3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
A 11.5 oz bottle shared by brewfiend and JK, pours a dark hazy brownish amber brew with a small off-white head. Quickly diminishes and spotty lacing. Aroma of sour cherry, brown sugar, caramel, but missing the hop scent. Taste is medium body, lightly carbonated, syrupy and a slight pine aftertaste. The finish even has a hint of old oak.
3.5 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
Bottled at Rustico Pours a brilliant but cloudy and beautiful amber color. Big white frothy head that lasts for a while and leaves a small lacing.
Aroma is very malty, fruity with apricot jam, peaches, a cereally backbone and some wood. Maybe a little of moss too but I couldn’t find the pine.
Flavor is moderately sweet and fruity. I couldn’t find the pine either. Lots of raspberries, peaches, almonds, nuts, grains and oats. A hint of honey maybe too.
Body is medium, low carbonation. The finish is very dry. Aftertaste is fruity. Moderate alcoholic presence. Juicy texture. A finely crafted ale.
3.2 AROMA 2/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20
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.
3.9 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
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.
3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
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.
4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
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!
2.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 8/20
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.
3.3 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 13/20
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.
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