Brown Ale
New Knoxville Brewing Company

At first glance this beer seemed like it might redeem itself from the last time I attempted to taste it at the brewery's tasting room about a year ago. It failed miserably to do so. I'm not sure what is wrong over at NKBC, but it's a shame because a strong local brewery like the last version of NKBC would get my fervent support. I just can't condone any beer this poorly done local or not.. I don't know if it is contamination issues, the recipes or something else, but their beers are terrible on tap or bottled. I'm actually shocked this incarnation of the co. is still operating. A: med brown with a med level carbonation and head. S: Smells of metallic spiced soap T: Tastes like metallic soap with hints of what I imagine bat guano/manure would taste like. Just awful, I couldn't finish the pint. Mouthfeel was hard to rate as I couldn't hold the beer in my mouth long enough due to the taste. D: Non existent as one horrible beer should not begat another. I wish I could chalk up the low quality of these beers to only one problem that could be addressed, but I just can't. The bottles of trad. pale ale had major overcarbonation problems the last time I tried them, and the draft is equally foul. If only an experienced talented brewer would come to Knoxville to correct what is dreadfully wrong on the outskirts of the Old City. Knoxville needs a quality microbrewery desperately and the market is here to support one. Breweries in the region like Depot Street and Highland are so far superior to the New Knoxville Brews it's not funny.

I thought this beer was drinkable at first sip, but it became more and more disgusting with each swallow. It was overly hopped with bizarre malt undertones and a hugely overriding metallic taste. It tasted like the NKB pale ale with brown food coloring. Had an acceptable head but a flat color (no ruby richness as one would expect).

Brown ales (of any variety) are my favorite style, and although there are few perfect browns out there, I can still usually session most of them. I wouldn't ever drink another one of these, not even to find out if something was wrong with this one, lest I risk having the same taste fiasco again.

We've been trying to figure out what is wrong with all the NKB beers, and aside from poor craftsmanship, it must be the water. I've tasted some other small midwestern beers that had similar bad tastes which we attributed to poor water quality.

Hand Bottled 12 oz

Extremely fruity aroma lots of candied apple, pear and some sweetish malts. Opaque brown with a wispy dime thin head. Fore is oddly big on alcohol flavor and fairly bitter. Oily peanut skin flavors and white fruits appear in the finish. This fellow is odd, but I give it credit for a solid palate for a brown ale.

Tried on tap at Barley's Taproom per bartender recomendation. Bland for a brown ale. Had some Coka-cola characteristics in flavor and appearance. Malts were weak, allowing a 'twang' that is too pronounced for style. The body was watery and the aftertaste was grainy and bitter. The bartender asked my opinion, and I told him....then he gives me a free Brown ale. This time cask conditioned. This is the one I am rating.

The body was smoother and creamier. The sweetness was amplified by the oak. Broght out good caramel and toffee flavors. It took the rough edges off of the hops and fermentation flavors. Turned out to be a fine beer, but you must have it on Cask.

This was on cask at Barley's in Knoxville. The beer was a nice brown color with some red detected. The aroma was a little bland, not much to go on, maybe a touch of malt. The flavor was very nice, though, with a solid maltiness that was dominant without being overwhelming and cloying, as well as a little hint of complex sweetness that seemed a little different than malt - perhaps it was caramel, or toffee-like, but it seemed a little more "special" than that. The mouthfeel seemed a bit weak, esp. for a cask-conditioned ale, but overall this was highly drinkable and enjoyable.