Heather Ale
Cambridge Brewing Company

 

(375 ml corked caged bottle; purchased at the brewery last week... poured into my Trillium fat tulip)

L: crystal-clear brassy amber liquid; huge plume of foam like a wild ale... some sticky lace scabs about

S: first impression: blueberry, or some berry... not terribly floral, but very fragrant; wild ale overtones, vaguely rose wine tinged... the empty glass is still buzzing with scent magic

T: those aromas carry over onto the top of the palate, while the middle drops out dry; strange kalamata olive note in the aftertaste... the berry stabilizes up front in the second sip; raspberry skins and red grape tones... fruitier as it goes, little malt presence aside from a delicate toasted barley undertone, making for a quasi walnut-crusted thumbprint cookie thing... in all this, the lavender is surely there, just thankfully as an accent, balancing well with the other herbal additions

F: airy nectar with a mellow herbal bitter stun and soft tonic warmth... rather cut and quiet on the palate floor in contrast to the tingly, tangy clang on the palate roof

O: not terribly unfamiliar flavors; a bit muddled in flavor clarity but it makes up for it in relative intensity... this was actually better than I'd expected; glad I picked it up (2289)

Slight haze with a light orange color.
Good sized head and lace.
Aroma of fruit and spices.
Taste was sweet , honey, spices and malts.
Feel was a good balance, light body, medium carbonation and a smooth finish.

Pours orange amber with a dense creamy white foam head. Smells like flowers, heather, sweet gale, mild lavender, cinnamon-esque spice, hints of sweet leathery funk, toasty bready malt, and floral earthy herbs. Tastes like mild lemon citrus fruitiness, cinnamon-esque spice, fresh flowers, heather, sweet gale, mild lavender, toasty bready malt, sweet leathery funk, with floral earthy herbs. Feels medium bodied, creamy with moderate smooth carbonation. Overall a real nice herb and spice beer with heather flowers, sweet gale and lavender.

 

Poured from a 750 ml bottle, from 2019 into the test glass.
A - Lite amber color, excellent clarity. Gentle carbonation puts on a trance inducing steady dance. A thin ring wraps an archipelago of tiny islands.
S - Heather, leads the way other botanicals chime in, lavender, sage, rose hip, lemon verbena. This is like a florist shop, so many layers all very nice.
T - I certainly get the lavender and heather, add in some red raspberry, red wheat, just a kiss of tart fruit. A gentle touch of mixed culture maybe? Lots of back and forth on this front, Excellent tension adds depth.
M - Medium in body, sweet start, then a slide toward the the tart side ever so slightly. Finish is similar to young Riesling.
O - A very good gruit, the total package is so enjoyable, Lots of flavors riding and impressive aromatic. Clean , crisp and loaded with twists and turns in the best way. Pair with a soft runny cheese and enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

Other than being a bit murky and ugly, it is a nice beer, and by FAR the best gruit I have ever had. This is a style that all too often tastes muddy and harshly herbal, but this is bright, refreshing and fruit. A very pleasant surprise!

 

 

 

 

A: The beer is crystal clear light amber in color and has a light to moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with s short white head that died down, leaving a large patch of bubbles on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Moderate to strong aromas of heather are present in the nose.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste is dominated by flavors of heather.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: I found this to be an enjoyable gruit beer as the heather aromas and flavors are featured rather well, but aren't overpowering in any way.

Serving type: bottle

 

look; muddy golden bronze, 1/4" head disappears quickly, thin soapy lacing that goes away quickly
smell; thanksgiving fresh herb seasoning packet, soup carrots? a mild hint of chicken or beef broth
taste;aforementioned herbs, grass, a little earth, hint of soup, like caned soup but not in a bad way at all, and just a hint really
feel; perky medium light with medium light carbonation, a tiny bit acidic at the finish
overall; a really cool scottishish gruit, interesting and enjoyable