HEATHER ALE. 



in June yieldeth a purple flower sweete as hony whereof 

 the Pictes in time paste did make a pleasaunt drinke, 

 and very wholesome for the body ; but forasmuche as 

 the maner of making hereof is perished in the hauocke 

 made of the Pictes, when the Scottes subdued their 

 countrey, it lieth not in me to set downe the order 

 of it, neither shewed they ever the learning hereof 

 to any but to their own nation." 



Pennant, in his "Tour," tells us that in the Island 

 of Islay, "ale is frequently made of the young tops 

 of heath, mixing two-thirds of that plant with one 

 of the malt, sometimes adding hops. Boethius relates 

 that this liquor was much used among the Picts ; but 

 when that nation was extirpated by the Scots the se- 

 cret of making it perished with them." This infor- 

 mation by Pennant has been often repeated, and is 

 found to-day in most encyclopedias and similar works 

 which treat on the subject of Heather. 



"Picts Kilns/' as they are called, are of frequent 

 occurrence in Wigton and Kirkcudbright shires, as 

 well as in parts of the neighboring counties. They con- 

 sist of elliptical or pear-shaped enclosures, measuring 

 generally about sixteen feet in length and seven or eight 

 feet in breadth. Externally the walls appear to be of 

 earth, sometimes standing nearly three feet high. On 

 removing the surface they are found to be constructed 

 internally of small stones, frequently bearing marks of 

 fire. They are popularly believed to be ancient brew- 

 eries reared by the Picts for the manufacture of 

 Heather ale. Sir Walter Scott suggests, with not 

 much greater probability, that they are primitive lime 

 kilns. They are said to be invariably constructed on 



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