Brown ale: the most underrated style ever?

But unfortunately the other (potential) side of the coin is that breweries will stop brewing those beer styles you enjoy.

Have you seen the Stone brewing schedule for 2017? They decided to eliminate a few non-hoppy beers that some BAs liked to concentrate on a more hoppy beer style schedule.

Cheers!

 

True, but there are certain breweries (Stone for example) that I can expect that kind of thing from but there are a lot if breweries out there and a lot of them add some of my favorite styles to their portfolio. Within the past year Huss Brewing (local) started canning their Koffee Kolsch, which is a fantastic modern take on the style. Borderlands from Tucson just started shipping their Stronghold Ale, being their take on a Mild. Just to name a couple.

I see what you're saying but I have hope that no matter how trendy certain styles get there will always be a solid following (along with brewers who are willing to create and supply) for the less extreme styles.

 

Brown ales can be fantastic. 4 Hands Cast Iron Oatmeal Brown is a personal favorite that I never get often enough, because it's just a "simple" brown ale, but it's more flavorful than a great many stouts.

 

Hope springs eternal!

The folks who liked the non-hoppy beers that Stone used to brew (e,g., IRS, ...) lost some hope there.

Cheers!

 

Love a brown every now and then! Especially Ol Brown Dog!

 

Agreed - I love brown ales, yes they are not as potent as stouts just as pale ales are not as potent as double IPAs.

I think the smoothness of brown ales are what draws me in, perfect for any weather.

 

I'm drinking a Helles right now. But I'd have to agree that Brown Ales and Porters don't excite me. It doesn't make them bad beers, just not all that exciting for me and I have beers I just prefer more.

 

Dale, I think you have plenty of BA company as regards Brown Ales. I am not exactly where the beer geek (BA) community comes down on the Porter style. Maybe Robust Porters have some fans?

Cheers!

 

I love brown ales. But I do think it's a difficult one for brewers to differentiate without having it just taste like a different style and make exceptional. Also most craft beer fans seem to want eye-openers more than solid examples of the style. As a result I don't think they get done enough.
Does that mean it's underrated? I don't know. I just know I'm always happy to see a brown on tap, but too often for my taste there's not.

 

I like Ithaca Nut Brown and always pick it up when visiting New York. My underrated vote goes to a similar style, dark lagers.

 

Brown Ales are not that exciting. Now, Brown Ales with coffee added are tasty.

 

I know.

Cheers!

 

Samuel Smiths nut brown ale and Founders Sumatra brown are good. Will be trying Maduro brown and Ol brown dog soon.

 

I created this thread with almost the exact same title a few months ago. I actually do think brown ales are THE most underrated style. Almost no one mentions them, and I think it's a very good style, one of my favorites.

 

I agree. Jack's Abby is becoming increasingly praised for their lagers, Suarez Family Brewery is gaining mad hype, and more and more breweries are doing hoppy pilsners. Quality craft lagers are going to be the next big thing.

 

And on the other hand... what are their plans for their big expansion? Ales, IPAs, sour beers, saisons, etc.

 

I have no idea. I hadn't heard anything about it.

 

low to mid ABV Lagers, all of them

 

I'm not too sure of all the details but I think "big expansion" is probably not a good description of their new "Springdale" project. According to what they've posted in the New England forum, the beer is not going to see much, if any, distribution beyond some kegs to select bars. And while they have been offering up some IPAs, the stated focus is on expanding their barrel program. I don't believe they'll be brewing a fraction of their JA output.

It reads much more as simply an opportunity to experiment and have a side project where they can brew some ales while still keeping the main Jack's Abby brand as lagers only.

 

It goes even deeper than that:
Brown Ales: The Most Underappreciated Style?
Brown beers: unloved and underrated?
Not a lot of love for brown ales
Why no love for brown ales?

Brown ales are definitely everyone's favorite "why don't more people like them" beer.

I like brown ale. I miss St. Botolph's Town.

I think one reason why browns get less respect is the lack of iconic beers being brewed in the style. Mann's has jumped around over the years, but I've never seen it in the States and I don't know if it's still around. The only big one standing is Newcastle... and people here just won't embrace a beer like that. Sam Smith's brown is certainly the ground zero for the craft scene, but their lineup was partially shaped to deliberately be standard bearers. It's just not the same thing, even if the beers matter and fill the shoes nicely. Indigenous suds... Pete's is a memory, then there's Moose Drool, Old Brown Dog, Rogue's Hazelnut... nice beers, but I guess their image and impact wasn't really up to the task of inspiring a cult. Dogfish Head's were always treated as outliers, and one has now suffered the ultimate brown ale indignity of being branded an IPA. When Newcastle is the only living legend, not many will get inspired.

I don't know. No other style gets as much abuse here as the AAL. Just the other day someone compared them to toilet water. But to be honest, it's a little hard to even consider them as much of a style since I've never seen a beer marketed as one.

Have you looked at the "top" brown ales here? It's like a ridiculous, little breakfast buffet.