Vanilla Bean Brown Ale
Landmark Beer Company

Vanilla Bean Brown AleVanilla Bean Brown Ale
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From:
Landmark Beer Company
 
New York, United States
Style:
American Brown Ale
ABV:
5%
Score:
78
Avg:
3.3 | pDev: 21.52%
Reviews:
31
Ratings:
36
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Oct 15, 2012
Added:
May 31, 2006
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Rated: 2.5 by bluntedboywonder from New York

Oct 15, 2012
 
Rated: 1.5 by laxer8811 from New York

Jun 23, 2012
 
Rated: 2.5 by deonreds from New York

Mar 18, 2012
 
Rated: 2 by Lawl3ss from Texas

Jan 02, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by tclapper from Maine

Nov 18, 2011
Photo of Brad007
Reviewed by Brad007 from Vermont

3.23/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pours a nice dark brown with a small brown head into my glass. Very light for a brown ale.

Just a trace of vanilla bean among sweet molasses and a very dull hop presence.

Vanilla bean essence (read: essence) dominates upfront, followed by a malt profile that seems more at home in a red ale.

Lingering trace of vanilla bean followed by traditional malt. Nothing really special and the carbonation level seems too high.

Not bad but not as great as I had hoped.
Aug 14, 2011
Photo of njmoons
Reviewed by njmoons from New Jersey

2.38/5  rDev -27.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2
Picked up a bottle at Half Time, to give a vanilla beer a try. While the Vanilla in the aroma was nice, in the flavor is seemed artificially strong, and in conflict with the beer.

This was the first Vanilla beer I have tried, and it did not work for me.

Appearance: A nice chocolate brown color, decent head with limited retention. Looked good.

Smell, the brown ale, hop, and Vanilla flavor made an interesting and nice aroma, I was looking forward to this beer.

Taste: Not too good. The beer flavor seemed all over the place. The base brown ale was a little thin on the malt, the Vanilla hits like a punch right after the ale flavor starts, and the finish is too bitter for a Brown Ale. The Vanilla flavor seems artificially enhanced. The bottle says all natural flavors and I am not suggesting they were not, just too much Vanilla.

Mouthfeel was good. Appropriate for the style.

Drinkability: I would not drink this again.

Serving type: bottle
Jun 16, 2010
Photo of Beejay
Reviewed by Beejay from Virginia

3.71/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Thanks DmanGTR!

A: Reddish Brown in color and crystal clear. Nice very very full head on top. The head on this thing is huge and persistent. Leaving some lovely lacing. A gorgeous looking beer.

S: Porter, Malt, brown sugar and vanilla. Almost like a sweet oatmeal scent in there with the vanilla. Very nice and mellow, with a subtle roasty flavor at the end.

T: Nice an malty, creamy smooth with a nice vanilla kick in the end. Good but not ground breaking. Bet it would be awesome with ice cream or a float.

M: Medium bodied, carbonation is nice. Nothing funny here.

D: Good. Not something I would drink all night. But a good change of pace beer, interesting and tasty.
Mar 30, 2010
Photo of jneiswender
Reviewed by jneiswender from Massachusetts

1.72/5  rDev -47.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5
Had a pint glass of this from the bottle.

A-gem brown, rocky beige head, very dense.

S-malty, metallic and some vanilla

T-smoky, malt front, snap pea flavor in the middle, and some hop bitterness at the end. Very little vanilla flavor at all

M-medium

D-very little vanilla flavor to this brew. the other competing flavors were some what off-putting
Jan 11, 2010
Photo of tigg924
Reviewed by tigg924 from Massachusetts

2.78/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Appearance: caramel brown with a one inch head and medium carbonation, clear

Smell: caramel and toasted malt--surprisingly no vanilla

Taste: faint vanilla, toasted malt then a roasted malt taste

Mouthfeel: smooth, high carbonation, semi-sweet

Drinkability: The vanilla here is super subtle and when it hits, it seems very candy like and artificial. The brown ale portion is ok. I have had better vanilla beers and brown ales. One is enough.
Nov 17, 2009
Photo of Billolick
Reviewed by Billolick from New York

3.2/5  rDev -3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
12 ounce bottle. Pours the expected brown ale brown, minor light tan head, leaves very minimal lace bits. Malty nose and I dont get any vanilla. Thin body wise, sweet and fairly off putting stuff. Malty, with more sweetness, vanilla wafting around in the rear, some chalky dryness late. Unimpressive and unenjoyable. Was gonna drain it, but added it to my marinating chicken instead...pass this one by IMHO
Nov 11, 2009
Photo of sliverX
Reviewed by sliverX from S. Georgia & S. Sandwich Isls.

4.42/5  rDev +33.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured a deep translucent brown with copper hints, thick tan head that took its time fading, minimal lacing
Smell nice heavy malt accent with a subtle yet very present vanilla hint, no hop presence
Taste follows the nose to a T, no hop presence
Mouthfeel medium to light in body, smooth a bit creamy even
Drinkability this is a wonderful beer and will be enjoying the growler and may be going back for another at only $9.50

Purchased growler at Flying Bison Brewing Company who contract brews this for Landmark. It is now contract brewed somewhere else, I believe Paper City Brewing Co. IIRC
Oct 29, 2009
Photo of Hojaminbag
Reviewed by Hojaminbag from Colorado

3.82/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Brown body with a head that is creamy by cask standards and even leaves a bit of lacing.

