Brewery: Williams Brothers, Alloa, Central, Scotland

Brewery Description: “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. A light amber ale with floral peaty aroma, full malt character, a spicy herbal flavor and dry wine like finish.”

Brew Style: Traditional/Ancient Recipe Ale, 5.0% ABV

Recommended Glassware: Flute, Dimpled mug, Stein, English pint, Yard (yes!!!)

The Ugly Truth: Froach is probably one of my favorite traditional/ancient recipie beers out there. The James Madison Dark Wheat Ale from Sam Adams is another strong contender in this category. I used to get Froach all the time at Sunset Bar and Grill in Allston when I was living in Brighton. Froach pours a deep golden amber color with a really nice frothy white head. The fragrance is pretty light, with the smell of heather really coming through nicely. The taste itself is smooth, with a bit of spice to it that is really enjoyable. The finish is fairly dry with no strong bitterness or sourness to speak of. Froach is a great beer to drink with a meal, or as a summer refresher. I definitely recommend people picking it up and trying it.

Verdict: A Gaelic saying does: “Choose your company before you choose your drink.”. With Froach getting an 8 out of 10 bottlecaps, choose your company well.