Heather Ales Fraoch 22

Brewed by Williams Brothers (Heather Ales)
Style: Traditional Ale
Alloa, Scotland

Serve in Dimpled mug, English pint, Stein, Yard

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Clear, light walnut colored pour, minimal head. Nose is monstrously rife with sherry, port, oaky wood, bread, peat, toffee and caramel, sweet pear and apricot jam; really impressive nose to this one, much like an English barleywine but with some touches of different sweetness. Flavor brings more of that huge sherry/port/barrel presence, slight touches of bready oxidation, and more of that beautiful plum, blackberry, and nectar fruit concoction that really aids this beer a lot. Surprisingly thin in the body, but it also hides the 11% superbly well. Really a damn nice beer.

Bottle at my Pre-CBC Tune-Up Tasting. It pours clear amber, with a thin white lace. The nose is medicinal, floral, whisky, candyfloss, pear, apple, biscuit and spice. The taste is floral, hay, alcohol warmth, residual sweetness, honey, candyfloss, spice, whisky, pear and apple, with a warming finish. Medium body and moderate carbonation. Lots going on, I’m just not sure if the meld together that well. Alcohol presence is pretty obvious. An interesting beer nonetheless.

Bottle at Scopey’s CBC Tune-Up. Clear light brown color with no head. The nose is fermenting raisins, port wine, funky fermented brown sugar and light peat. Old tobacco spittoon. The taste is Islay whiskey, sweet funky syrupy pear and golden raisins. Very unique flavor. Plenty of acid, dry woody finish. Overall, an interesting aromatic beer. The Auchentoshan really leaves its mark.

Bottle at home. Golden amber copper pour, thin white head. Nice rich whiskey, cherry, bready malts, quite open alcohol. Sweet caramel malts, subtle herbal hops, vanilla, brandy cream (christmassy!) and a definite but sweet and surprisingly smooth whiskey finish. Provided you like whiskey (I do!), this is fantastic.

Bottle at home. Copper-gold colour, very little head. Aroma is slightly musky, slightly stale bread, touch of berries and whisky sweetness. Such a distinct whisky flavour, with a touch of sherry dryness and an unusual red berry edge. Pretty big but smooth, with a prickly CO2 present on the mouthfeel. Really nice.

Bottle, bought @ YNWA, Kolding. Pours clear amber with a small, frothy, off-white head. Aroma has butterscotch, clear heather, sherry. Werthers Echte. Medium carbonation, fine dry mouthfeel. Flavour has caramel, very soft heather with some dryness. Light vinious. Very elegant whisky.

bottle pours a deep rich gold with temporary white head. aroma is rich - whisky , malts , toffee caramel , oak , vanilla . taste is sweet and rich , whisky effect is detectable , caramel , alcohol warmth comes through strongly . Barley wine style with the whisky barrel infusion . carbonation is modest making for a smooth experience . oily texture .

Bottle traded with Appellation Wines, Thanks! Pours clear amber with a small white head. Nose is very fruity, almost cherry like. Alcohol is obvious but not overpowering. Finish is sweet with an almost yoghurtlike creamyness. Friend insist it’s a cherry yoghurt. Nicely balanced in the end. Not bad at all.

Smells buttery, sweet and alcoholic, but also perhaps a bit like Skips...? An extremely sweet, apple-sour beer which rapidly changes into a barbecue-flavoured beast with a floral backbone. Rather prickly and light on the tongue.

75cl bottle. Pours golden with incredibly lazy bubbles and a nicely proportioned head. The nose has jammy dodgers and cream. The taste has more of the same. The palate is rich in structure and texture and not a cloying finish, though some alcohol burn. Overall, really good beer.

In bottle, thanks Craig. Pours a golden brown colour with no head. A huge whiskey aroma with alcohol quite present. Honey, sherry and just a little heather. Similar flavours, mildly sweet, with mild carbonation and an oily mouth-feel. Lingering heather honey and warming alcohol. This drinks more like a spirit.