Brown Ale
Florida Avenue Brewing Co.

 

Poured a copper brown body with minimal head. Slightly roasted malt aroma with hints of caramel sweetness coming through. Smooth, herbal, dirty dry hoppiness overpowers a minimal caramel sweetness and a dry, more floral/crisp finish than dry malts. Balanced beer but more of a hoppy brown ale then a standard brown with large malt base.

 

 

12 oz can from Florida; Brewed and canned by Brew Bus Brewing in 2018.
Pours clear but very dark reddish brown. Good beige head.
A bit more earthy hops in the aroma than dark malts. This is reversed in the excellent flavor; although the hop load is still quite obvious, most of the bold flavor comes from a generous loads of roasted grains. Well balanced. Mildly bitter. Some very dark roasted grain evident but minimal burnt toast and no char.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure where the name comes from. I asked at the bar but the bartender just pointed to a sign with the name "Betchy" at the top and "Nut Brown Ale" below. She was kind of a Hawaiian-type lass laid across a few barrels, and I couldn't tell if it was an old ad with the Cold Storage logo added in atop the barrels or if they'd had it done. Perhaps "Betchy" is a real bitch. Anyway...

...a brown ale it is for sure. It's hard to determine what exactly the color was as the lighting in the tasting room isn't set-up for such activities, but it appeared a mainly clear russet or mahogany brown beneath a creamy head of tan froth. The head retention was pretty good, and it left some very nice lacing behind.

The aroma was like deeply roasted cocoa, and toast that was just about to burn.

The flavor offered more depth with chocolate and nuts, and creamy coffee, as well as a wide base of golden caramel. It was rich, but not sweet; and perfectly balanced. Some minor floral and grassy hops appeared across the middle and into the drying finish alongside a suggestion of roastiness.

In the mouth it delicately bristled with a fine-bubbled carbonation that warmed to leave its medium-full body somewhat creamy and smooth.

Overall, quite a nice brown ale. It's rich without being over-done, and the edge of dark malt roastiness gives it a unique quality. Well worth trying.

Arrives a deep, garnet reddish brown. Clear with a 1" head of light tan creamy foam perched atop. Retention isn't great but the lacing is.
Smell is roasted/toasted malts, caramel, cardboard and a hint of smoke.
Taste is toasty, almost burnt malt, hops, coffee and caramel (light).
Medium-full body with an astringency to it. Drying finish with a smoky/burnt toast/malt aftertaste. Light effervescence. Slight coating on the palate. Overall, a solid brew and one worth drinking again.