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The Brown Note
Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse
- From:
- Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse
- Kentucky, United States
- Style:
- English Brown Ale
Ranked #35 - ABV:
- 5%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #20,342 - Avg:
- 3.79 | pDev: 10.82%
- Reviews:
- 115
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 15, 2023
- Added:
- Apr 23, 2012
- Wants:
- 14
- Gots:
- 131
The brown ale to end all brown ales. Enjoy it, because there is no longer any reason to drink another. You’ve reached the pinnacle. A healthy blend of traditional British malts give this popular style a semi-sweet, biscuity, slightly roasted flavor. Oats thicken the mouthfeel, and a handful of specialty malts add complex chocolate, toffee, and caramel notes. The hops are mostly traditional, earthy British hops, but we cocked it up a bit with some Cascade late in the boil just to show those snooty Brits that we don’t approve of that Constitutional Monarchy crap.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by jwc215:
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona
4.03/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.03/5 rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours slightly hazed light brown. A thin, fading tan head leaves some lacing.
The smell is of brown sugar, cocoa powder, caramel/toffee. Robust malty nose.
The taste is of brown sugar, cocoa, nuts, toffee/caramel. Sweet malt balanced by a subtle sour-ish earthy tone in the finish.
Malty smooth. Soft to medium carbonation.
A rich malty brown ale. Pricey (over 15 for the bomber).
I didn't care for the label on the bottle. I really don't want to picture feces as I'm drinking a brown ale.
Mar 16, 2015The smell is of brown sugar, cocoa powder, caramel/toffee. Robust malty nose.
The taste is of brown sugar, cocoa, nuts, toffee/caramel. Sweet malt balanced by a subtle sour-ish earthy tone in the finish.
Malty smooth. Soft to medium carbonation.
A rich malty brown ale. Pricey (over 15 for the bomber).
I didn't care for the label on the bottle. I really don't want to picture feces as I'm drinking a brown ale.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by mvanaskie13 from Pennsylvania
4.12/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.12/5 rDev +8.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into narrow imperial pint glass: color is brown, a little dense, head is tan with dense/fine head, head presents 1+ fingers thick, head lingers very well with a solid 1/4 inch top and lacing on the glass sides.
Smell is nutty, toffee, subtle cocoa, coffee, and earth, hops are low but light grass and herbal note.
Taste is a little sweeter with toffee, cocoa, coffee forward, nutty and biscuit middle tasting, earth, herbal and grassy hops.
Mouthfeel is lower/moderate carbonation, moderate sweetness, lower bitterness.
Overall an excellent english brown ale - maybe a little on the sweeter side, but solid malt depth through the aroma and flavor.
Dec 15, 2023Smell is nutty, toffee, subtle cocoa, coffee, and earth, hops are low but light grass and herbal note.
Taste is a little sweeter with toffee, cocoa, coffee forward, nutty and biscuit middle tasting, earth, herbal and grassy hops.
Mouthfeel is lower/moderate carbonation, moderate sweetness, lower bitterness.
Overall an excellent english brown ale - maybe a little on the sweeter side, but solid malt depth through the aroma and flavor.
Reviewed by ShrinerMcBitey from Florida
3.9/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.9/5 rDev +2.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
First I think it’s a porter not a brown ale. Tastes of chocolate, malt, biscuity, smoke. The smoke is a bit too harsh and lingers. I won’t buy again but that doesn’t mean it’s not a quality product that many others will enjoy.
Nov 18, 2023Reviewed by Griffin2 from Virginia
3.79/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 16 oz can into a shaker pint glass.
L - Pours a dark brown with a slight khaki head.
S - Smells of coffee and chocolate.
T - Tastes of bakers chocolate, coffee and nuts.
F - Medium to full bodied with carbonation on the lighter side.
O - I've been meaning to try this one forever, but rarely run into cans. It's a very tasty brown ale, despite the weird label.
Nov 14, 2023L - Pours a dark brown with a slight khaki head.
S - Smells of coffee and chocolate.
T - Tastes of bakers chocolate, coffee and nuts.
F - Medium to full bodied with carbonation on the lighter side.
O - I've been meaning to try this one forever, but rarely run into cans. It's a very tasty brown ale, despite the weird label.
Reviewed by AdmiralOzone from Minnesota
3.78/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.78/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Pours a clear deep dark brown with a reddish tint. Thick tan head leaves spotty lacing. Aroma is toasted caramel malt, roasted nuts, coffee and chocolate. Flavor follows the nose, a touch sweet up front. Feel is on the lighter side of medium bodied with ample carbonation. Overall, a fine brown ale with artwork on the odd side to say the least.
Aug 22, 2023Reviewed by Dinglehacker from Wisconsin
4.49/5 rDev +18.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.49/5 rDev +18.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Poured tall can into shaker pint:
Look: Persistent creamy beige head, a surprisingly light, amber body.
Smell: Sweet nutty malts, cream.
Taste: Follows with a general roastiness, some suble hop spice. Roasted nuts as it warms.
Feel: Medium with a lil bit of carb bite.
If you prefer a more balanced, less hop forward brown from an American brewery, this is a decent example. Also, look at that art, man just l o o k.
Sep 24, 2022Look: Persistent creamy beige head, a surprisingly light, amber body.
Smell: Sweet nutty malts, cream.
Taste: Follows with a general roastiness, some suble hop spice. Roasted nuts as it warms.
Feel: Medium with a lil bit of carb bite.
If you prefer a more balanced, less hop forward brown from an American brewery, this is a decent example. Also, look at that art, man just l o o k.
Reviewed by Cdriver0414 from Kentucky
5/5 rDev +31.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
5/5 rDev +31.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
One of my all time favorite beers and definitely my favorite brown ale. Burnt toffee, chocolate, and caramel maltiness that is easy drinking yet packs a punch. Can't recommend this one enough
Mar 21, 2022Rated by ckaplanmd from New York
4.55/5 rDev +20.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.55/5 rDev +20.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
love the smooth dark chocolate taste and feel
Jan 25, 2022Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana
3.85/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
16oz can BBD 17/11/21 poured into a shaker pint at fridge temp 5.8% ABV. The beer pours bright light brown with chestnut highlights and light brown head. The head recedes to a thin ring and partial layer of bubbles. The aroma is mild with bittersweet chocolate and dark roasted coffee. The taste is bittersweet chocolate, dark roasted, nearly smokey, malt all with a slight tang. Mild to moderate bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, tasty in all but the can art.
Nov 13, 2021
The Brown Note from Against The Grain Brewery & Smokehouse
Beer rating:
85 out of
100 with
500 ratings
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