The aroma has some slightly pale, sweet malts, a bit of toasted character and a good dose of vanilla.

The flavor has the pale, sweet malts that have butterscotch flavors, and the slight toasted character is very slight. One flavor that is strong is the vanilla. The flavor tastes like natural vanilla extract, which is basically concentrated vanilla.

Medium in both carbonation and body, nothing to comment on really.

This is drinkable, but I could see the vanilla getting cloying after a bit.
Oct 28, 2009
Photo of stegmakk
Reviewed by stegmakk from New York

3.5/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Got to try this at the 09 Syracuse Cask fest at Clark's.

A: Deep brown color. Clear. Head was large soapy looking bubbles. Some lacing.

S: Mostly warming vanilla. Almost afraid there might be too much by the smell.

T: Vanilla hit up front hard but not overpowering. Moved to a nutty taste on the back end. Decent balance. Could have been more of a "natural" vanilla taste though.

M: Slick...smooth

D: Very tasty. I could drink a medium number of these. After many I could see the vanilla getting too overbearing.
Oct 27, 2009
Photo of morebeergood
Reviewed by morebeergood from Massachusetts

3.39/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5
Ordered a bottle for a pre-Sox game drink at the Lower Depths. Poured into a pint glass. Muted brown color, hazy body, and not much head. Smelled like vanilla extract. Some people like that smell, others will not. Taste was interesting, but a bit too overpowering. I was looking for a brown ale with a hint of vanilla, but instead it's basically a vanilla ale. Brewer went a bit overboard with the flavor. It's an unusual beer to try, but it's a lot like sipping a Yankee Candle. Not a good beer to pair with a main course. Way too sweet, and there was no way I was going to have another.
Sep 10, 2009
Photo of Imbiber1028
Reviewed by Imbiber1028 from Texas

3.8/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hazy brown appearance, with a thin head that fades very quickly.

Smells woody and can definitely pick up the vanilla right away

The taste is pretty smooth and has good drinkability. Vanilla flavor is strong--I was in the mood for this so it was good at the time, but in general it might be a bit too much.

Would have it again if the mood strikes (and I can find it--thanks 303 Cafe in East Boston) and definitely like supporting my hometown area: this is labeled as a Syracuse, NY beer (Landmark Brewing)--although it is actually brewed by a Buffalo brewery (Flying Bison Brewery, I think).
Sep 04, 2009
Photo of ppoitras
Reviewed by ppoitras from Massachusetts

3.97/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz bottle purchased at either Party Source or Brilbeck's, Syracuse, NY.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/4" beige head over the clear orangey copper brew. Head is promptly down to a swirly layer of uneven bubbles, with average to good lacing. Aroma is vanilla and grain. Taste starts nutty, with a touch of vanilla in the middle, and a balanced to bitter close. Caramel notes as well. Mouthfeel is soft over the tongue, and drinkability is good.
Aug 14, 2009
Photo of Gmann
Reviewed by Gmann from New York

3.18/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a hazy deep brown color, with an average off white head that settles into a light cap. A very strong vanilla flavor, smells almost artificial. Some oak/woody and brown sugar characteristics as well. Some forced vanilla flavor as well which is mellowed by some milk chocolate and bready malt. The added vanilla flavor seems to kill this brew. While not as fake tasting as Leine's fireside nut brown, it seems to go down the same path. Seems to be a bit grainy in the end with a slight hop bitterness. Moderate feel with tingly carbonation, pretty much starts sweet and finishes sweet. There is a nice earthy quality to this brew that bring some balance but the added vanilla presence tastes not natural. Kind of a gimmicky brew.
Jun 28, 2009
Photo of wiseguy142
Reviewed by wiseguy142 from New York

3.34/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Had this at the 2009 CNY Brewfest and thought it was pretty tasty, decided to pick up a bottle. Bottle says brewed both with vanilla beans and flavoring, which is disappointing but economical. Probably would be about 10x more expensive if it was all vanilla beans so I guess I can't complain.

Pours a perfectly clear brown, like brown stained glass. Thin smoky head dies down fairly quickly but sticks around for some good, very solid lacing around the glass.

Aroma is a great mix of almost smokey brown malt, pure vanilla, and coffee. I think the coffee does it for me in terms of appeal and adds a great amount of complexity to the aroma. Like smelling a cappucino.

Taste is just a bit watery at first and too dextrinous. The coffee and roasted barley flavors aren't as apparent in the taste at all. Tastes a little more like watery vanilla syrup. Not bad, but could use some british-ifying with some gypsum, a tougher bite from the roasted malt, etc. Something to back up the great vanilla flavor.

Mouthfeel is dextrins and nothing else. A little wrong for this beer I think. You'd also think that you'd get tired of the strong vanilla flavor after a while but it's not bad. Not too sweet and the flavor stays appealing throughout the beer.
Feb 15, 2009
Photo of americanbeerbuzz
Reviewed by americanbeerbuzz from New York

4.72/5  rDev +43%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
It pours a light brown almost brown sugar color. The smell is strong vanilla but white chocolate comes through in the taste. Not much head and seems to taste more vanilla as it warms a bit. It has some roasty bite like the aftertaste of a coffee bean towards the bottom of the last few sips. I drank it very fast and will definitely drink another.
Feb 13, 2009
Vanilla Bean Brown Ale from Landmark Beer Company
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 36 ratings