Brown ales?

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

 

Don't overlook Moose Drool by Big Sky!

 

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.

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

Sierra Nevada Tumbler is great if you can find it.

Avery ellies brown was very good.

 

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.

 

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