Bandit Brown
City Star Brewing Company

 

I had this in a pub with a Reuben and fries, and that's exactly the setting I see it working in. It's light and a little thin, but that's precisely why it pairs so well with pub fare. Very light coffee notes and red fruit. A good 6-pack beer. Nothing mind-blowing but nice.

 

 

 

 

a tasty but in some ways unremarkable brown ale here from city star. nothing wrong with it, not at all, but it just sort of seems to me to be another brown. nothing too distinct or unique about it, just comfortable and well within what we all expect from the style. it has a little haze to it, making it look a bit darker than it really is, and holding on to a half inch of tan head. the nose on it is nice, decent proportion of chocolate malt in there, and a nice dry character, a sign of mature and patient fermentation. the flavors are all there, some cocoa notes, a little bit of roasted barley for bitter balance, but not over the top. a sweet creamy caramel middle is also nice. the body is a little thin on it, but the bubbles are there and the finish is nice and clean. i tend to dislike browns that finish sweet, and this one certainly doesnt. i dont know what else these guys make, but i assume its of similarly high quality. i just hope they get a little more inventive with things, it seems they have the basics covered, at least judging by this brown ale.