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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turbo (1254), Arizona, USA

3.3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.3	6/10	3/5	6/10	4/5	14/20

May 1, 2005

Bottle poured a dark brown amber with a good white head. Aroma of malt, ripe fruits and spice. Flavor is sweet malts with a heavy kick of pine flavor on the palate. Interesting

GonZoBeeR (2160), ste-Eulalie, Quebec, Canada

3.4	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.4	7/10	1/5	8/10	4/5	14/20

Apr 25, 2005

Aroma:caramel,fruit... Appearance:Very hazy brown,no head... Flavor:Caramel,fruit...

ThomasE (5178), Copenhagen, Denmark

2.9	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
2.9	6/10	3/5	6/10	3/5	11/20

Apr 24, 2005

Amber colour with a slight haze and a small off white head. Fruity sweet aroma with a herbal touch. Sweet malty flavor with lots of pine notes. Not that interesting.

FROTHINGSLOSH (1981), GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania, USA

2.5	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
2.5	4/10	3/5	4/10	3/5	11/20

Apr 23, 2005 Updated: Aug 26, 2007

This is the only time I have had this beer. Sampled from a 12 oz brown bottle this beer poured a hazy bronze color with a small tan head. The aroma is very odd - sweet and piney. The flavor is thick sweet malt and a strange piney element as well. Sweet smooth pine sol.

yalnikim (779), Wellington, New Zealand

3	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3	7/10	3/5	5/10	3/5	12/20

Apr 14, 2005

Tasted 01/04/2005. 330ml bottle from Rumble’s, Wellington. Pours an orange hued amber with an off white, filmy, oily looking, head. Looks remarkably like glass of tea. Aroma is punchy and very reminiscent of maple syrup. The pine comes through in a reinous aroma. Flavour is as you’d expect from that strong aroma - maple syrup and pine resin. There’s also a woody bitterness, from the tannin I guess, that is similar to fuggles. Palate is the piney resin. Becomes warming, almost whiskey-like, as I get through it. A little cloying. Didn’t quite do it for me but it’s certainly interesting.

Magjayran (1379), Durham, North Carolina, USA

3.7	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.7	6/10	3/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Apr 13, 2005

Pours a medium orange color. Thin head with large bubbles. Very sweet aroma with hints of malts. Not really a very piney scent. Fantastic flavor. Hints of sweet berries with some pine. Low carbonation which I think is best for an ale like this. Surprisingly good beer. I wish I could get more.

FezMonkey (268), Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

3.8	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.8	6/10	4/5	8/10	4/5	16/20

Apr 9, 2005

Cloudy orange color with a thick head and malt aroma. Flavor of berries and malt. It is medium bodied and leaves a nice aftertaste.

tupalev (2611), Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

3.9	Aroma	Appearance	Flavor	Palate	Overall
3.9	7/10	3/5	8/10	4/5	17/20

Apr 7, 2005

Bottle, giftpack purchased Christmas 2004 but sampled April 2005 (Oct 05 Best Before). Very dark orange with lots of floating sediment. Creamy white head that faded quickly. Strong alcohol and sweetness in aroma (sorry, no pine). Medium body mouthfeel but wow, lots of flavour that I was just not expecting! Lots of alcohol and sweetness and first and then a wonderful fruity aftertaste. Very slight bitterness but not much. A very enjoyable brew, I’m glad I rediscovered this giftpack I first tried years ago.

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