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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.

3.4
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 13/20
thill25 (230) - Orlando, Florida, USA - MAY 27, 2008
33 ml bottle...pours an amber color with a tiny white head that provided no lacing. The aroma was ripe berries, and fruit juice. The flavor was piney, with a hint of apples, somewhat "woody", and maybe a little smokey. . The palate was slick, and had very little carbonation. The brew also had a lasting bitter/sweet finish. I though this was a solid ale!

2.5
   AROMA 4/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 4/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 11/20
TheCaptain (613) - Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA - MAY 27, 2008
Sampler set of four shared with the Knights. Poured a copper orange and small white head. I’m hung up on the pine aroma which carries into and kind of dominates the pallet. Simple and spruce pine sweet, another good session but not a fan.

3.2
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 13/20
Christian (8045) - Odense, DENMARK - MAY 25, 2008
Amber with a lasting off-white head. Berry and herb aroma. Fruity sweet flavour with a pine note in the finish.

3.2
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 13/20
doubleo (1444) - San Diego, California, USA - MAY 22, 2008
330ml bottle. Pours burnt orange, very little white head, some lace. Smells sweet and sugary with a touch of piney-ness. Tastes malty , and then very sweet, pine and other vegetation type sweetness. Tastes good but the sweetness is a little bit much for me. Definitely an apertif. Medium body, good carbonation.

3.5
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 15/20
Drink4Satan (666) - Frederick, Maryland, USA - MAY 20, 2008
Pours a blush gold colour with a frothy beige head that fades to a thin film and leaves no lacing. The nose is ripe with notes of berries, toffee and wood. The flavour is similar but with notes of pine (or spruce, whatever) and corn-syrup sweetness. The finish is sweet and has a metallic quality that is barley noticable. The brewski lacks balance and complexity, but is drinkable and tasty nonetheless. The palate is slick and soft with long finish.

3.3
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 2/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 16/20
emerica56 (600) - Bristol, Rhode Island, USA - MAY 20, 2008
Pours a cloudy amber color with a redish tint and an off white head that fades pretty quick. The nose has a nice pine and floral hop aroma with a hint of berry. The initial flavor is nice and sweet with the pine hops and the tart berries and that roasted barley. It has a nice fruity and earbal taste mixed with an increased alcohol content that makes it an enjoyable beer. The finish is not that watery it is full bodied.

3.7
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
cavman (2) - Somerville, Massachusetts, USA - MAY 11, 2008 does not count
Dark amber/red with minimal head, very little head with zero retention. Aroma had a nice malt and sweet mix, lightly floral. The taste was rather complex and not what I was expecting, the pine flavor is much more subtle than with certain hops. The malt flavors are quite dominant, but the floral/pine flavors linger nicely and theeir is a slight alchohol warming. Nice full body that leaves this is an enjoyable beer.

3.8
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 16/20
soulgrowl (52) - Kitakyushu-shi, JAPAN - MAY 7, 2008
Aroma: Rich and buttery, almost like buttered popcorn, with a strong, multi-faceted pine character: pine needles, pine cones, and pine nuts. Caramel malt provides a sweet backbone. Appearance: Lovely fox red. Greyish head comes and goes in the blink of an eye. Flavor: Very buttery at first, then very piney. An interesting, earthy spiciness. A bit on the floral side and perfumey, as well. Quite a distinctive ale. Palate: Smooth, clean, relatively light and unobtrusive. Overall: Now this is a Scotch ale! Very drinkable and enjoyable. Would be great around the holidays.


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