ok this is what i am drinking the NOW !
and its one of the oldest drinks in the world
some of its history
2000 BC, The Isle of Rum Archaeologists discovered a Neolithic shard containing traces of a fermented beverage made with heather flowers.
325 BC, Pictland (The lands north of the Forth-Clyde valley) The Greek explorer Phytheas referred to the Picts as the "Priteni", the ancient Irish called them "Cruthni". Both mean "The People of the Designs". Pictish design is a rich and wonderful style of art, and can still be seen in the standing stones and cross-slabs of Scotland to this day. The Picts were a Celtic tribal race who defended their land from Roman, Saxon, Briton and Viking invasions. The Picts were also known to be accomplished brewers, the Scottish Dictionary quotes "The Picts brewed some awful grand drink they ca\'t heather ale from heather and some unknown kind of fog". One legend recorded by Robert Louis Stevenson tells of a Scots king who, after killing all the Picts in battle, wished for the famous heather ale. He found two survivors by a cliff, a Pictish chief and his son, and began to torture them to gain the secret recipe, the Pict agreed to tell if they would kill his son quickly. After the boy\'s body was thrown from the cliff, the Pictish chief faced the King and said "But now in vain is the torture, fire shall never avail, here dies in my bosom the secret of the heather ale" he then threw himself at the King and they both fell from the cliff.
843 AD, Scotland Scots and Picts united under the Scots King Kenneth MacAlpin to form \'Scotland" or "Alba" to the Gaels. Throughout Medieval times many ceilidh stories mention the brewing and drinking of heather ale. This folklore includes the tale of a Highland clan warming heather ale over the fire on a cold night. The steam from the hot ale cooled against the stone roof and dripped into a drinking cup. Upon drinking the contents, the Gaelic clansmen exclaimed "Uisge-beatha!" convinced they had experienced the fabled "water of life". Uisge had been discovered that night. This word has since been bastardised by the English language to ~Whisky"
~1707 AD, Scotland The Act of Union. After centuries of war Scotland became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, despite many wars of independence and Highland uprisings, Scotland had lost its freedom. Many atrocities were passed through Parliament during the 18th century, the wearing of tartan, playing bagpipes and highland gatherings were all outlawed. Lands were stolen from crofters, Gaelic was forbidden and clans were persecuted - a whole culture and way of life was virtually destroyed. An Act was passed which prevented brewers using any ingredients other than hops and malt. Hops can not grow in Scotland, indeed there is no Gaelic word for hops - heather ale was all but reduced to legend. This persecution of the Highland way of life caused thousands of Scots to be transported to the new worlds of the West Indies, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America and Europe which led to a mass exodus of Scottish society emigrating to follow their clans.
~1809 AD, Scotland In the Highlands and Western Isles the brewing of heather ale continued, as did the wearing of tartan and the Gaelic language. They traditions and customs including the manufacture of illicit "uisge-beatha" the defiant message to the British Government was "Pog mo thon!" (kiss my arse!).
~1986 AD, Scotland In Glasgow\'s homebrew shop a Gaelic-speaking Islander translated an old family recipe for "Leann fraoich" (heather ale) to Bruce Williams, the shop owner. He began the crusade to revive Scotland\'s brewing heritage by trying different varieties and quantities of heather flowers, making up batches and testing them on his customers. Once the formula was perfected he began to sell the brew as Fraoch (heather) ale.
~1992 AD, Scotland The first twenty thousand pints were produced at the small West Highland Brewery in Argyll, sales were restricted to six pubs due to the capacity of the brewery. In 1993, an agreement was reached with Scotland\'s oldest family brewers, Maclay & Co. at the Thistle Brewery in Alloa which allows Bruce to brew larger quantities of Fraoch during the heather season. Every batch is inspected and recorded for the Scottish Brewing Archive in Glasgow, who have assisted with the Heather Ale odyssey. Heather ale is to receive a "Certificate of Specific Character" which protects the tradition and custom of heather brewing for Scotland under supervision by The Scottish Office, Edinburgh.
~2000 AD, Scotland Heather ale is now produced at Strathhaven near Glasgow at the Craimill brewary.
Craimill brewary. i live a stones throw a away from the brewary.
