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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Styles (1653), Lincoln Park, Michigan, USA

3.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.2	6/10	4/5	6/10	4/5	12/20

Oct 25, 2005

Pours amber/brown with little head. Fades to ring. Aroma has a fruity sweetness to it. Flavor much the same, with some woodsy type finish, not really pine though. Strange but decent.

ehhdayton (1113), USA

3.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.2	6/10	2/5	7/10	3/5	14/20

Oct 12, 2005

Scots Pine Ale has a pine and yeasty aroma. The appearance is a deep amber with large particles floating within the beer. The head is nice with lacing. There is a yeasty quality to the flavor with hints of a woodiness.

BeerandBlues2 (3216), Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

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

Oct 3, 2005

Bottle. Pours hazy burnt orange with a small off-white head and some lined lacing. Fruit (apple) and pine grassy aroma with malt (cookie) notes. Fruity oak malt and yeast flavor with a pleasing and smooth berry finish. Smooth medium body that is a touch fizzy.

Quixote18 (230), Johnson City, Tennessee, USA

3.1	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.1	6/10	3/5	6/10	2/5	14/20

Sep 30, 2005

I didn’t care much for it, but it was a matter of personal taste, not lack of quality on the brewer’s part. It had a beige head with decent retention. Kind of a deep amber color, with an intentionally cloudy haze (it’s obviously unfiltered). The aroma was very unique! It spicy, almost wine-like hints. Cidery, but in a good way. I’m not sure I tasted the pine, but I’ve never tasted pine before so I’m not sure what to compare it to.

MrWalker (927), Stockholm, Sweden

3.2	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.2	7/10	4/5	5/10	4/5	12/20

Sep 26, 2005

Bottle @ Medelhavspärlan, Stockholm
Woodsy, springy, sweet. Nice pine character that might be a bit overpowering. A very special brew.

ratman197 (3224), Arvada, Colorado, USA

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

Sep 25, 2005

Bottle poured a clear reddish copper with an offwhite head. Aromas of sweet fruit, earthiness, vanilla and notes of pine and spruce. Palate was smooth and a bit resiny. Flavors of pine and spruce, sweet and fruity,some earthiness with a sweet lingering finish.

chilehead (186), Laguna Niguel, California, USA

3.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.3	6/10	4/5	6/10	4/5	13/20

Sep 22, 2005

Pours amber-red with a light head. Nose smells a bit like bubblegum with a hint of turpentine (not in a bad way), white grapes and cream. Mouth is interesting -- pine doesn’t seem to dominate, but there is a distinct earthy woodsyness to it. Mouth also has a creamy feel which finishes dry with a roasted aftertaste. Bubblegum comes through here too, though it’s not sweet. An interesting beer.

GarethYoung (1110), Glasgow, Scotland

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	8/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	15/20

Sep 18, 2005

[bottle from peckhams] Pours amber with a moderate head. The nose is fruity, berry fruits, very earthy, woody character. well bodied.

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