Batch No. 4 Brown Ale
Olde Richmond Beer Company

Batch No. 4 Brown AleBatch No. 4 Brown Ale
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From:
Olde Richmond Beer Company
 
Virginia, United States
Style:
American Brown Ale
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
85
Avg:
3.71 | pDev: 12.4%
Reviews:
20
Ratings:
24
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 04, 2014
Added:
Apr 19, 2007
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  2
No description / notes.
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Rated: 2 by RBorsato from Virginia

Mar 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by avisong from Virginia

Apr 18, 2012
 
Rated: 3.75 by thegerm87 from Massachusetts

Mar 11, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by tryhansen from Virginia

Mar 04, 2012
Photo of rudolphjacksonm
Reviewed by rudolphjacksonm from Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
A - Rich espresso color, almost black. When held up to light you can see a very faint redness even though it's nearly opaque. Has a nice tan head with a little bit of lacing 4.0

S - Heavy malt nose with a hint of brown sugar and chocolate. 3.5

T - Bitter malt and espresso flavor with molasses undertones. 3.5

M - Smooth mouthfeel with medium-thick body. Little carbonation. 4.0

O - Solid brown ale from Richmond, VA. I think this may even be better than Legend's Brown Ale, though it's hard to say when I don't have them both side by side. I think this beer is FAR better on-tap but few places have it. In the bottle though, I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5. I'll re-review it once I get the chance to have it on-tap.
Nov 10, 2011
Photo of Rhettroactive
Reviewed by Rhettroactive from Virginia

3.56/5  rDev -4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
From 22oz bomber to Bruges hyrid glass on 8/23/11
*From notes

-- Bottled purchased at the Wine Gourmet in Roanoke, VA --

A: Absolutely lovely dark brown. A good pour yields a beautiful 1.75 head that's bubbly and creamy. Decent lacing follows.

S: Like a classic brown ale. Slightly nutty, roasty and malty.

T: Pretty laid back. Not a whole lot to get excited about until the finish, where the nuttiness and a slightly toasty essence kicks in.

M: A bit oily, though I find this to be the case with a lot of brown ales. In comparison to others in style, it's above average. As it warms, the body opens up and feels a bit more creamy and robust.

O: Olde Richmond's Batch No. 4 Brown Ale is a very traditional, yet well assembled beer. No real frills, just proper execution of a classic style. To those looking for a lesson on the the foundations of a brown, look no further.
Aug 31, 2011
Photo of gc4hokies
Reviewed by gc4hokies from Virginia

4.03/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is the second Olde Richmond beer I've had and my conclusion is that they are having a difficult time in characterizing their beers.

The IPA that I had was not a bad beer, for a pale ale. Definitely not what the average beer person would call an IPA.

This beer is clearly a Porter. Pours jet black with an cream colored head. Nice color. If you hold it up to a lamp, you can see faint red color.

Aroma is pleasant roasted malt with a hint of licorice.

Taste is a roasty, nutty flavor with licorice and coffee notes.
Mouthfeel is substantial, creamy. Not sure the OG on this.

Overall, this is a very nice beer. I expect that if you were expecting a brown ale, you might be surprised. If you go into this expecting a Porter, you won't be disappointed.

I enjoyed it (much more than the IPA) and will buy again. $4 for a 22 ounce.
Jul 17, 2011
Photo of merlin48
Reviewed by merlin48 from Kentucky

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Blurb on the 22 ounce bottle says that this dark brown ale is an attempt to replicate the efforts of early Virginia brewers. Guess that explains why it looks like a porter. Pours a deep chestnut brown, opaque essentially. Small light brown head that retains well and leaves some sticky lace on the glass.

Aroma opens with dark chocolate and fruity(mostly red apple)hops. Notes of roasted coffee and grapefruit hops join in.

Mouthfeel has a solid medium body with an ideal moderate carbonation.

Tastes like a hoppy porter. Dark chocolate with a subtle roasted coffee presence, balanced by grapefruity hops and an earthy bitterness. Ripe red cherries add an interesting element I've picked up in good stouts. Some almond nuttiness steers things back to a suggestion of a brown ale. Finishes with a dry hop earthiness and a dark chocolate aftertaste.

Interesting dark ale here, to be sure. Tasty and very drinkable, it comes off as a good hoppy porter by my estimation.
Jul 24, 2010
Photo of tchenery
Reviewed by tchenery from Virginia

4.02/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Poured into a pint glass. You definitely can't see any light coming through this brown ale. It looks very stout-like. Has a nice off-white head lacing around the glass, which maintains throughout.

