Brewhouse Brown Ale
Real Ale Brewing Company

Brewhouse Brown AleBrewhouse Brown Ale
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From:
Real Ale Brewing Company
 
Texas, United States
Style:
English Brown Ale
Ranked #139
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
81
Ranked #35,635
Avg:
3.58 | pDev: 12.85%
Ratings:
503 | reviews: 240
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 04, 2026
Added:
Dec 17, 2001
Wants:
  10
Gots:
  66
This is one of the three beers that started it all. It was first brewed at our original brewhouse, which was located in the basement of an old antique store in Downtown Blanco. It was a fitting beginning for a brewery dedicated to traditional beer making, and this dark ale epitomizes what we’re all about. Simple and classic. This well-balanced ale features flavors of chocolate and toffee with a smooth, dry finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by beergoot:
Photo of beergoot
Reviewed by beergoot from Colorado

4.29/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Deep, reddish-brown color with a fine, thick off-white head. Fair lacing...

Aroma is rich burnt and roasted malts; hints of tobacco; light coffee...faintly earthy hop notes...

Softly burnt, caramelized sugars at first taste. A fine, medium strength bitterness at the finish. Nicely balanced.

Mostly medium body characteristics. Fine carbonation feels velvety on the tongue. Smooth, somewhat rich finish.

A fine brown ale representation. Full flavored wrapped in a delightful medium body. Sweet but not overly so. Rich and complex...

Another part of my first beer trade with Dolph1979...
Mar 08, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of ttoadee
Rated by ttoadee from Texas

3.6/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
RB transfer
Mar 04, 2026
Photo of Paullybob
Reviewed by Paullybob from Texas

4.06/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Incredible value.
Poured into a tulip-ish glass, this brown ale shows a nice head and hits with pleasant aromas of caramel, coffee, toasted ... pecan? maybe. It tastes crisp, coming in at 5.4% alchohol, and could be an everyday beer (even in Texas summer). It's hard to fault, but it is not a heavy, malt-first brown, which I prefer most of the time. Relative thin, so to speak.
Overall: Very pleasant brown, but not thick and heavy. Priced cheaper than Bud at local grocers here in Central Texas.
Aug 28, 2024
 
Rated: 3.25 by DarrellK from Florida

May 25, 2024
 
Rated: 3.85 by kds2437 from Texas

Mar 15, 2024
Photo of TalDavis
Rated by TalDavis from Texas

4.69/5  rDev +31%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 5
I will make the trip to a specific liquor store to buy this 6-pack, really great brown ale
Oct 14, 2023
Photo of BroBobby70
Reviewed by BroBobby70 from Texas

4.22/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
12 oz. bottle poured into pilsner. $2.09 from HEB
Look: Medium brown. like a watered-down cola; 2-finger tan head, excellent lacing, good carbonation
Smell: Roasted malt, nutty and a little floral
Taste: Malty, hints of chocolate, medium bitterness, roasted coffee finish
Feel: Nice mouthfeel, carbonation is there but not overwhelming,
Overall: A complex beer with a strong flavor, nice smell
Pair with roasts, chocolate, nutty cheese,
Mar 09, 2022
Photo of AltonWayne58
Rated by AltonWayne58 from Texas

3.85/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Dark, brown pour. Thin head. Pleasant flavor, not too bitter or sweet. A good every day beer.
Feb 13, 2022
Photo of Darkmagus82
Reviewed by Darkmagus82 from Texas

3.6/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass
Appearance – The beer pours a brown color with a one finger head of just off white foam. The head has a decent level of retention, slowly fading over time to leave a bit of foamy lace on the sides of the glass.
Smell – The aroma of the brew is strongest toasted brown bread smell mixed with a bit of caramel and some molasses. At the same time there are aromas of some nuttiness as well as a bit of grass and hay.
Taste – The taste begins with a sweeter molasses, toffee, and cane sugar that also has flavors of a nice toasted brown bread flavor. As the taste advances, some flavors of chocolate begin coming to the tongue, beginning out light, but getting stronger as the taste advances. All the while a nuttiness grows in the taste, and the sweeter dwindles a touch. At the end some earthy and hay tastes come to the tongue and leave one with a toasted brown bread and slightly sweeter taste to linger on the tongue.
Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is medium in thickness and creaminess with a carbonation level that is rather medium in nature. A slightly lesser carbonation level may have been slightly better, but all said, the thickness was good and overall, the feel was good.
Overall – A rather decent brown ale. Nothing exceptional, but tasty none the less. One to give a go to at least.
Aug 27, 2020
Photo of Beech105
Reviewed by Beech105 from Missouri

3.43/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from bottle. Reddish brown color. Smelks of chocolate and coffee. Good taste. Good malt taste. This is a good brown ale. Goid carbonation.
Jun 25, 2020
 
Rated: 3 by RiceOwls27 from Texas

Apr 10, 2020
Photo of detgfrsh
Reviewed by detgfrsh from Texas

3.8/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
From a 12oz bottle. Pours a reddish-brown color with a thin layer of brown head. Nutty, roasted malt smell. Medium body. Roasted malt, brown sugar, and a slight bitter finish. A good brown ale.
Apr 03, 2020
 
Rated: 3.54 by StArnoldFan from Texas

Jan 19, 2019
 
Rated: 3 by Eamartin88 from Texas

Dec 22, 2018
 
Rated: 3.63 by SargeC from California

Aug 06, 2018
Photo of LizT
Reviewed by LizT from Texas

3.47/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25
Pours a rich brown with a very thin head.

The smell is malty, and I get fresh-baked pretzels in the aroma.

The taste and mouth feel are a bit of a disappointment. They're not bad, but the flavor isn't anything special and it feels lean.

Not something I would buy again, however after drinking the first one by itself, I've been adding a shot of bourbon or Brandy to each since, and I've been enjoying them tremendously that way.
Jul 05, 2018
 
Rated: 5 by Stout_Scout from Texas

Jan 29, 2018
 
Rated: 3.75 by BoozerBrad from Texas

Jan 28, 2018
 
Rated: 4.5 by brew-Ed from Texas

Jan 20, 2018
Photo of Texasbrew
Rated by Texasbrew from Texas

3.62/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Hint of molasses. Good brown ale. A little light in color and could be a bit heavier in taste.
Jan 13, 2018