bodied. Good after a long bike ride. On tap at Bridgetender, Lake Tahoe, August 18, 2009.

Bottle. Head is initially small, frothy/fizzy, white, mostly diminishing. Body is clear medium yellow. Aroma is lightly malty (toasted grain/bread), moderately hoppy (grapefruit, flowers, herbs). Flavor is moderately sweet, lightly acidic, lightly to moderately bitter. Finish is lightly sweet, lightly acidic, moderately bitter. Medium body, watery texture, lively carbonation. Hopped to the point that it seems more like an APA to me (didn’t know what the style was while rating it)...surprisingly bitter in the finish (but still balanced for quaffing). Not bad, but not exciting.

12 oz. bottle from Liquid Solutions. Light aroma of malt and floral or citrus hop. Golden color with a white head that flattened fast. Medium in body, with moderate carbonation. The flavor is pale malt or bread, covered well by floral and citrus hop. Feels excellent in the mouth, and the finish is dry with a satisfying amount of bitter. Wouldn’t hesitate to have another.