Fraoch Heather Ale - Williams Brothers Brewing Company

IchLiebeBier

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: orangish gold; slightly cloudy; small head, dissipates quickly

Aroma: delicate fruit and flower with something different (I assume heather)

Taste: Juicy malt with an interesting flavor; low (or no) hops and flowery notes

Remarks: I can't place the flavor, but it reminds me of one of the spices in spaghetti sauce, I think; this makes it less desirable as a beer; otherwise, it would be tasty

I didn't score A, S, T, M at that time, so please disregard those scores

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2013 13:18:59 | More by IchLiebeBier

BWED

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured into a tumbler from a 330 ml bottle

A- Golden in color with a light, just off white head. Thin but producing a minute amount of lacing.

S- Earthy and floral notes arise, sitting on a light malt backbone.

T- Very light malt flavor, with a little herbal/grassy balance. Very mild and light.

M- Very light body, and pretty light carbonation. The finish is smooth, with an earthy sweetness.

O- This is the first gruit I have had, and the first unhopped beer I have had, as far as I know. It is a pleasant experience to taste something like this, in regard to the location and time period these kinds of beer were made, but on the other hand, it's rather plain, and couldn't find myself drinking many of these in a sitting.

Serving type: bottle

06-04-2013 14:55:59 | More by BWED

PumaSaysRawrr

Pennsylvania

3.19/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I received this bottle of 'Maple Syrup" from a good non beer drinking friend in the UK for Christmas. I sort of got sick of shoving it around every morning in my search for the Shiriachi so I decided to drink it. I poured about 6 oz in to a Sam Smith pint glass to start. Beautiful pale amber with a nice white head. I was a little surprised to see how hazy it was to the point I just assumed my glass was dirty. So after finishing the first bit I gave the glass a proper scrubbing and to my surprise it was the beer that was hazy. If you give it a good squint there are little bits of sea monkey bobbing around. Not full on kingdom sea monkeys more like sea monkeys that had a wood chipper accident.
Very mild flavor a perfect drinking and matching socks all day kind of beer. Lightly carbonated which is good cause I don't know how well those sea monkeys will burp up! No smell at all which also makes it good for drinking and matching socks all day cause nothing is worse than socks that smell like spilt beer!

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2013 03:53:35 | More by PumaSaysRawrr

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

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

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

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

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

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

jtierney89

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Semi hazed golden color with a bright white head which dies quickly. Very tea like and herbal on the nose. Tastes almost Belgian like. Sweet rose water notes upfront with faint bubble gum and banana . Medium body with light effervescence. Herbal and tea like on the back end. Dismissed finish with bright flavors lingering. Pretty nice and easy drinking.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 23:35:22 | More by jtierney89

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.49/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Fraoch Heather Ale has a medium, soapy, off-white head, a hazy, yellow-golden appearance, with streaming bubbles, floating, light-brown chunks, and lots of lacing left behind. The aroma is of sweet bread, spices (grains of paradise?), bread crust, and malt. Taste is of various, mixed spices, sugar, bread, malt, and there is no bitterness. Mouthfeel is medium and slick, and Fraoch Heather Ale finishes mostly dry, easy drinking, and spicy. Overall, this is excellent, and I would recommend checking it out.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 15:43:23 | More by RonaldTheriot

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.45/5  rDev +18%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500 ml bottle poured into a Nonic.
5% ABV, Best Before end OCT 2013 stamped on back label.

A - Fraoch Heather Ale pours faintly hazed by small floating particles, though not unattractive in nature. The golden beer is topped by a full off-white head that lingers momentarily before reducing to a ring of foam and skim but not without leaving frothy, wispy lace which clutches the whole pint down to the last sip!

S - Wonderful wildflower floral and herbal fragrance encases the pale malt base of this beer with an exceptional earthiness while traces of lemongrass citrus slowly waft out. Dry malt and lingering sweetness encourages perception of the beer's age (ancestry) and ancient brewing techniques.

T - Unique from the start, Scottish malt brings with it some sweetness; notes of honey dribble over the delicate but unmistakeable additions of heather flowers. A gently kiss of light citrus seductively lingers on the finish of this ancient ale.

M - Fraoch Heather Ale has a smooth body, though not without carbonation, and a dry, distinct herbal finish that does wonders to balance the light sweetness along the finish. Quite drinkable indeed.

