John Brown Ale
Free State Brewing Co.
- From:
- Free State Brewing Co.
- Kansas, United States
- Style:
- English Brown Ale
Ranked #84 - ABV:
- 5.5%
- Score:
- 84
Ranked #30,314 - Avg:
- 3.7 | pDev: 13.24%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 14
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Dec 29, 2025
- Added:
- Oct 13, 2002
- Wants:
- 1
- Gots:
- 6
SCORE
84
Good
84
Good
Named for John Brown, the fiery abolitionist from the U.S. Civil War era. Brown is a well known (though often overly romanticized) figure in Kansas history. His actions in support of the free-staters in the 1850s was quite notable, but also quite violent and vengeful. A religious zealot with a long family history of insanity, one of Brown's favorite maxims was "Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins". During his colorful career with the free state militia, Brown made sure that there was no shortage of the remissions of sins.
But on a lighter note, his namesake ale is actually a very mild, pleasant brown ale with a definite emphasis on the malt rather than the hops. Made from a choice selection of malts, this is a bit sweeter than the Ad Astra Ale, but not quite so sweet as a bock beer. (O.G. - 12.9P/1053. Hops - 23.5 IBUs)
But on a lighter note, his namesake ale is actually a very mild, pleasant brown ale with a definite emphasis on the malt rather than the hops. Made from a choice selection of malts, this is a bit sweeter than the Ad Astra Ale, but not quite so sweet as a bock beer. (O.G. - 12.9P/1053. Hops - 23.5 IBUs)
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by blueshawk69 from Kansas
4.18/5 rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.18/5 rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
(review from November 2017) Maltheads rejoice! Excellently well balanced & flavorful brown with loads of malty goodness & wonderful palate heft. Very quaffable.
Dec 29, 2025
Reviewed by russpowell from Arkansas
3.9/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
3.9/5 rDev +5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
This can pours an effervescent hazel color with a thumb+ of tan head. Average head retention & lacing
S: Toasty & nutty, lovely nose, coffee late, a bit of a detractor
T: Follows the nose, a little dry, a touch of cocoa & caramel plus woody hops up front. More coffee, some Diacetyl notes & woody hops as this beer warms up, more toasty notes. Finishes toasty with more coffee & woody hops
MF: Medium body, slight carbonation
Not a bad Brown Ale. Just wanted more body & didn't find the coffee that subtle
Dec 21, 2025S: Toasty & nutty, lovely nose, coffee late, a bit of a detractor
T: Follows the nose, a little dry, a touch of cocoa & caramel plus woody hops up front. More coffee, some Diacetyl notes & woody hops as this beer warms up, more toasty notes. Finishes toasty with more coffee & woody hops
MF: Medium body, slight carbonation
Not a bad Brown Ale. Just wanted more body & didn't find the coffee that subtle
Rated by Wendt from Missouri
4.6/5 rDev +24.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
4.6/5 rDev +24.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
When caught in bloom, very good.
Apr 02, 2015
Reviewed by dmb0525 from Kansas
2.24/5 rDev -39.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5
2.24/5 rDev -39.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 1 | overall: 2.5
A: dark brown with red when held to light. Good head but quickly dispersed.
S: coffee... And a small amount of nut
Taste: it has an awful initial flavor. It tastes like water with ground coffee stirred in. The flavor develops a bit into a more complex nut flavor. Still, with every sip I am inundated with nasty day old coffee and that is hard to get past.
M: watery.
O: I have had way too many good brown ales to waste my time on this.
Feb 02, 2012S: coffee... And a small amount of nut
Taste: it has an awful initial flavor. It tastes like water with ground coffee stirred in. The flavor develops a bit into a more complex nut flavor. Still, with every sip I am inundated with nasty day old coffee and that is hard to get past.
M: watery.
O: I have had way too many good brown ales to waste my time on this.
Reviewed by smc143 from Missouri
3.32/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3.32/5 rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Posted on my blog in December 2007, posted to Beer Advocate in October 2008.
