Heather Ales Alba

	Percentile
	81
	overall

Brewed by Williams Brothers (Heather Ales)
Style: Traditional Ale
Alloa, Central, Scotland

bottled
common

on tap
unknown

Broad Distribution
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Ratings	Average	Score	ABV	Style Pctl	Serve in
627	3.38/5.0	3.38/5.0	7.5%	75.2	Dimpled mug, English pint, Stein, Yard

Commercial Description:
Bottled. A cask version at 6% is produced in March and April.
"Scots Pine Ale"
Introduced by the Vikings, spruce and pine ales were very popular in the Scottish Highlands until the end of the 19th century. Many early explorers, including Captain Cook, used spruce ale during long sea voyages since it prevented scurvy and ill health. Shetland spruce ale was said to "stimulate animal instincts" and give you twins. Alba is a triple style ale brewed to a traditional Highland recipe from Scots pine and spruce shoots pickled during early spring.Pure malted barley, is boiled with the young sprigs of pine for several hours then the fresh shoots of the spruce are added for a short infusion before fermentation.
A tawny brown strong ale with spruce aroma, rich malt texture, complex wood flavour and lingering finish.
Best drunk at room temperature from a wine goblet as an after dinner digestive.

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slimchill (780), Austin, Texas, USA

3.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.5	8/10	4/5	7/10	2/5	14/20

Mar 22, 2007

Bottle. Sweet caramel malt and pine, some hops. Nice clear red to amber, no head, thin white ring. Flavor is sweet, starts out bland and floats into heavy pine, which is surprisingly delicious. Lots of fruit, especially cherries, some mustard? Thin palate, kind of disappointing.

Mungo (2474), Southampton, Hampshire, England

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	8/10	3/5	6/10	4/5	15/20

Mar 21, 2007

Bottle (from BItter Virtue, BB Feb 08). Malty caramel and blackcurrant prominent on the nose with undertone of herbal spicy aromas. Almost medicinal herbal flavour becomes more pronounced in the mouth with a moderate bittereness helping to balance the sweet mouthfilling malts. Full and sweet whilst remaining drinkable. Unusual and pretty good.

thewolf (5764), Kolding, Denmark

3.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.3	7/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	13/20

Mar 10, 2007

Bottle. Pours a hazy red with no head. Aroma is mild with strong notes of fruit and some caramel. Flavour is sweet with some berries (raspberries?) and a pine like feel - perhaps juniper berries.

faroeviking (6083), BjórtjóðveldiðBjórheimBjórsins, Faroe Islands

3.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.3	6/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	14/20

Mar 1, 2007

Bottle. Pours a cloudy red/brown colour with a faor beige head. The aroma is sweet, malty and yeasty, fruity. Flavour is a bit sweet, nice maltiness, hoppy, some spices, fruity with some pine. An interesting tasty strong ale. "Alba" is Gaelic for "Scotland".

BeerBiker (1392), Kathmandu, Nepal

2.7	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
2.7	5/10	3/5	5/10	2/5	12/20

Feb 25, 2007

[Tasted with Svogergylp at Røsnæs.] "Strange" beer in the way that it’s with pine, but in this way I find it unbalanced, because the pines are overall in the beer.

crushinat0r (227), Toronto, Ontario, Canada

3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3	6/10	3/5	7/10	2/5	12/20

Feb 23, 2007

Red and brown in colour, weak head. Fruity and strong alcohol in scent. Sweet and crisp in taste. Can’t really identify what I’m tasting.. it’s good though!

beachbum25 (786), Powellville, Maryland, USA

3.7	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.7	7/10	3/5	8/10	4/5	15/20

Feb 12, 2007

12 oz Bottle-poured a dark copper color w/a small off white head. Had a sweet, fruity, floral arona. Strong up front roasted barley malt flavor, did have a touch of a pine/christmas tree tint to it. Sweet bubblegum flavor w/a touch of spice. This was a little different, but it was very enjoyable-a true "Scotch Pine". Moderate sweet minty finish.

BeerHeadBobby (142), In Hiding.., Florida, USA

3.4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.4	7/10	3/5	6/10	4/5	14/20

Feb 10, 2007

Bottled - Pours a fairly dark copper color with a small head.. LOTS of fruitiness on the nose.. almost like piney bubblegum...Pine is def. in the taste.. but lots of sweet dark fruits.. very different beer..

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