Heather Ales Fraoch (Cask)

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

Multiple cask pints at NERAX on 5/3 and 5/4/07
It’s a shame most people only experience this beer in the bottle. It was basically like night and day to me. While heather dosent display my favorite aromatic compounds, seeming a bit on the meaty/acidic/soapy side, this was easily the best aroma on a heather ale I’ve smelled. Very zesty and snappy on the end, with some powdery-like vanilla and lilac character. Big strength of aroma as well, with the heather jumping out at you and the malt base following suit. A lovely, very clean golden ale sits behind it, with honey and very light graham crackers. Soft and yielding to the heather, but still delivering enough malt backbone. Absolutely spotlessly flawless.
Again in the flavor, this stuff is one of the cleanest cask beers I’ve ever had. But the heather is a whole different story in the flavor, than in the aroma. For whatever reason, the meaty/acidic/soapiness dosent translate to the flavor for me, and in it’s place a more light herbal, lavendar-like flavor with pleasant bitterness, lots of floral notes and even a hint of snappy lemon on the finish. Perfectly attenuated flavor/texture, with honey and just a hint of graininess, though not tannic or overly attenuated. Soft, incredibly engaging carbonation and no alcohol perceived. Again, as with Hop Back’s stuff, the lack of a fun house character is the only drawback I can find, but that’s hardly a problem. Was still in great shape the next day (5/4) and the carbonation receded to show more honey, a bit of wet hay and soaked flowers. Delightful.

1. Cask Handpump at the Penny Black, Northwich (JDW) 25/01/2001 Sweet and refreshing. Very easy drinking. 2. Cask Handpump at the Penny Black, Northwich 28/03/2001 Sweet and soft on the palate. Hints of heather and ginger spice. 3. Cask Handpump at 78, Glasgow 01/12/2007 Herb aroma. Golden coloured smooth on the palate and slightly spicy with some dryness in a crisp malt finish.

Cask gravity at Ashford Rugby Club BF 2007. Gold orange colour with thin off white head. Attractive spicy heather aroma. Flowery too. Good in mouth, distinctive and it is done very well, no flavours are out of sinc here. Enjoyable.

[Gravity cask at beer festival at The Retreat, Reading] Quite sweet without being sticky, floral flavours dominate with light fruits behind and a big kick of gingery spice, but this had a unique overall flavour that I can’t describe; it’s like no other beer I’ve ever tried. It’s like walking across moorland on a rare sunny spring day! Tastes a lot stronger than it is. Enjoyed this better the more I drank, and I’d happily have it again. Flavour lingered a lot afterwards.

My ratings here are vague as it was 09/04/09 - however...! Not often seen in the tin so although I was on a cider mission (I never mix! Well..) would have been daft not to. Loc: The Star, Godalming, Surrey England (must remember this is a U.S. site - yawn). Any cask ale leaves bottled standing. Try both.

Cask conditioned at The Three Judges, Glasgow. Golden / deep golden colour. Nice aroma of heather flowers and fruits, hints of oak. Fruity and flowery flavour.

Three Judges. Seems very silly that i havnt rated this before. Aroma is very floural, perfumy, heather is a kay player with some tart grape character also. Taste is similar mouthfeel is watery and refreshing, thistle and pale malts come though but heather really does dominate everything.

Cask 78 Ultimate Glasgow tasting afters pub crawl: Poured a golden color with white head. The aroma is floral with hops. The taste is tart with floral and heather is a whole new taste I never had before.