Scottish Brewing History Lesson #5-Fraoch Heather Ale

Fraoch Heather Ale is clearly the showpiece of the Historic Ales of Scotland pack, so naturally, I saved it for last.  According to the bottle, it's "Scotland's native ale."  Additionally, the bottle comes with a brief history lesson.  Apparently, heather ales have been brewed for 4,000 years and is the "oldest style of ale still made in the world."

Fraoch weighs in at 5% alcohol and has the colour of tarnished brass.  It is slightly cloudy and topped with a thin ring of white head.  The aroma is extremely sweet, with a hint of ginger and the taste is flowery and considerably malty.  It doesn't taste like a conventional beer, but it's really quite pleasant.  It leaves behind little lace and has a very brief, mild aftertaste.

This is a decidedly tasty brew.  I probably wouldn't sit down and drink a sixer of Fraoch, but it made for a nice change of pace from more standard hops heavy beers.  Give it a try.

Rating: 8.0 out of 10.