Apple Brandy Brown
McKenzie Brew House

Several samples during the Kennett Brew Fest...
Appears a hazy dark red toned amber with a small off white head that quickly fizzles out into a thin collar. Spotty bits of lacing are left around the glass.
Smell is of obvious apples, light caramel, mild spicing, vanilla, and fresh grain.
Taste is of the aromas with a standout apple flavor that seems to meld nicely with the malts and fruity flavors.
Mouthfeel is medium bodied, mildly sweet up front, and a tad tangy in the finish

Much thanks to yourefragile for sharing yet another McKenzie growler with me.

Pours a murky reddish brown with a finger's worth of off white head that quickly dissipates to nothing. Once the head receded, it could easily be mistaken for a glass of apple cider.

Smell is mostly apple cider with some hints of vinegar thrown in there for good measure.

Tastes mostly of sweet apples and spices with an alcohol taste in the background... not actually an alcohol burn, as this is only 5%, but I can only assume this is some of the brandy notes coming through. Finish is a little off which may be the vinegar I detected in the aroma.

Mouthfeel is relatively thick and a little grainy for the style but carbonation is pretty low (as advertised). I could probably knock out this whole growler myself, and I wouldn't mind it as this is the most interesting brown ale I've ever had.

Growler shared with a few friends. From the menu... "Our English brown ale aged in barrels previously used for apple brandy. Malty with a cidery apple character and lightly carbonated."

Pours a cidery auburn, hazed and muddy with a sturdy tan colored head that fades to a thick crown and minimal lacing. Aroma is a very pleasant and unique blend of slightly turned and souring apple cider with slightly sweet brandy finish. Not overly complex but persistent and well balanced. Medium bodied with light fine carbonation, very soft and smooth on the palate but fuller bodied than a typical cider. Flavor is dominated by apple, mild vinegar, bread and nuttiness with cinnamon and other spices in the finish. Very easy drinking and easily forgettable when you're not paying close attention to your glass; however it is well balanced and transcends what I expected from the description. Only downside for me is the finish, while long lasting, has a potent stale dry, yeasty flavor which doesn't meld well with the rest of the flavor.