It smells roasty and of chocolate. Not too pungent. Tastes much like it smells. Very roasty, chocolatey, with a hint of dark fruitiness. It's pretty delicious. It leaves your mouth a little dry and has a dark chocolate aftertaste.

I will most definitely buy this again. I was a little skeptical of it's dark color compared to other browns, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's very approachable but at the same time very unique.
May 10, 2010
Photo of TMoney2591
Reviewed by TMoney2591 from Illinois

3.68/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Served in a Devil's Backbone pint glass.

Not that it has anything to do with anything, but the theme from "Tiny Toon Adventures" is playing in the background as I begin this review. Now, when they call this bad boy "brown", they mean it, dammit: not much light is passing through what I can only describe as black bordering on brown. To be fair, it's only a 75 Watt bulb, but it's still a pretty dark brew. I want to help it find the peace and the star...whatever the hell that means (A Perfect Circle is playing now...). I take a mighty whiff and all really get is an assload of wheat, not much else at all. I was expecting more maltiness, more syrup, more anything, but only wheat comes through to me. Maybe it's just me. I dunno. A darker version of this comes through in the taste. It's like what Mark Knopfler puts forth ("Sultans of Swing" is kicking my ass right now) about "Guitar George": "It's strictly rhythm: he doesn't wanna make it cry or sing." Indeed, dark wheat and not much else populate the flavor profile. It's not bad, but not very unique or interesting either. The same feeling is experienced during the bridge: The feel is very ordinary Brown, with a decent amount of carbonation, a generally smooth texture, and a relatively dry finish. "We are the Sultans of Swing." You may play some good enough guitar, but I'm not sure I'm gonna seek you out when next you play. Not that I'll avoid you, but I won't be ironing your patch onto my denim any time soon, either.
May 05, 2010
Photo of tempest
Reviewed by tempest from New York

3.88/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
On-tap at the Capital Ale House in Richmond, VA. Had a pint right after the Legends Brown, which made for a nice comparison. The No. 4 is a thicker, slightly richer beer with a lot more candy chocolate flavor and only a little roast. Different, but still a fine American brown ale. It was a nice post dinner brew as I enjoyed this after a bowl of mussels and plate of frites.
Mar 03, 2010
Photo of ArrogantDeadGuy
Reviewed by ArrogantDeadGuy from Virginia

3.33/5  rDev -10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
A: Pours a rich coffee color with a sparse head.
Hints of bittersweet chocoloate. Good lace.

S: Weak aroma leaving the upcoming flavor a
guess. I'm okay with surprises.

T: Tastes of the aforemenitoned coffee and
chocolate,but not sweet, very "robustish".

M: Good body, you're definately drinkin' some-
thing but it's not particularly heavy or
light. Good balance on this one.

D: Nice drinkability, smooth going down with
a good balance of sweet and savory. Very
pleasant
May 07, 2009
Photo of clayrock81
Reviewed by clayrock81 from Florida

3.78/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a tawny brown with sheath lacing down the mug and a frothy one-finger tan head. A mild malt smell of roasted malts and chocolate. A heavier bodied brown ale than most, and is smooth and creamy with a good dose of roasted, coffee and hints of sweet chocolate and caramel (maybe some toffee also) that lead to a bittersweet and dry finish (a little too dry for my liking). Hops are kept to a minimum. A nice brown ale that was a change of pace. Could have this again on tap.
Dec 18, 2008
Photo of argock
Reviewed by argock from Virginia

4.01/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4
Poured from 22oz brown bomber into a clear pint glass. No freshness date.

A: Beautiful deep brown with ruby edges and cake-top tan 1-finger head with crowns of lacing.

S: Prominent aromas are cocoa, roasted malt, molasses, and a bit of leafy, tobacco hops.

T: An extremely flavorful brown ale with supremely malted flavor of chocolate, cocoa, roasted malts with a hint of acrid burned dark malt, and a surprising amount of leafy, tobacco-tinged hops flavor that is not overbearing.

M: A full-bodied brown ale which belies the hefty malt load in this beauty. It's hard to think of a brown ale that is as mouth-filling. Pleasant cocoa, toasted malt aftertaste. Carbonation is also exceptionally well-done.

