Suggest an American Brown Ale

Your avatar box thingy says you are in Virginia - If you are near RVA, get Legend Brown. They also have Legend Imperial Brown and BA Brown anniversary beer or something like that out right now. But regular Legend Brown is very good.

 

Brown ales are really a Fall seasonal thing, so you'll get better ones around then. You should try them in tandem with Oktoberfests, which often have a similar flavor profile. Maybe skip to amber/red/blonde ales for now, which are more abundant in spring, and come back to brown ales in the fall.

 

I suggest that you drink an American Brown Ale immediately...

 

Try some of these:
Cigar City Bolita Double Nut Brown Ale
Cigar City Madura Brown Ale
Clown Shoes Brown Angel Double Brown Ale
Clown Shoes Pimp Double Brown Ale
Dark Horse Brewing Company Boffo Brown Ale
Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
Fitger’s Brewhouse Brewer’s Choice Brewhouse Brown
McNiell’s Slop bucket Brown Ale
Nøgne Ø Brown Ale
Red Rock Bobcat Nutbrown Ale
Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale
Shmaltz He’brew the chosen beer Genesis Ale
Short’s Bellaire Brown
Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale
Surly Bender
Tyranena Rocky’s Revenge

 

Came to say the same thing. Legend Brown is the best Brown I've had from the VA breweries I think. Don't have to be near RVA these days either, I see it in most grocery stores.

 

Good People Brown Ale (Birmingham, AL)
Avery Ellies Brown Ale
Cigar City Maduro Brown

 

Came here to say Madtown nutbrown and Fat Squirrel!

 

"Technically" Dogfish Head Palo Santo Maron and Indian Brown are 2 of the best. That being said, I think Palo is more of a style hybrid (outstanding one at that) and Indian is a little hoppy.

I would probably recommend, as others have, Big Sky Mosse Drool and Avery Ellie's Brown for "American Brown Ales"

Bell's is very good, but is an "English Brown". As is Cigar City Maduro (my favorite of all of them)

Go to styles under beer, and look at the top rated - taking the number of ratings into considerstion.
http://www.beeradvocate.com/lists/style/73/

 

I think all the great ones have been mentioned but I do think DFH India BA is a bit too hoppy for the style. Still a good beer though.

I would like to recommend one other beer even though it's not a brown ale, it's an Old Ale but if you like that nutty flavor in a beer, you should certainly try Avery Old Jubilation Ale. It is only available in the winter months but it is by far the best nut forward beer I've had. It tastes like hazelnuts and pecans then you also get chocolate, coffee, toffee and dark fruits. Amazing beer...

I also really like Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale but it is only available in the mixed winter/fall pack.

 

You're on the very path I was on in my initial journey into craft beer; Brown Ale, followed by Amber/Red Ale.
I lived in Boston at the time, and Sam Adams made a Brown Ale then, which was my first. My second was Brooklyn Brown (still one of my favorites), and my third was Dogfish Indian Brown (also enjoy but in a different league with its hop character).

For Amber ales, Anderson Valley Boont Amber has always been a favorite, as well as Lagunitas Kronik, and Evolution Exile Red.

 

I'm not a big fan of Brown Ales in general, but Pretty Things' St. Botolph's Town was excellent. My favorite Brown Ale to date. Yes, I preferred it to George from Hill Farmstead.

 

Chalk up another vote for Moose Drool; a classic, and one of the reasons I got into craft beer. Also, Avery Ellie's Brown is very good. These two beers are really exemplary of the traditional style - no gimmicks or added flavoring, just malty goodness.

I should note that steering away from tradition is not necessarily a bad thing when done right... Both Dogfish Head Indian Brown (quite hoppy) and Rogue Hazelnut Brown (hazelnut flavor added) are excellent.

 

Tejas Marron from Fiddlehead was one of the best I have ever had. Solid stuff, but I think it was only brewed once so that doesn't help with you with an easy find.

Bells best brown is a great place to start and its pretty obtainable but as someone mentioned its considered an "English Brown"

 

Avery's Ellie and Smuttynose Old Brown Dog are two of my favorites and if you can get a hold of it New Glarus Fat Squirrel

 

Only one mention of Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar isn't acceptable..

 

I am not a fan of this style. English Browns are much better, IMO. If I had to choose and American version, I'd go with this:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/33959/114464/

 

DFH Indian Brown is probably one you can find nearby and Surly Bender is one to try and get.

 

Most people have not heard of Dudes Brewing. I have, but that's only because I'm also in SoCal. It's a pretty tasty brown.

 

Anchor Brewing: Breckle's Brown is also very nice.

 

They are probably not available in your market, but are the last two to give me the impression of "better than average":

Brewhouse Brown Ale from Real Ale (TX)
Ellie's Brown Ale from Avery (CO)