O - Explosive craft beer growth can make it hard to find something new and really unique but take one look at this fantastic label; within is an ancient beer brewed long before "craft beer" and in a sea of crazy options, Fraoch Heather Ale is still unique and outstanding. This earthy, floral and herbal beer has layers of complexity and ancestry ingrained in it for an outstanding, one-of-a-kind experience.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 01:37:11 | More by BeerFMAndy

Braz

Washington

3.49/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Aroma: Floral and slightly herbal.

Appearance: Hazy gold color with a light white head.

Taste: Balanced and clean. Some herbal and grassy notes. Not a whole lot going on thought, on the bland side.

Mouthfeel: Pretty easy to drink. Not real heavy, actually a fairly light feel. Moderate carbonation.

Overall: Easy drinking and herbal, the herbalness is subtle though. Would have again.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 04:23:20 | More by Braz

rickyleepotts

Arizona

3.05/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 2.75

William, the beer manager at Total Wine & More in Scottsdale initially recommended this beer to me. After reading about it, the brewing process, and what all goes into it, I am if nothing else curious. I am excited to see how the heather flower affects the color, aroma, and flavor of this beer. I like words like "wirelike" and "dry finish" when used to explain this beer. I have no idea what to expect, but for that price (and that ABV) it better be good! I am sure drinking this will remind me of Europe, and it will make me want to go on a trip. Speaking of that, I am in need of a vacation. It's been too long! Where should I go?

I am excited to drink this beer, and we will actually be doing two beers today. It has been a few days since we reviewed a beer, and are excited to get back into the swing of things. We have a lot of good beers lined up, and I want to drink them all! Speedway Stout is one of them from AleSmith. I have heard nothing but good things about that beer. Anyway, let's see what the Heather Ale tastes like.

In the Glass: When I poured this, I could smell the dryness from the heather. When I think of heather, I think of tall thick grass on a golf course. That is what I call heather… some golf courses have high grass, think raptors from Jurassic Park, and most courses that have heather are links style courses. Makes sense this is a Scottish beer, as most traditional links style courses come from Scotland.

At any rate, Sheryl said, "This looks like orange juice." Hardly. It's cloudy, but looks more like a Blue Moon than orange juice. We have orange juice in the fridge if she wants to compare the two! The beer pours smooth, with a lot of bubbles, and a nice thin white head. Not much lace here, but my glass is really full. The bottle is 500ml. I can already smell this, so let's see what it smells like when I stick my nose in the glass.

Nose: I guess that is what the heather flower smells like. I always thought it smelled like grass, but what do I know? It has a nice dry aroma to it. It almost smells like sake. The beer has a really low ABV, though, coming in at only 5%. I bet this would be a good beer to pair with sushi. A second whiff has continued dryness and begs for a sip.

Flavor: William said this beer was good. He's right. It is good. But it's weird. Not in a bad way, but in a complex way. I have never tasted anything like this before. It has a mouthfeel of a beer (we will get to that) but it has a lot of flavors dancing across your palate. The flavor, to be honest, isn't that impressive. Once you get past the fact you are drinking a heather ale, with all the history that goes behind it, you don't really think about the ingredients or the flavor profile. It has a quick finish and practically no aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: When I was pouring this, I could tell there were a lot of bubbles. It isn't as carbonated as I had expected, and actually slides across the palate with a certain thickness that you wouldn't have guessed. The bubbles really hit toward the end/back of the palate, and as you swallow, you are left with the dryness that everyone talks about. I wonder if the flower is what is causing that…

Aftertaste: What aftertaste? There isn't much of an aftertaste here. The tongue is left dry, but I wouldn't call that an aftertaste. This is where the hops are supposed to be taking over, but since they don't use hops (or very few hops) in this beer, there isn't much bitterness.

Basically, this is a weird experience and an awkward flavor. I would order this again if I was eating, but only if there was good involved. I have a feeling this doesn't get better as it heats up, either. Just has a certain flavor that I would expect from a wheat beer that gets gross as it gets warm. Glad this was on the list, but I am not blown away. Has anyone tried this with food? (Oh, and the burp is horrible. It tastes like sour grapes.)

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 21:48:00 | More by rickyleepotts

Rutager

British Columbia (Canada)

3.26/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Happy Gruit day!!!

Appearance. Pours a lightly hazy gold with a little amber and half a finger of white head.

