Brown Ales: The Most Underappreciated Style?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by HorseheadsHophead, Jul 26, 2016.

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  1. Urk1127

    Urk1127 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,728) Jul 2, 2014 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader


    I think youd find this interesting...

    When i recently spoke to the Yards NJ rep at a local sampling, i mentioned brawler and how ive enjoyed it. I didnt know he worked for Yards when im talking so nicely of them. He tells me Brawler is his favorite beer and it truly shows the brewers skill to create, brew and be so consistent with a brew at 4.2% abv, a higher SRM and with no off flavors to speak of. And he said he can tell the difference between a "real" beer drinker and a casual one (i get it, but you can take it with a grain of salt too) because they can enjoy and appreciate Brawler for what it is, a sessionable, flavorful beer, and then he gave me a kick ass bottle opener

    Cheers to Yards

    And i still remember you were the one who recommended Brawler to me last winter. so thank you.
     
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  2. QuakeAttack

    QuakeAttack Pooh-Bah (1,999) Mar 19, 2012 California
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yeah. I would agree with Brown being the most underappreciated of the well known styles. I have two great browns over the last couple of years from Caldera (Coffee Brown) and SN (Graham Cracker Brown). Amazing beers!
     
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  3. CreekOfTheDead

    CreekOfTheDead Initiate (0) Jul 18, 2016 Texas

    Brown ale's are very underappreciated and something that I like to work on from time to time in my homebrewing.
     
    cjgiant likes this.
  4. Urk1127

    Urk1127 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,728) Jul 2, 2014 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    My favorite would be Avery Ellies Brown

    I did not care for Nut Brown at all
     
  5. TheGent

    TheGent Grand Pooh-Bah (4,201) Jun 29, 2010 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Agreed. At 4.2% the flavor and body were excellent. I first had it on tap at an English pub in the city that served it a little warmer than normal. Just phenomal. N keeping cans stocked as long as I can find them.
     
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  6. Scott17Taylor

    Scott17Taylor Initiate (0) Oct 28, 2013 Iowa
    Trader

    I love brown ales, palo santo Marron is by far my favorite, but I don't really count that, so I'd have to say my favorites are Indian brown, upslope brown ale, and goose island winter ale.
     
  7. mfowler314

    mfowler314 Devotee (339) Aug 12, 2015 New York

    Ha!! I'm drinking one as I read this!!!!!
     
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  8. CJNAPS

    CJNAPS Initiate (0) Nov 3, 2013 California

    I love brown ales. I was just talking with my buddy the other day about how that style doesn't get enough love. Cheers
     
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  9. thepenguin

    thepenguin Savant (1,191) Aug 8, 2010 Massachusetts

    Brown ales are easily within my top 5 beer styles and something I really like to drink all year round. Flavor aside I think one of the reasons that brown ales are so underappreciated is that their name doesn't evoke much excitement: "brown ale" sounds bland to most consumers, and this is probably one of the reasons "milds" have fallen so out of favor. As with a classic pilsner, kolsch or other traditional lower abv styles, I consider appreciation and love for a good brown ale one of the hallmarks of a seasoned beer enthusiast.
     
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  10. BPackert

    BPackert Initiate (0) Apr 26, 2016 Ohio

    I wholeheartedly agree OP, I fell in love with brown ales ever since my first Sam Smith's Nut Brown. Most of my friends don't follow me in my sentiment, but I think Brown Ales are the most versatile style in craft beer, they can be malty, hoppy, spiced, doubled, you name it browns can be it. And I'm thankful to live in an area with some pretty solid local brown ales. Triple Digit's Chickow! (and all its glorious varients), Yellow Springs Handsome (and smokin handsome) and Jackie O's Chomolungma. RIP MadTree Gnarly Brown tho. If I had to drink one style for the rest of my life it would be Browns without so much a second guess. Cheers!
     
  11. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,848) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Thanks a lot - it's great to hear back on stuff like that. Glad you are enjoying it!

