Friday 4th of September 2009 09:25:36 PM

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Black Isle Brewery isn't terribly big so the tour itself is pretty quick. We were informed that the brewery will be expanding to a new building, but it was inspiring to see what they've done with a pretty small brewhouse. Our guide was very friendly though she only worked on weekends and didn't seem terribly knowledgeable about the day-to-day operations there. There's no pub or kitchen there; just a gift shop.

Obviously the reason to go there is the beer... Like many newer Scottish breweries, they aren't terribly beholden to tradition. They did have a Wee Heavy in their lineup, but even that had a roast malt quality that didn't seem quite to style (though it was very good, mind you). While I enjoyed many of their beers, two stood out. The first was their Heather Honey Ale. Their website describes it as "a triple style golden ale made with honey gathered from the heather covered highland mountains." At 7.5% ABV, it had a nice alcohol kick (uncommon for a UK beer) but more importantly nice Hefeweizen-like esters that kept this drinkable. A great beer.

The other Black Isle beer that blew me away was their Export Oatmeal Stout. Another high-gravity beer, the rich, roasty flavors--with, again, just a touch of smoke--helped mask the alcohol warmth. I suppose I should also add that all their beers are organic, for those of you who are into that sort of thing. Regardless, I'd definitely recommend you drop by Black Isle if you're in the Inverness area.