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Score
8784
OVERALLStyle
Brewed by Williams Brothers (Heather Ales)
Style: Traditional Ale
Alloa, Scotland

bottled
common

on tap
available

Broad Distribution

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RATINGS: 760   WEIGHTED AVG: 3.37   EST. CALORIES: 225   ABV: 7.5%
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Bottled. A cask version at 6% is produced in March and April.
"Scots Pine Ale"
Introduced by the Vikings, spruce and pine ales were very popular in the Scottish Highlands until the end of the 19th century. Many early explorers, including Captain Cook, used spruce ale during long sea voyages since it prevented scurvy and ill health. Shetland spruce ale was said to "stimulate animal instincts" and give you twins. Alba is a triple style ale brewed to a traditional Highland recipe from Scots pine and spruce shoots pickled during early spring.Pure malted barley, is boiled with the young sprigs of pine for several hours then the fresh shoots of the spruce are added for a short infusion before fermentation.
A tawny brown strong ale with spruce aroma, rich malt texture, complex wood flavour and lingering finish.
Best drunk at room temperature from a wine goblet as an after dinner digestive.

3.5
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20
bozoNZ (655) - Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND - DEC 21, 2008
330ml bottle - bb feb 2010. Served at room temp as suggested. Orange / copper colour fair head. Aroma at first wiff was a little cardboard but then sweeter malts with a light earthy stable tone. V sweet but not sickly. Woody with a faint tannin aftertaste and malt biscuit note. Intensely soft carbonation but the finish is a bit bile like. Would have rated better if it didnt taste like when Id been throwing up with a gastro bug a few weeks back.

2.9
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 11/20
ilovedarkbeer (1864) - Abilene, Texas, USA - DEC 20, 2008
Pours a reddish amber color with a medium sized white fluffy head that shrinks. Nose is earth, pine needles, fruitiness, and something dead. Taste is way to sweet and gross, some raspberries and mud. Not a fan.

3.4
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 13/20
machfive55 (334) - Columbia, Pennsylvania, USA - DEC 11, 2008
Poured amber with a little bit of a head on it...I drank it room temperature from a goblet as directed. The beer has a very fruity sweet aroma to it. The flavor is quite interestingly almost all berry, but it is not overwhelming. The beer is very subdued in every way. The alcohol does not come through. It is quite smooth and tasty, I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you go into this beer with no expectations, you will be pleasantly surprised at what you taste. Nice.

3.2
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 11/20
bconley (352) - Fern Park, Florida, USA - DEC 9, 2008
12 Oz. bottle. Very sweet smell. light amber pour. white head. Smells sweet. Evergreen, but not really in a hoppy kind of way. At the first taste..I did not like it. but I drank it really slow, and as it warmed, the sprucey flavors really came out really nice. Nice and sweet.

3.7
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
ansermadide (850) - Kyle, Texas, USA - DEC 4, 2008
Alba Scots Pine Ale. 12oz bottle from sample 12 pack from Ann Arbor Whole Foods on November 26, 2008. Looks like a standard ale. A fine, full, off-white/cream colored head. A little murky and cloudy. Aroma is very floral and sweet. Very pleasant aroma of sweet pine. Flavor is grassy… very soft, very smooth, almost astringent but sweet. It’s amazing! Bitter after half a bottle… wow! I see why you should drink this at room temperature. It really pulls the flavors out.

3.4
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 13/20
astrofrk (308) - Knoxville, Tennessee, USA - NOV 29, 2008
Cloudy Amber. Long creamy head. Aroma: Caramel, spruce. Flavor: Caramel, spruce, bubble gum. Sweet finish. Nice.

2.8
   AROMA 4/10   APPEARANCE 2/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 13/20
mullet2007 (209) - St. Johns, Newfoundland, CANADA - NOV 28, 2008
Pours a cloudy orange colour with a tiny white head. Nose is a little bit piney, maybe a bit due to the pine and maybe a bit of piney hops? There’s really not much in the flavour in the way of hops. It’s nice and malty, lots of toffee. Very smooth. Finish is a little reminiscent of gin, and has a bit of alcohol showing through there as well. Mouthfeel is very thick and creamy. Not much carbonation, but that’s good in this case.

3.3
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
terrybail (398) - London, Ontario, CANADA - NOV 15, 2008
330ml bottle from the LCBO as part of the Historic Ales Of Scotland Sampler Pack Nice fruity sweet aroma raisins Pours a reddish amber with very little head or lacing The taste is not what I was expecting I guess I was expecting something like Pinesol This is actually pretty good. Sweet malty caramel the alcohol does show through a bit but not too overpowering I guess if it is good enough for Vikings it is good enough for me


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Rating Notecard:
Beer: Heather Ales Alba Rating Avg: 3.37 No. of Ratings: 760
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