An Irish brewery has offered its support to the Scottish independence movement – with a craft beer.

Alba Abú is an ale dedicated to Caledonian liberation, and comes from the Eight Degrees Brewing Company Ballyhoura, a picturesque part of the country that straddles Cork and Limerick.  

The ale takes its name from the Irish phrase for ‘Up Scotland/Come on Scotland!’, and uses ‘Scottish independence ale’ as the beer’s tagline. Alba Abú also incorporates subtle hints to Scottish nationalism, with heather and Alba pine added to the blend to make for a more distinct and independently Scottish flavour.

The ale packs a punch at 5%, more than double the 2% lead that pro-independence voters achieved in the polls this weekend, gaining the majority for the first time since polling began.

Alba Abú is not the world’s first politically-themed beer; Brew Dog concocted the ‘Hello, my name is Vladimir’ beer in recognition/derision of Russia’s leader and the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

(Image: Brewdog)

But this is the first polemic pint produced by Eight Degrees, a microbrewery founded by Australian Cam Wallace and New Zealander Scott Baigent.  

And while the politics behind it can be divisive, the ale went down well at last weekend’s Craft Beer & Cider Festival in Dublin’s RDS.

Even had a try of Independence Ale @8degreesbrewing - still undecided on The Scottish Question but sure loved the ale pic.twitter.com/NKyAsSyNiX

— Clare Anne O'Keefe (@ClareAnneOK) September 7, 2014

Whether or not Scotland votes to secede in 10 days, the pro-independence side will now have the tipple to celebrate or drown their sorrows with, come what may.