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Heather Ales Ebulum

Heather Ales Ebulum  - Traditional Ale

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 Percentile 
85
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 
5843.46/5.03.45/5.06.5%85.1Dimpled mug, English pint, Stein, Yard
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Commercial Description:
Bottled. A cask version at 5.8% is produced in October and November.
"Elderberry Black Ale"
Introduced to Scotland by Welsh druids in the 9th Century, elderberry black ale was part of the Celtic Autumn festivals when the "elders" would make this strong ale and pass the drink round the people of the village. The recipe was taken from a 16th Century record of domestic drinking in the Scottish Highlands. Elderberries were used for many natural remedies to cure sciatica, other forms of neuralgia, influenza and rhumatism as they contain tannins and fruit oils.
Ebulum is made from roasted oats, barley and wheat boiled with herbs then fermented with ripe elderberries.
A rich black ale with fruit aroma, silky soft texture,soft roasted flavour and gentle finish.
Recommended with stewed and baked foods.
Drink lightly chilled from a straight glass.
 Most Recent Top Raters Highest Ratings Who's Rated This?  
 Jayb0 (750), Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/57/104/516/20
Jun 27, 2007  
This was excellent and a real nice surprise. I expectd the offbeat ingredients to deliver an interesting, perhaps unusual beer. But this is simply a great beer. Deep beet purple/black with nice frothy head to start. Creamy, smooth, fairly faint berry mixed with chocolate and roasted sweetness.


 FlacoAlto (2473), Tucson, Arizona, USA
3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/104/55/103/512/20
Jun 25, 2007  
Best by Date December 2007, Sampled June 2007
Pours with a deeply, purple stained, almost black color and is topped by a frothy, lightly browned, tan colored head that starts out at two-fingers in height. The aroma is fairly light, but does have a soft, berry-like fruitiness that reminds me of grape soda. There is also a touch of toasted malt, but that is all I can really pull out of the aroma right now.

Sweet up front, yet not in anyway sticky. It does have a sort of diluted, grape soda like flavor to it. It has a light carbonation and despite this, a slightly creamy texture to a beer that is fairly light bodied. The finish has a lightly astringent, almost bitter, roast malt edge to it. Soft berry like notes are the most prominent flavors here, but they are certainly not strong, or in any way overwhelming. The finish has a thin, vaguely red wine like character to it that is perhaps a mix of soft tannic notes and the berry flavors.

The flavors in this beer are fairly one dimensional some how. The berry note is nice, but is too dominant; the beer is also a bit too thin and the roast character only adds some acidity and astringency in the finish. If the base beer was more flavorful I think this would actually work. As it is, this beer is a touch boring, though certainly not undrinkable.


 Trooper11 (464), Suffolk, Virginia, USA
3.7 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/103/57/103/517/20
Jun 25, 2007  
Bottle at Bier Garden Portsmouth VA. Ink black, no head just a small tan ring around the rim faint berry aroma with notes of spice. Thick palate, heavy feel, like thick coffee with subtle berry notes and a gentle warmth.


 Cybercat (778), Georgia, USA
4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/105/57/104/516/20
Jun 22, 2007  
Aroma is strong and malty, with a hint of saltiness and a strong berry overtone - perhaps elderberry (I’m not sure what elderberries actually smell like). Pours a rich, deep, opaque sable with a thick tan head. Flavor is stouty and has a nice bitter edge with fruity/berry hints. It feels thicker than most ales although not quite as thick as a fine stout or porter, and is very smooth.


 GreatLibations (1440), Last Supper, Arizona, USA
4.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
7/104/58/104/518/20
Jun 21, 2007  
Pours midnight brown w/ a medium sized, semi creamy, spattered froth. Decent hangtime w/ nice lacing. Aroma has a nice little whiff of cocoa. Medium nectar w/ soft and creamy residual effers. This brew is balanced right off the bat. A defined pine essence protrudes through the spicey malts. Nuances of cocoa, leather, a gamey berry spice, and a mildly roasted coffee bean interwoven developing into a quite complex brew. The finish is bittered better than average creating a craving for my next sip.


 LooseCannon (914), Norfolk, Virginia, USA
3.3 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
6/103/57/103/514/20
Jun 21, 2007  
12 oz bottle at Bier Garden, thanks to Trooper 11. Pours ink black with very small brown head. Aroma of berry and malt. Taste of berry and dry roasted malt.


 Furseth (1328), Kungälv, Sweden
4.4 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
8/104/59/105/518/20
Jun 21, 2007  
Bottle at Haket Göteborg: Black nice colour,thin head. Aroma of lots of malt, raisins,dark Chocolate and a nice alc bitter nose.(remind me of a imp Stout) Flavor is almost the same, medium body,coffee,dry hops. Nice long finish. This must bee a Stout, more than a Traditional Ale or what?


 UofFkid (108), Orlando, Florida, USA
3.1 Aroma Appearance Flavor Palate Overall
5/103/56/103/514/20
Jun 20, 2007  
Bottle. Dark pour w/ heavy lace. Definite Stout characters. A very smooth smokey flavor was present. Enjoyed this offering from Heather Ales.



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