Heather Ales Fraoch (Bottle)

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

Nice golden body with good cloudiness. good pines, peat, heather and cardamon. Excellent spices, hops, cardamon, and pine in the body. Very clean ending.

Have been putting off drinking this for a long while now, wanted to make sure I could get it fresh. Bottle. Laid back aroma isn’t sweet, but has shiny pale malts and a handful of herbs and spices, ans some light pepper. Clear golden body with a creamy white head. Good malt base, lots and lots of heather give a lovely, distinctive taste. Dry and very faintly yeasty, with rounding spice in the back and really pleasing notes of gale, the quality of which I haven’t tasted since Heavyweight was still making gruit. Just a touch of bread, very faint, and a blend of whisky and honey. Very well balanced and enjoyable in both large and small quantities. Sustaining, vinous medium body. Gorgeous floral treat!

500ml bottle - $2.49 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia. Both "Feb" and 2010 are notched on the label. Appearance: Pours a lightly hazy, dark copper body with a smallish, frothy, white head. Smell: Earthy, vaguely bready pale malt nose with herbal, floral, zesty heather and sweet gale scents. Taste: Pale malts with a touch of toffee sweetness. Very slight bready quality. Taste of honeysuckle. Sans hops, so we find a spicy, floral, herbaceous quality midway to balance things out. You want to know something? Fairly modest, understated heather taste. Truth be told, this one really reminds me slightly of a pumpkin ale. Meager pinch of dried lemon peel. Also a small dash of white pepper and lingering taste of honey on the semi-dry finish. Mouthfeel: Medium-light body. Medium-low carbonation. Drinkability: If you’re up for a little more honesty, then here it is: I’ve always generally avoided this one. But, I find it surprisingly refreshing and very easily drinkable. Maybe I’ll give that Alba a try one of these days.

33o ml bottle Room temp. A light critter that reminds me of mountain fields. Cloudy at the pour and light head that fades gently. Thin to med body. flowery aroma blends nicely with mouthfeel. Nice even finish. Don’t chill this brew too much the nuances will be lost quickly. I wish I could get this on tap. Kind of like a Magic hat #4.25.

flowery, sweet some spice, like nutmeg cloves and honey. hazy orange colour, lotsa earthy aroma, nice smooth aftertaste.

330ml bottle pours a orange-yellow colour with an aroma of heather and malt. Taste is quite an experience. Malty at first with a bit of sourness, some strong floral notes give way to a spicy, herbal sensation on the palate, which lingers for a bit. Ends with some earthy herbal flavors and spice, semi-sweet malt lingering. Different, traditional. Glad I bought a four pack.

33 cl bottle, Shelburne. Cloudy yellow pour. Malty floral aroma. spicy ginger at the back of the throat. Sharp but quick finish, very refreshing, close to a ginger-beer.

Pours a light orange hue. Slight carbonation with a tiny, but creamy white head. Floral is a good word for the aroma. Taste is first sweet like honey, then finishes nicely dry. Flavors of grass, herbs, and other earthy things come to mind. Thought this was nicely balanced. Flavors really expressed nicely as the beer reached closer to room temperature.