Poor old Brown ale, it’s a fantastic style with a good range from solid English maltiness to American examples that can have a more hop forward character. For the last ten to fifteen years it’s a style that dropped off while IPAs and Lagers took the spotlight. I was brewing at a place when we saw the trend while IPAs might sell 4 half barrels (15.5 gallons) a week, it took between two to three weeks to sell one keg of Brown ale. That’s when word came down, it’s moving from year round to a Winter seasonal. I did get complaints in the taproom, but my response was “if you loved that beer you would have been drinking more of it.”

According to BJCP “A malty but hoppy standard-strength American ale frequently with chocolate and caramel flavors. The hop flavor and aroma complement and enhance the malt rather than clashing with it.” Better examples have a not just chocolate character but a malt depth sometimes from using different crystal malts. I like a Brown with a subtle English hop note. Moderate in gravity with a rand 4.0-6.2% abv.

Armored Cow Brewing, Bitchin’ Betty, 5.4% abv

The lightest color of the days beer, brown on the table but more of an amber hue when the glass was raised, with light tan foam. Low aroma with no chocolate or hop character, canned this year so still fairly fresh. It featured a light sweetness, likely the most balanced beer of the day. It reminded me of Newcastle.

Pisgah Brewing, Turtleback Brown, 5.9% abv – draft not pictured

Very roasty nose on this beer, it was a deep brown color that had an amber hue when put to the light, foam was a light tan color. The beer seemed light on the crystal character but strong chocolate character. For an American Brown the hop character was rather subdued. Quite an enjoyable draft.

Viciour Fishes Brewery, