Honey Brown
Quidi Vidi Brewery

Honey BrownHoney Brown
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From:
Quidi Vidi Brewery
 
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Style:
American Amber / Red Lager
ABV:
5%
Score:
74
Avg:
2.99 | pDev: 20.4%
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
25
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 07, 2018
Added:
Jul 26, 2003
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  2
Quidi Vidi Honey Brown ale is created with a precise combination of Chocolate Malt and Crystal Malts, then embellished with the richness of honey and gentle hopping.

This rich, brown ale is well balanced and smooth.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by QXSTER1:
Photo of QXSTER1
Reviewed by QXSTER1 from Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Agressive beers are not marketable in the far north, but smoothness rules. Honey Brown is as smooth as they come. Pours a nice golden brown with a wisp of a head and no nose to speak of. The taste is the aforementioned smoothness with a hint of sweetness from the honey. This beer is so middle of the road that nothing really jumps out to grab your attention.
Nothing offensive about this brew, but nothing to make me want to drink another either.
Jul 26, 2003
More User Ratings:
Photo of johnnnniee
Reviewed by johnnnniee from New Hampshire

3.38/5  rDev +13%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Second beer with my meal and better than the first but not by much. Amber with a bit of bubbly off white head. Light caramel and a bit of sugary maybe its honey with some faint earthy hop to counter. Sitting in a restaurant on the French Shore in Newfoundland with country music coming through the speakers overhead and 3 tables around me speaking french is a bit of a culture clash. Drink up the bar is calling.
Jul 07, 2018
 
Rated: 3.5 by paulish from New York

Jul 10, 2017
Photo of Borbly
Reviewed by Borbly from Canada ()

3.4/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Pours a light amber body with a slight amount of head that quickly decays. On the nose, crackery malt, with some faint caramel signature and a bit of a rice-like note. On the palate, those adjunct tones are fully realized, with the cracker characteristic coming back in full force alongside a faintly floral honeyed texture. Caramelized tones persist on the finish, though I can't say it is the most pleasant finish out there. Overall a fairly good quality beer and probably in the upper half of QV offerings.
Jul 03, 2017
 
Rated: 3.31 by Erik-P from Canada (BC)

Oct 04, 2016
 
Rated: 3.18 by Grogsky from Canada ()

Apr 06, 2016
 
Rated: 1.25 by ZOSO2192 from New York

Mar 30, 2014
 
Rated: 3.25 by Erniehoppyhung from Canada (QC)

Aug 26, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by joemcgrath27 from Canada (AB)

Aug 22, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by lgmol from Canada (NS)

Jul 26, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by cam477 from Canada ()

Jun 20, 2013
 
Rated: 3.25 by DerekMorgan from Massachusetts

Mar 12, 2013
 
Rated: 4 by ahugenerd from Canada ()

Dec 16, 2011
Photo of CrazyMike
Reviewed by CrazyMike from Canada (AB)

3.35/5  rDev +12%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Golden-amber appearance with moderate head that disappears quickly. Sweet, honey smell with a hint of grain and caramel.

Taste is similar to the smell, has a honey/caramel sweetness with hint of malt and apples. Fairly balanced and crisp beer but sometimes overly sweet. Light-medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Aftertaste is sweet and dry.

Overall, not a bad beer. Good combination of tastes and easily drinkable. Worth a try if your into honey flavored beers.
Feb 14, 2011
Photo of biboergosum
Reviewed by biboergosum from Canada (AB)

3.37/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
341ml bottle, part of the 'Drink Locally' (heh) Newfie marketing shtick...

This beer pours a clear, medium golden colour, with two fingers of foamy white head, which leaves a low meniscus of lace around the glass in its wake. It smells of sweet honey, field flowers, and mild grain. The taste is more semi-sweet honey, and some biscuity caramel malt. The carbonation is moderate, and a bit prickly at times, the body well weighted, and generally smooth, a slight bit edgy. It finishes with a stronger focus on the grain, but still with the honeyed sweetness straining for attention.

