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Heather Ales Alba

Percentile
81
overall
Brewed by Williams Brothers (Heather Ales)
Style: Traditional Ale

Alloa, Central, Scotland

bottled
common

on tap
unknown

Broad Distribution
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RatingsAverageScoreABVStyle PctlServe in
6223.39/5.03.38/5.07.5%75.1Dimpled mug, English pint, Stein, Yard
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.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 rane (497), Nibe, Denmark
3.2 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
2/104/58/104/514/20
May 15, 2007  
A strange beer. Red brown amber colour and very fuzzy. Very foul aroma vineous and malty in a bad way. The taste is on the other hand fine. Taste quite malty and also pine. Have a good sweetness. Long lasting taste. If it wasn´t for the aroma, it would have gotten a high rating.


 beerinmarch (2781), Alabama, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
May 14, 2007  
Pours clear copper with a soft off-white head. Herbal and slightly citrusy aroma with an earthy spruce kick that melds well with the maltiness of the aroma. Very herbal flavor, blending a caramel sweetness with a dry pineyfinish. Woody spicy finish that hangs around long after the last sip. Very enjoyable unique brew.


 RichardGretton (3140), Leicestershire, England
3.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/514/20
May 13, 2007  
Bottle. Flattish dark brown beer. The aroma is intensely malty and dark berries, the flavour is deeply malty with a fruity warming dandelion and burdock quality. Overall a reasonable beer.


jcp23 (47), Duluth, Georgia, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/58/104/516/20
May 13, 2007  
Bottle BB4 10/06. Ok, all you whiny xenophobes need to wake up and smell the spruce! "Oh my, it’s pine, oh my gosh, it’s spruce." To all those with more progressive palates, "Cheers", this beer rocks! - 7 months after recommended consumption(seems no worse for wear, just smooth & tasty). To paraphrase a previous reviewer, "If it was good enough for the Vikings, it’s good enough for me." This is clearly an ale produced with great care and skill, and with a deep sense of respect and deference to history and heritage. We should all thank the makers of this ale for bestowing on us this unique treat, and allowing us the rare opportunity to travel back in time and partake in a cool slice of history and tradition. May all you willy-nilly, nit-picking, non-appreciators meet a rampaging, swashbuckling Viking to scare you out of your cozy little beery dreams!


 AR (423), Georgia, USA
2.5 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/55/102/58/20
May 3, 2007  
I wanted to really like this beer, but it was sort of rough. An aroma which was a combination of of a burnt log and wet leather - not in a bad way, but interesting. The pour was light brown and hazy. The taste had a strange bite to it. Alba Scots Pine did have a distinct pine/spruce flavor to it - somewhat stronger than the pine-needle tea I used to make for my survival class. The flavor was there, but that doesn’t mean tasty or palatable. I was looking forward to this traditional beer and came away somewhat disapointed.


 lowg (123), Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/513/20
Apr 29, 2007  
Had this beer sitting in the fridge for a while. Part of the Historic Ales gift set from last Christmas I received. Not sure why this one sat there for the longest time but finally got around to trying it. Nice dark amber with a small head and minimal lacing, sweet honey scent and spicy flavour. Felt like Christmas in April.


 dmac (1442), Toms River, New Jersey, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/57/105/514/20
Apr 24, 2007  
330 ml bottle. Pours a ruby amber color with a quickly fading head. Aroma was sweet with honey dominating the aroma and reminding me of a mead with slight alcohol as well. Pine and spruce aromas were very faint. Mouthfeel was sticky with minimal carbonation but very pleasant. Flavor was of honey, wood and earth notes. This is an interesting beer and if it was good enough for Vikings then it’s good enough for this Viking fan.


 BREWMUSKCLES (1070), New Jersey, USA
3.9 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/516/20
Apr 21, 2007  
my kind of beer. i like it cold. just as they describe. wood and pine. medium body and a little slick. any weather beer. did’nt notice the alcohol.



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