Tasting

What does a Highland Ale taste like? Almost always soft, malty, and warm, with notes of bread crust, caramel, and a touch of fruit, while bitterness stays in the background. With Fraoch Heather Ale, a floral, slightly herbal note joins in, evoking heather in late summer—and that's exactly the appeal.

Four examples lend themselves well to comparison. Fraoch Heather Ale from Williams Bros showcases the heather. Dark Island from Orkney Brewery is considered the island's dark ale, while Skull Splitter—according to the brewery named after Thorfinn the Skull Splitter, a Jarl of Orkney—stands for something more powerful. Black Cuillin from Isle of Skye Brewing represents a dark ale brewed with oats and heather honey.

Glassware: the pint, 568 milliliters by British measure, is the everyday glass for lighter ales. Stronger beers like the Wee Heavy are best served in smaller glasses, since they carry more alcohol and more concentrated aroma. A snifter or tulip glass helps hold the fragrance together.

On temperature: drink an ale too cold and all you'll taste is carbonation. Cellar temperature works better—cool, but not ice-cold. That lets the malt and heather unfold, and brings out the seaweed in Kelpie too.

When it comes to serving, Scotland often favors the hand pump, which draws the beer up from the cask in the cellar without any added gas. The beer then carries little carbonation and needs to be drunk within a few days.