7.5/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 8
2003 bottle. Pours a very thick dark brown/black with some light porter-like reddish tinges. Huge caramel colored head that lasts, lots of lacing. Aroma of light coffee, some dry toffee, salt water. Flavor begins muted, but then slowly builds up some caramel malt and even more chocolate malt. Palate is smooth and even, no real poignant notes or ups and downs, just a nice fairly creamy roasted malt ride with some light bitterness. Medium body and one of the best aftertastes I’ve experienced; dry but rich coffee beans. Tremendous stuff. Maybe could stand a bit more of a body.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Mar 2004
at 12:11
6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Bottled. I’ve got a chance here to rate an unaged bottle. A little less sugary and thick than noted below, which is to be expected. Malts are lighter, like a Vienna. Heather character doesn’t quite assert itself, but then do I even know what heather should taste like, aside from as a bittering agent? Bottle, with "Best by 2/01" date notch. Tasted 12/31/2003. Ah, a traditional Scots drink for the only holiday in the US with a Scots aspect. And an interesting brew it is. Mossy odor when I crack the bottle. Pours a hazy brown, about pale ale color, with a thin head. Taste has some sweetness without being cloying. They don’t mention if there are hops at all (don’t they need some to be allowed to call it "beer," so sweetness seems balanced by heather, giving it grassy notes and the dry finish, as advertised, plus a very faint citrusy aspect. Well-made relic of those days of auld lang syne.
Tried
from Bottle
on 01 Jan 2004
at 20:04
6.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Bottled. Jan ’05. A chance to revisit the rating below with a fresher bottle. Same odd cloudy color as before. Piney resin, and perhaps some juniper is noted. Very volatile, but not too alcoholic, is such a thing is possible. Some cola and cedar taste at the. A complex brew, yes. Bottled. Rated Dec. 2003. This was 2-1/2 years past its "Best by:" date, but still very nice. Opens with a nice sarsaparilla and citrus smell that resolves to a winy nose. Pours a cloudy brown with close to no head. Sweetness is resiny, with a ring of maple syrup. Clearly a historical style that won’t become anyone’s regular beer, but a nice distraction once in a while.
Tried
from Bottle
on 25 Dec 2003
at 21:43
4.1/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 2
Overall 3.5
Hazy golden/orange colour with no head. Aroma of bananas, cloves and bubble gum. Medium-bodied; Bland wheatie taste with hints of the bananas and cloves showing through-but not much. Aftertaste very clean-almost nothing at all. Overall, a dissapointing choice! I had this on Cask at R.F.D. in Washington on 28-November-2003.
Tried
from Cask
on 03 Dec 2003
at 21:41
4.2/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 5
Flavor 4
Texture 2
Overall 5
Hazy amber, fast fading off white head.Faint dry nose. Tastes like a macro lager.
Tried
on 16 Nov 2003
at 17:52
5.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Pours a clear, light yellow, with some hazy yellow tinges. Small rapidly dissipating white head. Mildly tart, mildly spicy aroma. Begins with a bitter juiciness followed by a drier light hops flavor. I can find little malt flavor here, though maybe some on finish as it warms, it is lightly sweet with a tiny nip of alcohol. Flavors of heather, I would imagine, as well as a flowery herbal essence. Begins very spritzy but softens up as it breathes. I’d be much more impressed if thisnt wasnt filtered.
Tried
from Can
on 28 Oct 2003
at 13:29
5.4/10
—
Appearance 4
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 5.5
Only a little aroma. some wheat, a little fruit. Aroma is very similar to sam adams cherry wheat. Appearance is light, cloudy copper color. There is no head. This beer is more complex than one notices at first. The first taste was of a standard lager. Some fruit comes through, but not much. Next is the wheat, which is a little sweet. There is considerable bitterness, finished with sweet malt and sour fruit. Despite all of the things going on in this beer, none of them are well done or stand out in a positive way, and everything there seems filtered and restrained. Sweeter as it warmed. This bottle was past the expiration date.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Oct 2003
at 23:08
6.2/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Bitter english style beer, but this one is quite well balanced compared to some of the extremely bitter beers like Fullers 1846.
Tried
on 18 Sep 2003
at 05:32
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Chestnut brown, slightly hazy. Yellowish head, fast dissipating. Roasted malts first & foremost. Then a bit of diacetyl, not much. Also something 'foresty' - not nessecarily spruce or pine. Taste are roasted malts again, even some coffee; no diacetyl traceable. Retronasal taste both bitterish and indeed pine-ish, or bog-myrtle. A wine-ish quality too, perfumed. Quite well bodied. Rather dry and outspoken dry-out effect. Very long aftertaste which finally becomes the real pinekernels oily-resiny feeling. This is my second try of the "Alba", but the first brewed in Strathaven instead of at Maclays. It seems the overly pine-taste has made way for a much better balanced beer. The perfumy character and aftertaste saves it from blandness. Quite good.
Tried
on 08 May 2003
at 02:49
5.8/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 4
Overall 6
Hazy amber,beige head.Aroma of pine and malt.Medium body.Fruity, strong pine flavor that lingers
Tried
on 10 Feb 2003
at 18:06