D: A well-crafted brown ale that is clearly made with extraordinary care and attention. Much better in the bottle as warming accentuates the roasted and cocoa flavors.
Oct 09, 2008
Photo of FenwaySquid
Reviewed by FenwaySquid from Florida

4.03/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Presentation: 22 oz. bomber bottle, no dating that I could find, poured into a pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a deep dark brown color, almost completely opaque but not quite. The head formed small, barely a finger's worth, and faded to some lacing.

Aroma: Chocolate malts with a nutty background.

Taste: Toasted malts and milk chocolate up front and through the middle, some hops come through then but they're faint and I couldn't place them. The finish is bitter and chocolatey, lingering nicely.

Mouthfeel: medium boded, smooth and almost creamy. The carbonation tingled the tongue nicely.

Overall: According to the back of the bottle, this recipe was intended to recreate what one would have found during Revolutionary times. Sometimes I wonder what our founding fathers would think if they saw how the majority has left fine brews like this behind for the fizzy yellow stuff, but I digress. This is a tough find, but if you can I highly recommend grabbing some.
Aug 13, 2008
Photo of Seanibus
Reviewed by Seanibus from California

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
This is a really good beer, though I think it comes off more like a porter than a brown ale. But so it goes.

Pours a mellow black with a slight head. The smell is strong with a heavy dark malt smell. The flavor is dark, rich, and entirely porter-like. The mouthfeel is surprisingly thin for such a rich color and flavor and rolls off the tongue nicely. Very drinkable.
Aug 09, 2008
Photo of ChainGangGuy
Reviewed by ChainGangGuy from Georgia

3.26/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Appearance: Pours a dark brown body with a small, wispy, off-white head.

Smell: Altogether mild aroma, but there are some notes present smelling of walnuts, a single drop of chocolate, and a splash of black tea.

Taste: Roasted nuts and a teaspoon of table sugar. The vaguest hints of chocolate and caramel. Very, very light bitterness interrupts, then it's back to the nuts.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Drinkability: Ah, nuts!
Jun 03, 2008
Photo of Proteus93
Reviewed by Proteus93 from Virginia

4/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Tried this on a tasting this evening at the Beer Run here in C'ville, and it was one of two that were intriguing enough to take home a bottle of to review more in depth

A: A VERY dark brown... getting closer to black. Maybe a little dark for a brown ale, maybe not, but it looks nice enough. A pale tan head, rather creamy, with a decent retention.

S: Some caramel notes, along with a toasty malt and even a touch of nuttiness - similar to cashew.

T: Toasted malt grains, light coffee-like or chicory notes, even a touch of a milk chocolate flavour in there. Some of the same nuttiness as noted in the aroma.

M: A decently smooth and semi-dry finish. A nice, moderate aftertaste that makes for a good finish.

D: Pleasant, and an easy drinker with a pretty average ABV. This could make for a nice choice for a session brew. A nice brown, and worth picking up a bomber.
Apr 23, 2008
Photo of PhageLab
Reviewed by PhageLab from Virginia

3.98/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
22oz bottle purchased from the St George brewery. Poured into a standard pint glass.

A - Black coloration that shines a dark amber in the light. Produced a two fingertip head that eventually settled to a thin layer of froth, riding all the way down. Spotted lacing.

S - Sweet chestnut notes, dark malts, caramel and slight hints of chocolate.

T - Surprisingly hoppy and extremely dry. Well balanced. Malty backbone and the chocolate shines through slightly in the aftertaste. Bitterness is present yet mild. Pretty tasty overall.

M - Dry finish, no residues left over, and a nice carbonation level.

D - Very good, I could easily make a night with this brew. It's always great to have a hometown beer as good as this. If you see it around don't hesitate to grab one.
Jan 28, 2008
Photo of MuenchenerKindl
Reviewed by MuenchenerKindl from Germany

4.13/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from a bomber to a big glass mug the liquid is dark brown to black and has very nice carbonation. The head is brown 3 finger tall and leaves all kinds of great lace white fading slowly to a thick pad of crust.

The smell is good roasty toasty malt with a nice balancing hop.

The taste follows and deliver very much in complexity, toast with peach jam, coffee with cream. Say I will look for this again.

The mouthfeel is good better then medium body and great carbonation.

The drinkability is also good, a very nice beer. It's biggest fault is that it is not a huge stout. True to style this beer is very good. Prosit MK
Dec 03, 2007
Batch No. 4 Brown Ale from Olde Richmond Beer Company
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 24 ratings