Smell. Sweet and earthy herbs, a little chocolate (??), and a bit of pine forest. Hmmm.

Taste. Honey, woody herbs, chocolate again (????), some sweet light malts and a faint hint of berries.

Mouthfeel. Below medium body, medium-low carbonation.

Overall. Flavours were okay, but it was too sweet for me. Interesting, for sure.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:03:59 | More by Rutager

maclean25

British Columbia (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The first time I had this was during the summer. I remember finding it to be an average beer, nothing special. I won this bottle in a raffle. It has a best before date of May 2013.

It pours with very little head and I got no lacing.The body is clear (but looks thick) golden honey. It has the aroma of honey, oranges, and multi-grain bread. It has the taste of wild flowers and honey. Its flatness makes it seem like a tea of anonymous mixed herbs.There is no alcoholic taste. It ends dry with a flower-grass aftertaste. The most striking aspect of this beer is its balance; nothing overwhelming, combines to make a really good beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-01-2013 02:26:24 | More by maclean25

BierStein711

Illinois

4.6/5  rDev +22%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A whiskey lovers beer!

This is a throwback; more than a stone's throw. This is quite possibly a boulder's throw or a geode's throw. This is quite a beer.

The appearance of the beer is golden amber to burnt orange with moderate carbonation, and and a two finger head.

Moderate carbonation

The smell is of peaty malt, chewy malt from a scotch, and lastly a wee bit of floral hop.

The taste: piney, peaty malt, floral middle, and a light not so bitter finishing hop

Mouthfeel: oily, peaty, and smoky, this is very much like a whiskey.

Overall, I would have this fine brew again. Very brilliant!

Serving type: bottle

12-20-2012 05:18:11 | More by BierStein711

pkalix

California

4.33/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a golden orange with a thin film of head on top.
smells . . . . very, very interesting; cant quite place it... some kind of sweetness, though....
tastes . . . . very interesting, malt of some sort mixed with a bit of hop (as are all/most brews, but i just cant place it...._i guess i cant give it a fair review so far other than to say.... i like it, i think.
mouthfeel... is medium, nice and refreshing on the tongue.
overall, how do i put it? this stuff, while apparently seemingly a novelty, is quite flavorful and considered as a full fledged participant inthe world of beer- which is quite rare for the novelty category. it is a decent brew, and for whatever reason behind it's conception (as the review notes state), it's a very drinkable brew which would convince me of believing i am being healed of whatever ailment that is bothering me. of course, i prefer higher strength elixirs, but i can understand the primitive ways of mankind.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 05:01:44 | More by pkalix

andrenaline

Ontario (Canada)

3.6/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The first of the 'Historic Ale from Scotland' pack recently procured from the local LCBO.

A - Pours a slightly hazy golden copper colour, finger of head which quickly dissipates and leaves little lacing.

S - Dominated by caramel malts, hints of peppery spice, earthy hop profile, with a bready and grassy finish.

T - The caramel malt notes continue to dominate, a mild earthy hop profile with a unique sour citrus finish and an odd unidentifiable flavour that lingers that, by default, I will attribute to the heather flower.

M - Medium bodied, smooth and surprisingly dry.

O - A tasty brew, some unique flavours and easily drinkable. I'm glad I tried it, but it's not something I would go out of my way to get again.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2012 23:08:16 | More by andrenaline

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

330 mL bottle from the LCBO; best before February 2014. This is the fourth bottle to be reviewed in the 4-pack sampler I picked up last week, and if the other 3 bottles were any indication, I'm in for a treat (or at least, failing that, a decent glass).

Pours a foggy golden colour with a twinge of orange under the light, and topped with just over a finger of frothy, soapy white head. Retention is mediocre - it's mostly gone once a minute or two has passed, and only a thin film on the surface and narrow ring of foam around the edge remain. The aroma is herbal, zesty and flowery; the heather is the most dominant facet, with notes of pepper, pine needles and pale malt sweetness. The aroma has certainly done its job, because I'm feeling pretty enticed.

Elegant flavour; not one-dimensional, but pretty straightforward for a spiced brew. Lightly toasted, bready malts and honey lead into the herbal heather notes; quite floral, a little spicy, maybe even a little minty. The finish is herbal and grassy, with just the right amount of bitterness. Slightly heathery in the aftertaste, but it doesn't really linger long. On the light side of medium-bodied, with gentle carbonation - which works perfectly in this instance, allowing the mild spiciness and simple, tasty malt profile to remain prominent. Very quaffable, and unlike most spiced beers, not the sort of thing that I would necessarily tire of quickly.

