Traverse Brewing Sleeping Bear Brown Ale
Traverse Brewing Company

Traverse Brewing Sleeping Bear Brown AleTraverse Brewing Sleeping Bear Brown Ale
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From:
Traverse Brewing Company
 
Michigan, United States
Style:
English Brown Ale
ABV:
4.5%
Score:
78
Avg:
3.1 | pDev: 21.94%
Reviews:
13
Ratings:
14
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Sep 22, 2012
Added:
Sep 07, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Ratings by Crosling:
Photo of Crosling
Reviewed by Crosling from Colorado

3.68/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Sampled on draught @ Traverse Brewing Company in Williamsburg, Michigan. Ruby color with a creamy head. Diacetyl was present in both the aroma and flavor, but the butter toffee flavors seemed to benefit the beer and blended well with the unique malt character. Bready malt aroma with hints of molasses, caramel, toffee, roast, toasted malts and a light hint of herbs from the hops. Well extracted and well stuctured malt flavor with toasty and roasty tones and hints of chocolate and nutty flavors. I thought this was quite nice.
Apr 30, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.25 by twkirkby from Michigan

Sep 22, 2012
Photo of alexgash
Reviewed by alexgash from Connecticut

1.39/5  rDev -55.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 1 | feel: 1 | overall: 1
Slightly murky, orange brown body with a tight coating of glass-clinging, light sandy head. Fruity malts with cola and toasted sugar. Hmm. Taste is sour and lemon juice. A contaminated mess. Disgusting. Let’s see how the drain pipes in this Old West Side house like it.
Oct 24, 2006
Photo of Frozensoul327
Reviewed by Frozensoul327 from Michigan

2.1/5  rDev -32.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 1.5
A: Medium light brown color. Smaller head of brownish white foam. No lace.

S: Sour malts. Hints of citrus and bland bread.

T: Ugh. Not for me. Very sour grain and husk. Some notes of citrusy hops and wood. What was the brewer going for?

M: Similar to sparkling cider. Kinda bubbly and crisp, but no depth or substance.

D: Nope. Not again.

Notes: I've had far better brown ales. This is not what comes to mind when looking to describe the style. Drain pour, for sure.

THE BLOODHOUND FACTOR: The hounds seemed to dig it, so I guess it wasn't a total bust.
Oct 18, 2006
Photo of iron78
Reviewed by iron78 from Wisconsin

3.35/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Kind of an amber brown. Hazy. Off white head quickly goes to just a ring around the glass.

Pick up mild hint of malt, and a light herbal smell.

The mild taste of the malt is covered by a grassy hop flavor. maybe a touch of citrus also. A hoppy brown.

Decent mouthfeel, but feels a bit fizzy. hmm not sure about that.

Over all, a better than average beer.
Mar 02, 2006
Photo of mentor
Reviewed by mentor from Colorado

3.68/5  rDev +18.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Best before 02/06. Pours a half-finger white-tan head over a clear brown-rust liquid. Smells very mild chocolate and dry. Fuggle grassy hop character and increased as the beer warmed. Taste of rich cocoa. Hint of soured caramelly grains and a dry grassy hop finish. Fuggles or a variant thereof. Md body and moderately carbonated. Easy drinking and well made as a brown ale.
Jan 26, 2006
Photo of HopHeadKen
Reviewed by HopHeadKen from Iowa

3.6/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Thanks to my Valpo friends for passing this on to me; Life is good when you have friends who give you beer !

Pours hazy amber brown with a medium ivory head that soon fades to a thin lacing and ring at the edge of the glass; the bottle retains a thin layer of sediment in the bottom.

The smell is malt and somewhat sweet.

The taste is sweet; malty with carmel and hints of vanilla.
Bitterness is very subtle, no noticeable hop bitterness in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel is medium; this is probably about right for the style;
I did NOT perceive it as thin.

A nice brown ale, drinkable and perhaps a good beer to tempt light lager drinkers into darker styles.
Sep 28, 2005
Photo of Realale
Reviewed by Realale from Missouri

2.61/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Completely clear medium brown with a touch of red. Very fine beige head quickly settles to a thin cap.

Subtle, slighty roasty malt. Some spice, and a touch of fruit, but both so subtle its impossible for me to discern further. Pretty boring stuff.

Thin in the mouth with just a bit of malt and some carbonate notes to add a little bit of interest. Not much here.
Apr 11, 2005
Photo of nortmand
Reviewed by nortmand from Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +27.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured ruby clear brown, quite light compared to other browns with a little bit of white foam. Hint of hop presence in smell, with a light roasted barley character. Taste is dominantly roast, with little hop character.
Very smooth drinking, although slightly over carbonated.
Overall a good beer and on tap at many bars in Michigan's northern lower peninsula, so an excellent macro alternative.
Jun 24, 2004
Photo of proc
Reviewed by proc from Michigan

3.73/5  rDev +20.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
Had this on-tap at the brewery from the hand-pull not from the regular CO2 tap. Pours out to an almost apple cider look in the glass with a malty aroma. Comes through with a fabulous mouthfeel as it is somewhat creamy and smooth. A very good brown ale. I will have to sample the bottle or regular tap version to compare.
Oct 16, 2003
Photo of TheDM
Reviewed by TheDM from Indiana

2.98/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5
This brew poured a transparent dark brown body with a large white head of fine bubbles that was mostly lasting with a very mild malty aroma. It had a fizzy bitter initial taste with a mild bitter finish. I did not much care for the taste of this brew.
Jul 17, 2003
Photo of bobinverted
Reviewed by bobinverted from Michigan

3.34/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
I've had TBC's Sleeping Bear Brown Ale in the past and didn't remember liking it a whole lot. I was at a restaurant the other day and didn't see much else on the beer list so I gave Sleeping Bear Brown Ale another chance. It was better than I remembered, but I'd still say it's only an average American brown ale. It has a very nice aroma and a surprisingly nutty flavor, but it's finish is very dry and astringent. It could be a sweeter and creamier, but it's not bad for a northern Michigan brew.
Jul 14, 2003
Photo of hotstuff
Reviewed by hotstuff from Indiana

2.8/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
When this beer was poured into my glass it poured a head that did not last long. There was not much lacing to speak of. The body was a deep brown. This brew had a bitter taste and a slight aftertaste with it. Not a brew that is going to be at the top of my favorite beers to drink.
Jul 08, 2003
Photo of stoutman
Reviewed by stoutman from Michigan

3/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Very average effort. Head dissipates rapidly, and lacks flavor one would expect from a "brown ale". Beer was good only as a thirst quencher, and proves you can sell anything in a tourist market.
Sep 07, 2002
Traverse Brewing Sleeping Bear Brown Ale from Traverse Brewing Company
Beer rating: 78 out of 100 with 14 ratings