Fraoch Heather Ale - Williams Brothers Brewing Company

Fraoch Heather AleFraoch Heather Ale

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BA SCORE
85
good
-
815 Ratings
THE BROS
91
exceptional
-
read more »
rAvg: 3.77
pDev: 12.73%
Reviews: 664
Hads: 151

Ratings Help


Brewed by:
Williams Brothers Brewing Company visit their website
United Kingdom (Scotland)

Style | ABV
Scottish Gruit / Ancient Herbed Ale |  5.00% ABV

Availability: Year-round. bottle (658), cask (3), on-tap (3)

Notes:
Brewed in Scotland since 2000 B.C. heather ale is probably the oldest style of ale still produced in the world. From an ancient Gaelic recipe for "leann fraoich" (heather ale) it has been revived and reintroduced to the Scottish culture. Into the boiling bree of malted barley, sweet gale and flowering heather are added, then after cooling slightly the hot ale is poured into a vat of fresh heather flowers where it infuses for an hour before being fermented.
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Reviews

Sort by:  Latest | High | Low | Top Reviewers | Read the Alström Bros Beer Reviews and Beer Ratings of Fraoch Heather Ale Alström Bros  | Show Hads:
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Reviews by EmperorBevis:
Photo of EmperorBevis
EmperorBevis

United Kingdom (England)

4.1/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden bodied with good lasting thick white head.

A very aromatic beer, candied peel, vanilla and a whiff of lavender.
Lightly herbed taste, with malts and hints of blueberries and ginger notes with a slight peppery finish.

The epitome, I guess of easy drinking. bright and
breezy expertly blended to get away with the spritely carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 19:06:04 | More by EmperorBevis
More User Reviews:
Photo of HarmonMW
HarmonMW

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

05-18-2013 01:52:32 | More by HarmonMW
Photo of BeerRefugee
BeerRefugee

Oklahoma

3.43/5  rDev -9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3.25

Bottle. Pours a dark yellow-gold color. Thin off-white head that dissipates quickly but leaves some residual lacing. Aroma is floral, grassy with hints of grain. Flavor is a mix of floral with sweet malt and clover honey. Light bodied and very dry finish that borders on astringent. Light, easy-drinking and sessionable, but not something I would probably seek out.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 20:01:51 | More by BeerRefugee
Photo of seinfeldette
seinfeldette

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +6.1%

05-16-2013 20:20:32 | More by seinfeldette
Photo of Lantern
Lantern

North Carolina

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

05-14-2013 10:40:14 | More by Lantern
Photo of Schlafly33
Schlafly33

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

05-11-2013 22:21:26 | More by Schlafly33
Photo of tommyguz
tommyguz

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

05-11-2013 01:31:40 | More by tommyguz
Photo of Bill235
Bill235

Ohio

2.75/5  rDev -27.1%

05-09-2013 14:16:18 | More by Bill235
Photo of onix1agr
onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

05-07-2013 22:16:12 | More by onix1agr
Photo of JayReq
JayReq

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +16.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I poured this into a small tasting glass.

Appearance: Deep golden hue, a little clouded. Pours a flimsy white head that settles down very quickly. Little to no lacing on the glass. Very plain.

Nose: A very fruity/floral head, with notes of honey and pine, and a tiny bit of syrup. Honestly, one of the best beers I have ever smelt. The scent matches the taste, and with a taste so appetizing, it is hard to rate this one as anything less than great.

Taste: Matches the nose in almost every way. A very delicate honey over fruit, a slight tinge of pine. Very, very drinkable.

Mouthfeel: Smooth over the tongue, it has a really bubbly finish that reminds me this is definitely an ale. A bit of a herbal explosion right before the swallow. Again, very, very easy to drink.

Excellent Scottish Gruit. Pick this one up if you can get your hands on it.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2013 19:27:52 | More by JayReq
Photo of blknikon
blknikon

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

04-30-2013 20:01:29 | More by blknikon
Photo of bmwats
bmwats

Louisiana

3.93/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 33 cl bottle into a footed tulip.

A: Deep golden hue. Pours about a quarter finger, foamy, white head. Quickly dissipates. Very distinct and persistent beer ring lacing.

S: A little freshly cut grass, and a slight pine hop. Strong scent of fructose, and sweetened indistinct fruity syrup.

T: Papery malt tone. Very slight bitterness. And a very light carbonated fruit soda thing. None of the components overpowering, well-balanced.

M: Light, but kind of a syrupy texture. Slightly dry finish.

D: Not much resistance. Very good drinking brew.

