Brown ales?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by nick0417, Nov 3, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. nick0417

    nick0417 Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2014 Illinois

    Hey guys. OK, fall is finally here – well, it will be by the end of the week, at least in the Midwest – and I’m wondering which brown ales are worth picking up this season? This is definitely one style I haven’t experienced to a great degree – aside from NG’s Fat Squirrel, which is one of my staples – so any recs would be swell. Thanks!

    Edit: I currently have a bottle of Bell's Best Brown awaiting in the fridge, and New Holland's Cabin Fever just came to my market this week.
     
  2. zid

    zid Grand Pooh-Bah (3,132) Feb 15, 2010 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    You are in good shape with the Bell's. If you get Alesmith or Nebraska in your area those are worth checking out.
     
  3. nick0417

    nick0417 Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2014 Illinois

    We just started getting Alesmith, so I'll keep an eye out. Thanks!
     
  4. Hop-Droppen-Roll

    Hop-Droppen-Roll Initiate (0) Nov 5, 2013 Minnesota

    Don't overlook Moose Drool by Big Sky!
     
    Brutaltruth, joelwlcx, KSOZE and 17 others like this.
  5. 1000lbgrizzly

    1000lbgrizzly Maven (1,497) Jul 16, 2013 Illinois

    I recently fell in love with Ellie's Brown Ale by Avery. Nut, caramel, vanilla, it is delicious. On the sweeter side, however, which I liked but some might be turned off by.
     
  6. nick0417

    nick0417 Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2014 Illinois

    Oh man, I totally forgot about Moose Drool! Thanks.
     
    JMS1512 and Hop-Droppen-Roll like this.
  7. nick0417

    nick0417 Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2014 Illinois

    OK, maybe this is my folly, but shouldn't a brown ale have a decent amount of sweetness? Or at least perceived sweetness?
     
  8. Caveworm

    Caveworm Maven (1,275) Feb 26, 2014 Ohio

    The Bell's should do a great job assimilating and garnering an appreciation for brown ales. You're off to a good start.
     
    Gemini6 and nick0417 like this.
  9. GSS

    GSS Initiate (0) Sep 30, 2015 China

    Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale is top shelf if you can find it in your area.
     
  10. lambpasty

    lambpasty Initiate (0) May 3, 2013 New Hampshire

    I agree, I prefer brown ales that have that sweet, nutty, vanilla quality to them. It should be about the subtle qualities of the malt IMO.
     
    nick0417 likes this.
  11. 1000lbgrizzly

    1000lbgrizzly Maven (1,497) Jul 16, 2013 Illinois

    I agree, I think the malt should definitely overpower the hops, which should mean sweet. I have a mega sweet tooth, however, so when I say something is 'on the sweeter side' very discriminating palates might view that as cloying. I think the vanilla in Ellie's makes it more apparent.
     
    nick0417 likes this.
  12. nick0417

    nick0417 Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2014 Illinois

    Do any other Midwestern breweries make a brown worth investigating? I can't imagine Bells is the only one...
     
  13. SaisonRichBiere

    SaisonRichBiere Pooh-Bah (2,033) Mar 23, 2011 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah

    Short's Bellaire Brown, but you'll have to go to Michigan to get it. Cigar City Maduro is great, but not sure you can get it in Illinois.

    Dark Horse Boffo Brown is decent too.
     
  14. chuckgietzen

    chuckgietzen Initiate (0) Nov 10, 2014 Michigan

    If you can get your hands on them....
    Perrin Lil Griz & Prairie Okie are both great.
     
  15. nick0417

    nick0417 Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2014 Illinois

    Yeah, we don't get Shorts or Cigar City here. Huge bummer.

    Anyone have a take on NH's Cabin Fever?
     
  16. Pantalones

    Pantalones Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2014 Virginia

    Brown ales are a style I'd like to try more of too. It seems that I don't usually see a lot of them on the shelves around here, though.

    So far I've had Newcastle (not bad, very caramel-y, a little thin though), Lazy Magnolia's Southern Pecan (smelled amazing, tasted... not as amazing. though still not bad, just much weaker than expected going by the smell), RJ Rocker's Brown-Eyed Squirrel (I remember this one being really good, though I only had one bottle and it's been a while... I don't ever see this one around here, only got to try it when I found one in a mixed-six-pack section of a Kroger in another city while visiting my sister who was away at college at the time), and Sierra Nevada's Tumbler (had an interesting slight hint of a smoky thing that was absent in all of the others.) Also Stone's Imperial Mutt Brown (roastier and bitterer than the others, and of course higher alcohol since it was a 9% "imperial" version!), though I think that was a limited release sort of thing that might not be around anymore.

    ...looking over my list, it seems like I've actually had a good number of them, but most of them were beers I only had once and didn't review (since I try to have a beer at least twice before reviewing now.)

    I think the only ones I've definitely seen on shelves but not tried yet are Legend Brown Ale and Bell's Best Brown, though unfortunately the Bell's seems to have already vanished from the shelves in the only store where I saw it last month.
     
    nick0417 likes this.
  17. Urk1127

    Urk1127 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,790) Jul 2, 2014 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Sierra Nevada Tumbler is great if you can find it.

    Avery ellies brown was very good.
     
  18. pat61

    pat61 Initiate (0) Dec 29, 2010 Minnesota

    No matter where you are you will find interesting brown ales. You should be able to get Nebraska and Alesmith in Chicago. Look for: Amager Bryghus The Great Big Kentucky Sausage Fest, Anchor Brewing Company Brekle’s Brown, Avery Brewing Company, Ellie’s Brown Ale, Bear Republic Peter Brown Tribute Ale, Brasserie d’Achouffe McChouffe Brown Ale , Brooklyn Brown Ale, Clown Shoes Brown Angel Double Brown Ale, Dark Horse Brewing Company Boffo Brown Ale, Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale, Jolly Pumpkin Maracaibo Especial Brown Ale, Nøgne Ø Brown Ale, Oskar Blues Grill & Brew Oskar Blues The Deuce Hopped Up Brown Ale, Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale, and Surly Bender.
     
  19. Giantspace

    Giantspace Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Dec 22, 2011 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Not a big brown ale fan but I revisited last year with a can of best brown. It's been my go to the last two years in the fall. Really good and cheap. Not sure of other areas but 16 oz cans are $43 a case that equals around $32 for a case if 24 12oz. The bottles cost a bit more and have much less beer.

    I will try a few of the mentioned browns here and see how that goes.


    Enjoy
     
  20. nick0417

    nick0417 Initiate (0) Jun 13, 2014 Illinois

    Wow, thanks for the list. Much appreciate this.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.