Brown Ales

I seem to enjoy browns every now and then but I prefer them on the hoppier side.

 

People often express a dislike for them using the same reasoning that you see as a plus - that they are middle of the road. I'm not sure why being neither this nor that is a bad thing. Every once in a while, threads like this pop up and folks express their love for browns.

 

A good English brown is a friend of mine for similar occasions, when the gravity of an imperial stout is more than I can take. I need to get my hands on some CCB browns, Cubano and Maduro specifically. I hear they make them the best.

 

I just had a very nice one yesterday, Dirt Track by Whitewall Brewing. As to why they're not more popular on BA, it's because we, collectively, are pretty snobbish, and we tend to see a nice Brown Ale, or an Amber as beneath us.

 

I would be glad to keep you stocked with CCB browns for some Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, or Lawson's in return.

 

To me, IMHO, Brown Ales are very, very malt forward with almost no hop counter balance to round it out. I don't love Brown Ales as a style. But once in a while, you get a rare exception. I had one not long ago that was, for the style, exceptional (my mind is drawing a blank on the name). But Brown ales are definitely not a "go to" style for me. In fact, way down on the list. But I would say, if you like them, that's the only thing that's important. Go for it!

 

I've got a bottle of Jupiter in the fridge I'm looking forward to soon.

 

I love a good Brown, as long as it's not hopped all to hell, like so many other styles are these days.

 

I had Bells Best Brown for the first time this year and it was fantastic. I could see it not a staple in my fridge but purchasing every couple months. I'm sure that's not the sales to keep a beer in a steady rotation for a brewer though.

 

I just had the DFH the other day. It might be my taste, but they refer to it as a hopped up brown and I did not get a ton of hops. I found it to be fairly balanced and delicious.

 

I've always found the lack of respect/interest in brown ales to be curious because Big Sky's Moose Drool is the "quintessential" Montana beer, and it happens to be a brown ale. So I'm surrounded by brown-ale love.

I think brown ales share a lot of the malty elements of a scotch ale but without the sticky sweetness or booziness that you can sometimes find. They tend to be a little more sessionable, too. They're not going to be all that satisfying to the hopheads or the maltheads (if that's a thing), but it's the balance that makes them attractive.

That being said, I can't say I've ever had a brown ale that's mind-blowing.

 

OMG... how can we have a thread on Brown Ales?? Mild flavor, low ABV, not aged in vintage pirate rum barrels. I can't even think of one that is remotely rare.

 

had Jupiter recently & loved it, like brown ales for what they traditionally are but MadTree Gnarly Brown is a particular favorite for me w/ it's straddling of styles.

 

I like a brown every so often. Hill Farmstead's "George" is very good. Browns are a nice change every so often especially in the fall.

 

I enjoy Brown ales. My favorite it Bitch Creek (Grand Teton Brewing), with Santa Cruz Brown (Epic Brewing) running a close second. As others have said, Brown are often malt forward but these two have a good balance of hops. Not over the top hoppy, but enough to know it's there and a nice mix of the two flavors. I'm not a fan of Browns that are souped up with chocolate or coffee flavors so tend to I steer clear of those. They are too sweet for my taste.

 

Yes they do.

 

I'm not a huge fan of Brown Ales, maybe too malty, not sure. I do like Bells Best Brown, however and some hoppier brown ales

 

I love me some brown ales, especially, English-style, as they're less hopped up than American-styles. That being said, DFH's Palo Santo and Indian Brown Ale are spectacular!