Atmosphere is really solid. Nice hue, not much of head, but light but distinct lacing. Nose consists of many subtle notes of grass, hop, fruit, and corn syrup. Flavor is a very light malt tone, accentuated with a little soda and fruit, and finished with a slight bitterness. Overall, this is a really good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 03:05:34 | More by bmwats
Photo of wonothesane42
wonothesane42

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +6.1%

04-17-2013 21:20:59 | More by wonothesane42
Photo of BogBoyJD
BogBoyJD

Ireland

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

04-15-2013 12:57:23 | More by BogBoyJD
Photo of ohiobeer29
ohiobeer29

Ohio

3/5  rDev -20.4%

04-14-2013 06:21:09 | More by ohiobeer29
Photo of pathman
pathman

Ohio

4.25/5  rDev +12.7%

04-06-2013 01:44:18 | More by pathman
Photo of secondtooth
secondtooth

Indiana

3.7/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Pours a clean amber, with a solid head of off-white suds. Little residual lace.

Nose is floral and honey-like, with some unusual herbal tones. Not bad.

Taste is more of the herbal, with a touch of fruit in the mix somehow. Definitely a malt-based ale, this one brings a floral finish. Enjoyable and different from the usual craft ales.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 12:46:09 | More by secondtooth
Photo of RochefortChris
RochefortChris

South Carolina

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

03-31-2013 02:19:28 | More by RochefortChris
Photo of kojevergas
kojevergas

California

3.65/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Full disclosure: I don't have any idea what "heather" is or what it might taste like. 1 pint .9 fl oz brown glass bottle with branded silver pressure cap acquired at Whole Foods and served into a flared stem-tulip in me gaff in low altitude Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are above average. Product of Scotland. 5% ABV confirmed. Best before: November 2013. Imported by St. Killian.

Served straight from the fridge and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a 1.5 finger biege colour head of fair cream, decent thickness, and above average (~4 minute) retention. Body colour is a translucent semitransparent pale copper. No yeast particles are visible. No bubble show. Light even lacing sticks to the sides of the glass as the head recedes. It's generally appealing. There are no overt flaws, but there's nothing unique or special.

Sm: Quite pleasant, actually. Pale malts, a bit of crystal malt, lovely floral hops, pale grains, sweetness, nectar, flowers, mint, and herbs. I'm rubbish at plucking out specific herbs, but I do know there're herbs here. Sorry to state the obvious. Love the rich flowery notes. A bit milky. A mild strength aroma.

T: Hm. Tasty stuff. Quite floral (in terms of both hops and herbs). Some minty grassy notes in there too. Honey. Pale malts form the body. It's grainy and grassy throughout, yet surprisingly drinkable. I guess I expected some kind of weirdly herbal spicy undrinkable stuff, but I'm pleasantly surprised with it. A touch of lactose. Milky. Reminds me of a weird saison in a way. Balanced and flavorful. I quite like it. There isn't a whole lot of complexity here, but it's pleasant and enjoyable.

Mf: Smooth, smacky, and wet. Good thickness for the flavour profile. Good carbonation.

Dr: A very drinkable little beer for nights when you want something a little different. I'd get it again in the right mood and at a good price. Sessionable. It's a nice change of pace and I can see why it's potentially the most known example of the style.

B

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 01:33:43 | More by kojevergas
Photo of FLima
FLima

Brazil

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Amber orange color, a bit hazy. It made hardly one finger of head, left laces though.
Floral aroma, very easy to identify its heather herbs, I found it similar to juniper berries.
Taste is also very herbal and refreshing. Sweet malt with a clear hint of heather and gale herbs, giving a mild spicing sensation. Dry finish though not really bitter.
Light body with medium carbonation.
Interesting to have an idea, through this example, on how beer tasted a long time ago before the use of hops. Also the fact that it tastes a bit similar to juniper beers, it may indicate that this was the standard of how beers should taste like back then.

Serving type: bottle

03-29-2013 20:14:10 | More by FLima
Photo of Highstplz
Highstplz

Indiana

4/5  rDev +6.1%

03-24-2013 04:08:04 | More by Highstplz
Photo of TheBeerAlmanac
TheBeerAlmanac

Kentucky

3.25/5  rDev -13.8%

03-21-2013 00:07:45 | More by TheBeerAlmanac
Photo of yancot
yancot

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%

03-17-2013 05:52:43 | More by yancot
Photo of Dethklok
Dethklok

New York

3.75/5  rDev -0.5%

03-13-2013 03:32:27 | More by Dethklok
Photo of alelover
alelover

Michigan

4/5  rDev +6.1%

03-11-2013 20:21:35 | More by alelover
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Fraoch Heather Ale from Williams Brothers Brewing Company
85 out of 100 based on 815 user ratings.