    Now, go get some Newburgh Brown :slight_smile:.
     
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  12. puck1225

    puck1225 Grand Pooh-Bah (4,585) Dec 22, 2013 Texas
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Just had a Ale Smith Nut Brown, really enjoying it!
     
  13. kfordham281

    kfordham281 Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2005 Georgia

    I might say Amber Ale's are up there as well. For the most part, I'm just not a brown ale guy. There are a few here and there that I do really like, but most are not really a standard brown ale either. E.g; Coffee Bender is a great brown ale but it's so Coffee forward that I almost put it in a different style. I've had one or two really good BA brown ales as well; I think the BA Alesmith Brown (can't remember the name) was very good. But again, that's not a standard brown.

    At any rate, it's good to have variety!
     
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  14. bbtkd

    bbtkd Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,326) Sep 20, 2015 South Dakota
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    My go-to style is stout, and although I've thought of brown ales as weak porters and porters as weak stouts I have had some excellent brown ales and porters. Not weak exactly - perhaps less robust, and less complex. To me, brown ales and some porters are like listening to music played one note at a time like a flute, whereas stouts are more like an orchestra - admittedly sometimes too complex. I need to try more of both brown ales and porters - both are indeed underappreciated compared to stouts.
     
  15. surfcaster

    surfcaster Initiate (0) Apr 20, 2013 North Carolina
    Trader

    I also appreciate a good one when served, but honestly, with so much stuff out there I like so much more, rarely purchase. Just amazing how many folks are cranking out really amazing farmhouse/wild ales, pales, lagers tests--not just IPAs. Some local takes on lagers/fests and, oh yeah--those German and Belgian standbys. Can't scratch the surface.

    ....really don't feel like I am missing out too bad.
     
  16. azurel

    azurel Initiate (0) May 27, 2016 Michigan

    I have never been into Brown ales all that much. They have always seemed kinda "bla" to me...

    We just started getting Alesmith distribution here in West Michigan and have heard a lot off great things. So I started of with Speedway and the Alesmith Nut Brown....

    I was working in my frog room and had a chance to really sit down and drink it and focus a little bit on tasting it... I have to say I am gonna have to go back and try some others.

    I guess looking back I never really gave them time, or thought about sitting and spending time thinking about the flavors the brown ales present.....Will be drinking the Alesmith again and noticed we have Big Sky Moose Drool as well....Gonna give that one a tryout as well...

    They definitely seem to be a style that gets passed over.
     
  17. lester619

    lester619 Initiate (0) Apr 17, 2009 Wisconsin

    The simple easy drinking beers like brown ales and pilsners are going to be overlooked in favor of the more complicated, extreme examples that are available. Even if you really like the style, it can seem boring compared to all the options out there now. Actually you should count yourself lucky if your favorite style is under appreciated. That means you will never have to camp out on the sidewalk in 30 degree weather or pay an absurd price on the secondary market in order to drink it.
     
  18. DogbiteWilliams

    DogbiteWilliams Devotee (373) Mar 28, 2015 California

    I found my Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale at BevMo.
     
  19. jakecattleco

    jakecattleco Grand Pooh-Bah (3,625) Sep 3, 2008 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Wife's in FL and bringing me some CG Maduro Oatmeal Brown...stoked!
     
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  20. OldSwampy

    OldSwampy Initiate (0) Apr 4, 2016 Virginia

    I was sitting here drinking and enjoying a Bryson City Brown Ale (Nantahala Brewing Co.) when I saw this thread.

    I have no idea how we would measure "most underappreciated," but in my personal experience I've definitely had several of those "wow, I should drink more of these" moments with brown ales. I've always enjoyed them but find that they compete with porters and stouts for my dark beer attention, which is a lot of my beer-drinking attention. Good ones to me don't need "extras" such as coffee (though I like coffee, too), but offer complexity while remaining distinctly brown ales and not something else.
     
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