Indian Brown Ale
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

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From:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
 
Delaware, United States
Style:
American Brown Ale
Ranked #26
ABV:
7.2%
Score:
91
Ranked #6,464
Avg:
4.09 | pDev: 10.76%
Reviews:
2,105
Ratings:
6,281
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 31, 2024
Added:
Aug 07, 2001
Wants:
  393
Gots:
  1,286
Also known as Indian Brown Dark IPA

Forget about the car companies, this is the original hybrid. A cross between a Scotch Ale, an India Pale Ale and an American Brown, Indian Brown Ale is well-hopped and malty at the same time (It's magical!).

The beer has characteristics of each style that inspired it: the color of an American Brown, the caramel notes of a Scotch Ale, and the hopping regiment of an India Pale Ale. We dry-hop the Indian Brown Ale in a similar fashion to our 60 Minute IPA and 90 Minute IPA. This beer is brewed with Aromatic barley and organic brown sugar.

50 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Hatch:
Photo of Hatch
Reviewed by Hatch from Kentucky

4.2/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
12oz brown bottle with pry-off cap. Freshness date is on the label. Label reads, "A clean, well-hopped brown ale with aromatic barley, caramelized brown sugar, and whole-leaf Liberty and Goldings hops."

Pours a very, very dark brown. Very thick looking. Forms an off-white head with good retention and leaves some nice lacing. A nice looking brew.

Smells of hop aroma with a very mild spiciness to it, flowery hops, hints of molasses, maybe some hints of roasted malts. Some alcohol undertones but it doesn't get in the way of the other characterisitcs.

Taste of caramelized sugar, some mild sweetness characteristics from the malts, hints of dark chocolate and molasses. Wonderfully balanced with the hops which come in as an earthy/floral boquet. Some mild roasted characteristics. Maybe some hints of dull fruit, if that makes any sense. The alcohol is well hidden and comes in mostly as a complementary warming effect. Aftertaste is slightly bitter with some roastness from the malts. Very nice.

A medium-bodied brew that coats the palate with flavor and complexity that's a little less than thick. A good level of carbonation gives it just the right feel. The higher alcohol percentage doesn't really get in the way of wanting to drink this delicious brew. It's a little dense, so you'd probably get full before you got tired of the taste.

Notes: They say it's a cross between a scotch ale, an IPA, and a brown ale, and as complex as it is, they're about right. It's different than most brown ales out there, that's for sure. The flavors blend great and are nice and balanced. Easy to drink mainly because it's so darned delicious. As of right now it's my favorite from Dogfish Head, and one of my favorites, period.
Jan 25, 2008
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 4.09 by gongfu from Connecticut

Jan 31, 2024
 
Rated: 4.24 by eluvah from New York

Sep 15, 2023
Photo of Shiredave
Reviewed by Shiredave from New York

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Innovative, hybrid style part robust porter, part IPA all Brown Ale.
Deep, chocolate brown with a frothy, pale tan head of sticky foam.
Aroma is brown sugar and leather, chocolate malted milk and whiff of phenolic esters.
Flavor is robust for a brown ale and firmly bittered but not IPA IBU's, full of dark and caramel grain character.
Medium plus body with great balance of sweet and herb bite though a little bit cloying as it warms.
This reminds me of Ubu Ale and Turbo Dog but bigger and better - with a hint of Kick Ass Brown hopiness.
Like most DFH beers, unique, off-style and memorable.
Jun 08, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by seakayak from Massachusetts

Mar 10, 2023
 
Rated: 4.79 by SoundMakesSense from Indiana

Mar 05, 2023
 
Rated: 4.02 by dms1767 from Nebraska

Oct 19, 2022
 
Rated: 3.74 by dan_amdg from Illinois

Feb 12, 2022
Photo of eameslover
Reviewed by eameslover from Michigan

4/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
First time I had ever seen this style...Really good! No joke, I could taste a stout, an IPA (not a lot but some distinctive hops) and a good brown ale. Mostly the first and last but it wasn't entirely one if the aforementioned styles. I really enjoyed it
Apr 28, 2021
 
Rated: 3.75 by BeerRay from Rhode Island

Apr 10, 2021
 
Rated: 4.37 by Dillpickle315 from Colorado

Mar 27, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by carolinabeerguy from North Carolina

Mar 20, 2021
 
Rated: 3.59 by TwilightBeerCareer from Illinois

Mar 20, 2021
 
Rated: 3.5 by Argento from Rhode Island

Mar 20, 2021
 
Rated: 3.58 by carolinared from North Carolina

Mar 19, 2021
 
Rated: 3.98 by emiliobaratta from Venezuela

Mar 04, 2021
 
Rated: 5 by tp1962 from Illinois

Feb 15, 2021
 
Rated: 4.15 by GaryM6 from New York

Jan 28, 2021
 
Rated: 3.68 by Soneast from Wisconsin

Nov 08, 2020
Indian Brown Ale from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Beer rating: 91 out of 100 with 6281 ratings