Final Grade: 4.13, an A-. Fraoch Heather Ale might just be the first spiced beer I've ever had that I would consider truly sessionable. The unique flavour offers up enough spicy, herbal notes to keep things interesting, but never comes close to overwhelming or exhausting the palate, even (I suspect) after more than one bottle. Of the four ales in this brewery's sampler, this is easily the most drinkable, potentially the most well-integrated, and probably my favourite. Well worth a try, and I'd definitely recommend the sampler ("Historic Ales from Scotland") to any newbie who wishes to find out what this relatively obscure style is all about.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 01:41:04 | More by thehyperduck

warrenout330

Ohio

3.63/5  rDev -3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours from a 12oz bottle into a chimay chalice

A- pours a dark golden color, hazy apperance, very vintage look for such a historical beer
Fluffy white head, quickly dissolves to a thin sheet over the liquid. No lacing at all

S- doughy bread malts, a very pronounced earthy floral smell... this must be the heather flower? Almost reminds of pumpkin flesh seriously

T- sharp flavor of heather? Very floral presence... sweet breaded malts ...

M- prickly carbonation... very champagne like... dry earthy finish... very reminiscent of a wine

O- very strange and interesting beer. Strange cuz I've never had heather before. But this in a good way... it took a little to grow on me but this a good session/ food pairing beer....

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 22:29:19 | More by warrenout330

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

bang it out!

yellow-gold, fairly hazy - i like the sort of unfiltered look, seems (historically) appropriate - slightly yellowish, off-white head, falls fairly fast into a shallow sudsy cap

sweetness, fruity esters - a strange scent, not the typical "floral", haven't any experience with the scent of heather, so I guess that's it - getting some light-honeyed malt and almost a buttery roll thing as well - no discernible hops

definitely the taste of non-hop plant material immediately, like a mildly earthy, leafy herb - not terribly strong, more of an "essence" - a leafy, floral flavor slowly emerges as it warms, and it lingers and is accompanied by a soft bitterness - apparently there's sweet gale in this too?

very drinakble - some over-carbonation perhaps lends to a phantom fullness in the mouth, i don't know, though the body is light-medium - soft, and airy-smooth with just a tiny carb tingle

i was left feeling a little underwhelmed by this. not having much, if any, experience with the flavors of heather and sweet gale makes this hard to judge, however, the bottle could have been old and this an ale much better consumed as fresh as possible. the herbal flavors were a little too subtle but, at the same time, you wouldn't want them to be over the top considering the alcohol level and seeming simplicity of the malt bill. I'll definitely give this another shot if I can get a younger bottle...

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 23:57:37 | More by Bouleboubier

atr2605

New York

3.83/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A-pours a clear golden color with a foamy white head with good retention
S-floral, spicy
T-floral flavor mixes with the malt sweetness, followed a hint of spice, leaving more of the floral flavor in the finish. Really interesting balance
M-light-medium bodied
O-Great beer. I had never heard of the style and just picked it up. Glad I did, looking forward to finding more beers in the style

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 02:24:37 | More by atr2605

smalenberg

Michigan

3.73/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Smell - I've had other beers with lavender added, possibly with extract instead of flowers and they smelled more like a ladies hand lotion (too overpowering). The floral character in this is a just a hint of what is to come, not a sledgehammer.

The most surprising part of this beer is how well heather works as a bittering agent. The taste is reminiscent of a Belgian Trippel, with a similar level of carbonation and slightly spicy mouthfeel, but it ends with a surprising tartness - more akin to a saison. I made the mistake of letting it chill for too long, but once it warmed some, it was quite good. And well worth the wait for the warming. A very pleasant change from traditional hops-based beers.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2012 01:33:59 | More by smalenberg

Brubaker

Virginia

4.23/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- golden in color, small lingering head

S- Lightly floral and earthy.

T- an earthy and floral taste that blends well. It has a clean finish.

M- light on the palate bubbly.

O- I really enjoyed this beer. The absence of a heavy hops was a plus for me as I prefer malty beers. As far as an Ale goes this one is pleasant and had a good clean finish.

Would Drink
Would Buy
Would Make

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 02:25:05 | More by Brubaker