Spirit Review - Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale

Alive in Concert Rating: 5.5 / 10.0

From the Label:

"Introduced to Scotland by Welsh Druids
in the 9th Century, elderberry ale was part of
the Celtic Autumn festivals where the ale
was passed round the people of the village.
This recipe was taken from a 16th
Century record of domestic drinking in the
Scottish Highlands. In medeaval times
elderberries were used in various
concoctions and are known to be high in
fruit tannins and oils. It is a rich black ale
with fruit aroma, soft texture, roasted
grain and red wine flavour, with a gentle
finish.

Ingredients: Malted Barley bree,
elderberries, roasted oats & barley and
hops.

Brewed and bottled by Heather Ale Ltd.
Williams Bros Brewing Co.
Scotland UK.
www.heatherale.co.uk"

To that I will add that it is indeed rich in flavor, with wine and fruit overtones. I enjoyed the flavor very much. My only disappointment was that there was little to no head to speak of, and, while tasty, this brew was rather flat. What you see in the photo above was pretty much all the head there was. I cannot be certain whether this ale is meant to be this way, or if I simply received a bad bottle from a flat batch.

Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale is 6.5% alcohol by volume, and cost me $2.79 for an 11.2 fluid ounce bottle from my local ale supplier.