Southern Brown/Northern Brown Comparisons

Sam smith but brown for sure. Not too sure about the availability of any northern ones. Maybe Harvey's? Best of luck

 

You're bound to find styles that don't fit your own personal tastes in your quest to become a sanctified pigeon-holing beer judge, so please try to refrain from knocking brown ales until you have had some decent ones. In before marquis--the northern/southern schism does not actually exist, but since you are attempting to turn your natural tendency toward appreciation along a spectrum into acceptance or denial along a series of points, I would start with the examples that are given by your sanctifying body under each 'style' heading, although they are not very good suggestions. Good luck?

 

Harvey's and Mann's are the only two I can think of that fit the putative "Southern Brown Ale" style.

 

That sounds like it tastes crappy.

 

Do you think its infected???

 

The BJCP style guidelines instruct you on which commercial beers you should be trying.

Northern English Brown Ale: Newcastle Brown Ale, Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, Riggwelter Yorkshire Ale, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Tröegs Rugged Trail Ale, Alesmith Nautical Nut Brown Ale, Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale, Goose Island Nut Brown Ale, Samuel Adams Brown Ale

Southern English Brown Ale: Mann's Brown Ale (bottled, but not available in the US), Harvey’s Nut Brown Ale, Woodeforde’s Norfolk Nog

Cheers!

 

There aren't many (any?) good commercial American-made English Browns out there. I've resorted to making my own.

 

I haven’t had a chance to try it yet but Avery Ellie's Brown Ale should reads like it is a tasty beer.

Cheers!

 

Actually the Avery mentioned above is fairly good, as is the Tröegs. The GI leans toward syrupy. Never seen the SA offering.

 

Try the Alesmith mentioned in the post above yours. PA gets "limited/regional" distribution. It's great. Ditto for Pretty Things' Saint Botolph's Town, but it's more unusual.

 

So is the north/south distinction in English browns pure contrivance or is there any substance to it? The two you listed seem to be the two I invariably see listed for southern examples, and two beers don't make for a very robust regional distinction.

 

Me neither. It's listed as retired here.

 

I didn't catch that at first. Haha!

 

“So is the north/south distinction in English browns pure contrivance or is there any substance to it?” The principle characteristics which distinguishe a Southern Brown Ale from a Northern Brown Ale is that they tend to be sweeter, a bit darker and they are lower in alcohol (less than 4.2% ABV).

There are likely to be some posts from British BAs concerning the above but the two styles are clearly defined within the BJCP style guidelines and the OP queried on this topic specifically within the context of getting ready for the BJCP exam.

Cheers!

 

Made up by Michael Jackson in the 1970's.

There were, generally speaking, at least two different variations on Brown Ale: one that was tweaked Dark Mild and one that was closer to a Burton. Brown Ale (or Single Brown Ale) and Double Brown Ale would be more accurate and historically valid than Souther n and Northern.

For a few decades Whitbread brewed Brown Ales of both types. And their brewery was in London, definitely in the South.

 

I've had the Avery and Troegs. Both were meh. I haven't gotten around to trying the Alesmith one yet.

 

Most American beer drinkers think that brown ales in general are meh, so I'm not shocked.

 

I don't. I very much enjoy a good brown. They just aren't being made stateside. Most brewers muck them up with hops, and the ones who don't make browns that are lacking in the flavor department.

 

Good on ya