Heather Ales Fraoch 20th Anniversary Ale

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

Smells very grapey / floral - faint aroma of parma violets. Slightly cloudy, amber colour. First taste was like a real ale from a badly run pub - sour, acidic,lemony. Does improve after a couple of mouthfuls when the caramel notes come through. Disappointed as it definitely smells better than it tastes. Not one we’ll be having again as it is more like a tart fruit wine than a beer.

750ml bottle. #1929/7500. Pours a crystal clear, orange-amber colored body with a finger-width, fizzy, off-white head that dissipates quickly and leaves a moderate lacing. Aroma is sweet, flowery, and fruity with white grapes, whisky, and sherry. Some dry oak and a light vanilla with a somewhat grainy, toasty caramel and a hint of tart lemons. Flavor is the same. Flowery with a nice, sweeter caramel maltiness up front with an oaky, tart, sherry flavor mixing well. The whiskey flavor comes out towards the finish and the florals grow more as this warms. Dry with an oaky, light tart, vanilla finish and a lengthy, fairly sweet aftertaste. A hint of booze and alcohol warmth as well. Light to medium body with a soft, bubbly carbonation. Overall, a tasty anniversary beer. Wine-like fruits, oak, and whiskey blend well with a good amount of florals and subtle caramel sweetness. I didn’t like the $15.99 price tag, but it was not disappointing.

Bottle. Slightly hazy orange gold with a thin white head. Aromas are woody with dry white wine and yeast. Green apple with vanilla and cream. Flavours are dry and yeast with tart green apple and lemon. Some sweet grain and caramel malts. Yeasty and champagne spritz on the finish. Reminded me of Deus. Good.

750ml Bottle (#175 of 7500): Aroma of wine, oak, fruit, light heather, light crab-apple, and a hint of whiskey. Poured amber/gold in color with a tiny, off-white head that diminished but lasted around the edges. Cloudy. Lightly sparkling. Full of tiny and small particles throughout. Good lacing. Flavor is lightly sweet and lightly tart. Tastes of oak, fruit, lambic, barnyard, light heather, light crab-apple, slight sherry, slight funk, and a hint of whiskey. Medium body. Tingly, then dry texture. Average to lively carbonation. Oak, slight funk, barnyard, fruit, finish is lightly sweet and lightly tart as well as very dry. 11%ABV is very well hidden throughout.

Aroma has some oak, sour cherry, and is nice but not particularly strong. Appearance is a color a touch above pale lagerdom, but the extremely bubbly carbonation and nice white head make the beer look pretty appealing. The taste follows the nose but is much more potent; my bottle had some oak up front followed by a pretty darn intense and tasty sour apple flavor. Somewhat creamy up front with a solid amount of body and backbone. This is a very solid beer overall, with interesting character that I wouldn’t have expected from the bottle or the description. It’s hardly beer perfection, but I am satisfied and would consider buying again/cellaring to see the future complexity.

Bottle from De Bierkoning. Hazy amber with a fine head. Appetizing vinous vanilla aroma. Definite oaky flavours, some sour notes, good dry finish. Hints of orange. Noticeable alcohol. Worthy celebration ale.

A Mes rate. Bottle at Borefts 10am day after hotel tasting.
Was expecting this to be awful for some reason. Thankfully it was pretty much the opposite. Clean amber with a thin off white head. Full of sweet fruity notes, just the right amount of barrel and erm... where the hell is the booze? Drinks like it’s half the strength. Faint tarty notes in the finish with a lingering sweetness. Good stuff.

750ml bottle @Pauls Gathering Thanks rciesla-pours an off white ring for a head and gold color. Aroma is herbal, oak, grain. Taste is herbal, oak, grain, sweet light malt, light/medium fruit.