"The Wind Cried Mari…" Scottish Heather Ale
Release Date: 05 August, 2004
From out of the dark of pre-recorded history, Heather Ale is an altogether unique brew. Originally crafted by the Picts who inhabited the Northern British Isles, fresh heather flowers and other herbs were used to balance and flavor the sweet toasted character of the malted barley. Its brewing tradition existed long before the advent of hopped beers during the Protestant Reformation, and has continued, sporadically, in small rural communities for millennia.
Brewed with imported Scottish floor-malted barley, fresh, hand-harvested heather flowers were added to the kettle during the boil along with sweet gale and lavender, with a further addition of fresh heather and yarrow to the conditioning tanks. The aroma and flavor are a surprising jog of ancient memory, with notes of heather, sweet gale, yarrow, an obscure wildflower spiciness, and a grace note of lavender, complemented by the interplay of mild but assertive, toasty-sweet malt. Lighter in body than previous years’ brews, with a dry, slightly tart finish. Special thanks to our friends listed below * for their support with this year’s harvest, and to everyone at Sylvan Nurseries in beautiful Westport, MA for allowing us to harvest their blossoming heather. Slainte!
~Will and Matt
OG: 1.049 FG: 1.011 ABV: 5.0%
Note: Pregnant or breastfeeding women may wish to avoid consuming this beer due to the mild medicinal nature of the herbs used in crafting this beer. Please consult Hygieia: A Woman's Herbal by Jeannine Paravati or Stephen Harrod Buhner’s excellent book, Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers for more information.
*The Heather-pickin’ Crew, 2004:
Mari Lydic, Jeff Hunter, Brad Smissloff, Ann Cortissoz,
Mike Saunders, and Gavin Saunders.
Thanks, Guys!!!