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Heather Ales Alba 3.38 630

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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RatingsAverageScoreABVStyle PctlServe in
6303.38/5.03.38/5.07.5%75.2Dimpled 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.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 crushinat0r (227), Toronto, Ontario, Canada
3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/102/512/20
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 (802), Powellville, Maryland, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/104/515/20
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
7/103/56/104/514/20
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..


 jblendy (518), Midland Park, New Jersey, USA
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/515/20
Feb 4, 2007  
Again, unfortunately from memory. Medium palate, light fruit and bitterness, but very little pine flavor.Scots make some super easy drinking ale either way.Enjoyable, but nothing special.


Beeroness (2), USA
does not count click to see why this rating of Heather Ales Alba  does not count
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
10/105/510/104/511/20
Feb 4, 2007  
From the bottle. Pours a lovely and cloudy copper with a soft head. The nose is distinctly pine and malt with some bready/yeasty notes. The flavor is true pine and very pleasantly so, if you’re a fan of that style. The mouth is light to medium body and finishes quite dryly. An altogether quaffable ale.


 SDalkoholic (1196), Chula Vista, California, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/103/516/20
Feb 3, 2007  
Aroma is a average olfaction of a typical beer with some light spice of gigner or perhaps or some other kind of freshly cut root. Cloudy and filled with sediment. Mahogany color and has small head that started on its own as soon as i pulled the cap off. The flavor is rich in spice and has a background of bread and fruit. Kind of like a fruitcake flavor going on here, but some nice spice of ginger and touch of pine to make this a truly unique ale.


 motelpogo (4395), Plzen, Czech Republic
3.6 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/104/514/20
Feb 3, 2007  
on cask at berlinerbierfest06. reddish brown, spicy, gooseberry aroma. alcohol shows but is quite warming, lightly prickly and some pleasant lacic sourness.


 tronraner (1934), Seymour, Tennessee, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/58/103/516/20
Jan 22, 2007  
Bottle. Pours a slightly cloudy rust color with gray floaties and beige head. The aroma is quite malty with some yeasty bread tones and some fruity floral notes. The flavor is very piney, which surprised me a little because it is so subdued in the nose. The edge is taken off it by some bready yeast and malt notes. Some caramelized sugar sweetness floats around in there, too. The finish is increasingly dry and leaves a slight pine and alcohol aftertaste. I like this brew quite a bit, but I am a fan of pine and spruce flavors.



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