Well, this is definitely an anomaly amongst that most prevalent of Canadian brewing styles - it actually has a big honey presence. On the other hand, I see nothing to warrant the "Brown" in the name, especially in the way it looks. Can't win 'em all, I guess.
Jan 09, 2011
Photo of Noxious26
Reviewed by Noxious26 from Canada (SK)

2.32/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 1.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5
341ml brown bottle with twist-off cap poured in a pint glass. Part of a sampler 6 pack purchased at Willow Park in Regina.

Doesn't really look all that brown. More of a gold (maybe dark gold) colour and clear. Lots of carbonation streams but little head. Off white head is big 1.5 inches on the pour, but it all but disappears almost immediately.

Aroima is very sweet. Carame malts and honey.

Very sweet with a little malt profile. Long wet finish. Caramel at the start, astringent in the middle, honey sweet in the finish.

Light-medium bodied with lots of carbonation.

This style is supposed to be sweet and easy drinking. This beer is overly sweet and below average overall quality. There are better honey browns to be had.
Sep 04, 2010
Photo of oakbluff
Reviewed by oakbluff from Canada (MB)

1.9/5  rDev -36.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 1.5
Pours very light yellow with decent head. Nose- grain, sweet malts. Taste- watery thin sugar water. Stale bread. Carbonation on the low side. No discernable hops, and no body to speak of. Not much say about this beer. Makes sleemans honey brown look good.
Jul 16, 2010
Photo of wordemupg
Reviewed by wordemupg from Canada (AB)

2.58/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
341ml bottle poured into pint glass may25 2010

A clear golden yellow with a fast falling thumbs width of head that left no lace

S some sweet grains and a slightly metallic smell that's not so good

T as it smells but with just a little skunk, again not the best honey ale I've had

M enough carbonation to fluff it up just a tad, nothing offensive here but nothing special either

D nothing worth bragging about, I finished it but I wasn't upset this was the only one in the mixed pack

I wouldn't go looking for this if I were you, just a plain old honey flavored beer that failed to impress me in any area
May 25, 2010
Photo of biegaman
Reviewed by biegaman from Canada (ON)

2.71/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
This beer has the same shiny, coppery tone as a spanking brand-new penny. Its light auburn colour seems a great fit for fall-time fashion. Bubbles are on display. There is a fairly good head although the spot directly in the center lay bare; a satellite of connective tissue envelops the trim to join the froth of both sides somewhere just above surface level.

The brewery does add honey; you just wouldn't know it from the smell. What little comes through with warming makes clear that whatever honey went into this was not some proud, locally produced wild honey but rather the corn syrupy stuff that comes out of those plastic bottles shaped like bears. (Note: it turns out to be Billy Bee brand.)

This may have a little more colour than the brewery's other lagers but it doesn't have any more flavour. Apart from the corn syrup, err, honey, and a hint of whole grain crouton there isn't much by way of taste. I cannot possibly imagine what their Honey Brown Light would have tasted like or, better yet, how it might be any different?

The mouthfeel is accordingly lifeless, flat and somewhat syrupy. The beer isn't as sweet as you'd think but I could see this becoming quite cloying if I don't get to the bottom of the glass before it starts to warm up. Macro lager drinkers should find it plenty drinkable although I bet they, like me, would prefer either the QV or Eric's Red instead.

Honey Browns are as Canadian as beavers, moose and maple syrup; our brewers seem to love this style as much as hockey and for the life of me I can't figure out why. Sure, I may have found one or two decent enough offerings but for the most part this is as pointless a beer "style" as any - and this beer is proof of that.
Mar 11, 2010
Photo of ThatWineGuy
Reviewed by ThatWineGuy from Canada (ON)

3.21/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Classic auburn hue and very clear; white head is thin and settles to a stagnant pool etched atop the beer. Gentle persistent small bubble carbonation with very good regeneration a good sign. Moderate ribbon lace. The smell is lacking, at least not offensive, just not much there.

This honey brown was not as sweet as I expected although the aftertaste of honey lingers in a pretty good way. This is not one of my favourite styles so I was pleased to see the sweetness toned down. Thin body and crisp mouthfeel lend refreshment value and makes it on the easy drinking side. Hops don't make much of an impression, malt bill blends nicely with subtle honey flavours. Decent honey brown, worth a try.
Jan 31, 2010
Honey Brown from Quidi Vidi Brewery
Beer rating: 74 out of 100 with 25 ratings