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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Ratings	Average	Score	ABV	Style Pctl	Serve in
622	3.39/5.0	3.38/5.0	7.5%	75.1	Dimpled 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.

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Eyedrinkale (3209), Astoria, New York, USA

3.8	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.8	6/10	3/5	8/10	4/5	17/20

Nov 15, 2005

’03 bottle. Caramel color, small fizzy head with a dusty, sour apple aroma. Taste is interesting and awesome right away. Sweet candy coats my tongue with grapes and bitter hops. Fuck yeah!

hippie4beer (162), Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
4	7/10	4/5	7/10	4/5	18/20

Nov 10, 2005

Best beer I’ve had in the past month. Pours a great copper amber color. Great long lasting head. Very slight piney aroma. Taste is very complex, not what you expect. Tasty brew! You have to try it.

elnadeau (786), Laguna Niguel, California, USA

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	7/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	16/20

Nov 7, 2005

Hazy amber with medium off-white head, aroma is somewhat sweet earthy malt. Taste is complex, with fruit, caramel, peat, nut and wood overtones. A distinctive and interesting creation.

TChrome (1299), Bedford, Texas, USA

3.8	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.8	7/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	15/20

Nov 6, 2005

Beer pours a nice copper color with a totally retained, creamy off white head. Aroma is nicely malty with whiffs of spruce and pine. Flavor is sweet and very vinous. Also some wood spiciness. A very interesting and enjoyable ale.

ABUSEDGOAT (1934), California, USA

3.9	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.9	7/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Nov 3, 2005

Bottle best before end of June 2004. Just a little late. Poured a clear amber body with a nice little head. Aroma comes off harmless enough. Malty with caramel and nuts, hints of berries, hops and maybe a hint of pine. Also some earth there. Flavor is completely different. If I could envision pine tasting good, this is it! Berry comes through as well, and some hop bitterness near the end giving a bittersweet finish. Far exceeded my expectations after their gooseberry brew. Wonderful.

rederic (1803), montréal, Quebec, Canada

3.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.3	7/10	3/5	6/10	3/5	14/20

Nov 3, 2005

Hazy amber-orangeish hue, with a shy tan-colored head, with a sweet caramelized malt, pine needles, spicy spruces aromas follow through on a medium-bodied palate with sweet, spicy, nice malty charecter, conifer, spruce and piney notes, leading towards a good malty finish.

tlitt2 (58), Lexington, Kentucky, USA

3.6	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.6	7/10	3/5	7/10	3/5	16/20

Nov 1, 2005 Updated: Nov 19, 2005

Poured it too cold, let it reach room temperature and aromas/ flavors were much more present. Loved the sweet aroma, very pungent. Sticky feeling in mouth. Never had pine, so can’t say I know what it tastes like- but definitely some unusual tastes I can’t describe. Interesting and flavorsome brew.

Dextolen (151), Michigan, USA

3.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.3	6/10	3/5	6/10	3/5	15/20

Nov 1, 2005

OK, I had ONE bottle and I didn’t read the back first, so I served from the fridge. I detected no pine in the aroma, it was mostly caramelly malt. More hops in the tasting. Nice warming effect from the alcohol. Decent.

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