This is a Gruit beer, one using herbs to add bitterness instead of hops. This beer uses spruce and pine sprigs, both commonly found trees in Scotland. There is talk that this style of beer might become more popular with the current hop shortage, but I am skeptical.
The aroma is grassy and reminiscent of hops (spruce and pine sprigs are used instead of hops) with some sweet malt smells. The color is amber with some orange highlights. The foam starts thick and keeps the beer covered. Perhaps pine has good head characteristics like hops.
The taste is on the sweet side with some spicy flavors. The spice is different, it isn't like hops and it isn't like Belgian clove spice. There is an evergreen taste, but it is slight enough to avoid over powering the beer. The mouthfeel is medium with a smooth feel. The finish has a pine taste taste that gets old after a few sips.
As a hop substitute I think spruce and pine do a fine job. I rather have hops in my beer, but this is still an enjoyable beer. From drinking just this one beer I am getting tired of the pine taste I think drinking a few might get over whelming. If I didn't know about the pine substitution I would just think the beer used a small amount of an odd hop variety.
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