Heather Ales Fraoch (Bottle)

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

The Heather Ale from Fraoch is brewed with Heather flowers fresh from the fields of Scotland while some Scottish peat also makes it into her mash, bringing two passionate spirits together in toe-curling ecstasy. As I gaze at her hazy straw-gold depths resting under a gentle head of white cotton, she slowly weaves her way down the sides of my glass with lacework precision. I am immediately enveloped in a soft cloud of heather and peat esters. Floral, yet earthy with gentle must and peat permeating the air and hopefully her palate. A short kiss of peach, apricot, and mango tease before heather blossoms and peat step in. Licking lips wet with anticipation, my first kiss is soft and gentle to the touch. Heather blossoms rich with floral esters lay me out on a bed of soft supple leathers while smoke and musty peat hangs suspended. A clean finish, my breath is tinged in heather and peat. None of the Fraoch Heather Ale’s palate is overwhelming. Just the opposite; she is soft, gentle, and supple to the touch with a smooth mouthfeel on the level of silk. No one aspect overwhelms and each quaff is exquisitely balanced. What little fruit that was in her nose is discernable in her palate only as a faint fruity sweetness gone as soon as it arrives. Though it be against my will, I find my glass empty, but my spirit is full.

Such a beautiful beer. Every time I quaff a bottle of Fraoch Heather Ale, I wonder where she has been my whole life, even if it’s only been a few days. It is a shame that so many old beer styles have withered into extinction. This just serves to make me even more grateful for breweries such as William Brother’s Brewery who keep tradition and flavor alive.

Pours golden/amber with a large head that quickly settles down to a persistent layer. Aroma shows a mix of sweet bready malt, bock-style, along with a vague herbal not and something like tea. Oh and something minty. Interesting. The sweet bready malt aroma is mirrored as a flavour, as is the herbal, woody note. Hardly any bitterness is present (not surprising really). Quite high carbonation, which does well to make up for the lack of bitterness. Body is too thick though.

Scotland, bottle Heather = Ljung = Älskling, ljuvliga ljunghonungs smaker. 20090903: Sanker lite då man inte kommer ihåg allt. Ljust øl med trevligt skum. Lång eftersmak av ljunghonung...

Cloudy orange color with small head. Light green, plant-like aroma. I don’t know anything about heather, but it is lightly floral. Sweet, but light, almost light hop/floral flavor. Finish fades fast. A very fresh, clean, easy (I won’t say "flavorless") beer. Pleasant, actually, for such a light-bodied beer.

Bottle to dimpled glass. Spare head, clear body, dark yellow color & almost no aroma. Hay & straw flavors with light hops. Tastes of nutmeg, ginger & orange peel. Thin texture. It’s not that bad, and maybe would make a nice summer beer.

Golden color with a medium white head. Aroma is floral and herbs. Flavor is also floral and malty. Aftertaste is dry and easy to drink.

Maybe this is one of those acquired tastes, a flavor profile that one grows up with and learns to appreciate, but I wasn’t exactly wowed by this. I paid an incredible sum for a four-pack, hoping for something good, but was underwhelmed. I’ll try to give the rest of them away.

Pours a hazy gold with a thin, foamy white head. Has a floral aroma with a light, fruity, sweet smell that reminds me of honey or even a white wine. Flavor is lightly malty, with gentle floral notes. A green weediness comes through in the middle. Mildly bitter on the finish. Light and refreshing, but not too watery or bland. This is much nicer than I was expecting from something I bought for novelty.