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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.

3.3
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 13/20
Scopey (1192) - Croydon, Surrey, ENGLAND - JUL 17, 2011
Bottle from Peckhams Union Square. It pours clear amber, with a thin fizzy white head and high carbonation. The nose is sweet malt, pine, floral, candy sugar and sweet berry. The taste is hay, pine, resin, lime, sweet berry, cream soda, caramel, honey and spice, with a long pine finish. There is some lingering alcohol warmth in the finish. Decent, but a tad too sweet for me.

3.3
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20
toffsbury (44) - Toronto, Ontario, CANADA - JUL 9, 2011
Definitely a different sort of beer. Mango aroma, nice copper colour with a thin, quickly-dissipating head. Mild pine taste with something of a grassy aftertaste/tinny mouthfeel. Remarkably well-balanced for a beer with no hops.

3.4
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
AshtonMcCobb (779) - Edinburgh, SCOTLAND - JUN 24, 2011
UPDATED: OCT 9, 2011 Re-rate - definitely pine this time on the taste. Previous rating 6/3/7/3/14 = 3.3 33cl bottle. Pours amber/brown with a small head, some lace hangs around. The nose is quite caramel. The taste has some sort of strawberry and cream leading into toffee - strangely I get more pine flavour when there are hops used instead of pine. The palate has a good body, creamy texture, not such a clean finish but not bad. Overall, really enjoyable.

3.1
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 13/20
mile (1221) - Helsinki, FINLAND - JUN 9, 2011
Bottle. Light amber, hazy, small to average and fully diminishing head. Moderate, malty and caramel sweetish aroma, floral fruitiness and some toffee, faint piney hoppyness. Body is medium, malty and sweetish flavor, caramel and fruitiness, sweet piney hoppyness, faint alcohol. Finish is average, malty and sweetish, piney fruitiness with alcohol. Sweetish and fruity traditional ale – too sweet for me.

3.3
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
fugitive (776) - Athens, GREECE - JUN 8, 2011
Bottle. Color hazy orange with small head. Aroma spicy, wood, citrus. Taste flower, spicy, sweet.

2.6
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 10/20
JDBaker11058 (616) - Maryland, USA - JUN 4, 2011
Appearance: hazy caramel. Aroma: strong woodsy pine, scotch, tree bark. Taste: hmmm…BOLD, bright pine, flowery and a tiny hint of sweetness and an alcohol kick. Finish: surprisingly short finish (flavor-wise) for how strong the flavors were; lingering slight numbness and pine. Notes: Wouldn’t say I loved it, but it was very interesting, as expected.

3.3
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
Nickls (1297) - SE DC, Washington DC, USA - JUN 1, 2011
Bottle. Clearish golden orange with a slightly tan head. Very woody, piny, spicy, and kinda interesting aroma. Definitely catch the spruce and pine flavors, and those pretty much dominate with a woody burn. Medium body with tiny carbonation bubbles. Certainly unique, but don’t need to revisit this one.

3.2
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 13/20
radagast83 (2202) - Fairfax, Virginia, USA - MAY 29, 2011
Bottle. Poured a light brown color, white head. Aroma was caramel, citrus touch of pine. Flavor was crisp, pine, caramel. A very interesting brew.


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