Heather Ales Kelpie

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

Smoky, roasted, malty smells. Dark brown with a thin head. Looks and smells like a scottish take on porter. Sweet mild chocolate flavor with a big malt profile and sweet molasses finish.

Very interesting. First had it a few years ago downtown La Crosse at Bodega. They don’t have it anymore. It was in a .5 l bottle then. This one is from a beer a the month shipment. It poured with a big head the was a little creamy and texture and also a bit dark. As it settled the head color became lighter. The aroma from the head was a little lighter in body with a bit of spicyness to it and only hints of the sea. Now the aroma is much heavier and the sea character is more pronounced. The flavor is a porter, but with special attributes. The seaweed thang comes and goes. I may not notice it if I didn’t know that it was there. Very dark color, almost opaque. Nice brew.

Pours very dark, with a light head. Smells sweet and roasted barley. Tastes like a great porter with some choclate and a little bit of mint.

A very dark color with little to no head at all. If I didn’t know better, I would call it a porter. The flavor has a smokiness and toasted quality with the salty foliage flavor that can only be the seaweed. Rather unique.

16.9 oz bottle: Deep brown beer w/ a lasting light beige head of fine bubbles. Roasty and toffee aroma at the start, w/ toffee, caramel, and buttery diacetyl. Diacetyl is not real strong, but it’s apparent. Also a bit nutty w/ hints of burnt grain. Initial flavor is of very lightly sweetned black coffee. A bit of a burnt roasty flavor and caramel as it warms. Nutty and toasted malt flavors mid palate into the drier finish with a roasty and nutty aftertaste. Lighter medium body, medium carbonation, and a bit on the dry side in the mouth. If I didn’t know exactly what this beer was, I’d say it was a lighter version of a dry stout. Very flavorful for a low/moderate ABV beer. A nice session beer if the alcohol was a tad lower.

The aroma is toasty and earthy with lots of caramel malt. The appearance is like a stout which I would say is the closest thing to this ale as possible. Very small head. The flavor is caramel malt, salt, and Coffee. Since I don’t know what sea weed tastes like I can’t tell you if its in there but I think there is a hint of it. The palate is thick enough and overall I would say this is a quality ale.

The colour of fully hazy Coca-Cola; cream-brown small head, fast gone. Smoked nose with a touch of soy sauce, roasted coffee. A saltey, smoked touch in the taste, with coffee (dregs) and some liquorice. There’s only some malt underneath for a hint of sweetness - but the rest is dry, restrained bitterness with a touch of salt. A bit of peat as well, and carboard in the finish. Reasonably well-bodied, but with a thinnish texture. Too much seawater after all? Leaves a cigarette ash flavour in the mouthe. Nice variation on the porter style. Big thanks to Mat W for searching me this elusive brew.

500ml. bottle, best before 7/05. Dark brown color with a small tan head. Nice roasted chocolate malt aroma and flavor. Was expecting some unusual flavor to jump out at me, but all I got was a bit of saltiness along with the roasted malt flavor.