A wonderful beer-friend gifted me a growler full of Free State Brewery beer. I didn't crack it open right away, as I was kind of afraid to without being able to finish it alone, knowing it would go flat before I get through a whole half-gallon. So I opened it the next weekend and was super excited to learn that it contained John Brown Ale. Yummy yummy. I love me some browns.
Because I left my growler unattended for too long, I didn't realize that it was going flat anyway. John Brown Ale usually generates a creamy head, but my growler didn't quite deliver. The smell is sweet, like malted chocolate. A loverly scent for a freezing winter evening! The taste is a bit more coffee/toffee than chocolate, with a medium bodied mouthfeel, and a slightly dry finish. It just brings to mind roasted, toasted, sweet winter warmth, and I was in love all over again.
Oct 05, 2008A wonderful beer-friend gifted me a growler full of Free State Brewery beer. I didn't crack it open right away, as I was kind of afraid to without being able to finish it alone, knowing it would go flat before I get through a whole half-gallon. So I opened it the next weekend and was super excited to learn that it contained John Brown Ale. Yummy yummy. I love me some browns.
Because I left my growler unattended for too long, I didn't realize that it was going flat anyway. John Brown Ale usually generates a creamy head, but my growler didn't quite deliver. The smell is sweet, like malted chocolate. A loverly scent for a freezing winter evening! The taste is a bit more coffee/toffee than chocolate, with a medium bodied mouthfeel, and a slightly dry finish. It just brings to mind roasted, toasted, sweet winter warmth, and I was in love all over again.
Reviewed by Goliath from Illinois
3.6/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.6/5 rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours dark brown and appears ruby in the light. No head when served to me.
The aroma is full of sweet malt, caramel, and some fruity esters.
Taste is nice. Caramel, bread, and cherry. A touch of chocolate on the finish.
Mouthfeel is full bodied and lightly carbonated.
Drinkability is high. Great flavors, and I assume the ABV was fairly low as I did not notice it.
Jun 17, 2008The aroma is full of sweet malt, caramel, and some fruity esters.
Taste is nice. Caramel, bread, and cherry. A touch of chocolate on the finish.
Mouthfeel is full bodied and lightly carbonated.
Drinkability is high. Great flavors, and I assume the ABV was fairly low as I did not notice it.
Reviewed by zeff80 from Missouri
3.95/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
3.95/5 rDev +6.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
They just tapped this on the day of KU-MU game. John Brown...a loved figure in Kansas...a hated man in Missouri.
A - Poured into a seidel a dark, dark brown with a creamy, white head that left sticky lace.
S - It smelled of malt and sweet chocolate.
T - It tasted quite sweet. A nice blending of malt, caramel and toffee.
M - It was smooth and soft. A medium-bodied beer.
D - A very good English Brown. Another good offering from the folks at Free State.
Nov 27, 2007A - Poured into a seidel a dark, dark brown with a creamy, white head that left sticky lace.
S - It smelled of malt and sweet chocolate.
T - It tasted quite sweet. A nice blending of malt, caramel and toffee.
M - It was smooth and soft. A medium-bodied beer.
D - A very good English Brown. Another good offering from the folks at Free State.
Reviewed by jazappi from Kansas
4.3/5 rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
4.3/5 rDev +16.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Presentation: On tap pour into a mug.
Appearance: My favorite, a dark beer. Finger worth of head , and lacing that lasted.
Aroma: Coffee/Chocolate, a nice robust smell.
Taste: It was a good brown ale taste, had hints of a nutty taste, and coffee like.
Mouthfeel: A little light/watery, but I really enjoyed it.
Overall: I could drink a lot of these. I like these because you get a lot of flavor, and it is light enough that I could drink several of these and not feel full.
Dec 14, 2006Appearance: My favorite, a dark beer. Finger worth of head , and lacing that lasted.
Aroma: Coffee/Chocolate, a nice robust smell.
Taste: It was a good brown ale taste, had hints of a nutty taste, and coffee like.
Mouthfeel: A little light/watery, but I really enjoyed it.
Overall: I could drink a lot of these. I like these because you get a lot of flavor, and it is light enough that I could drink several of these and not feel full.
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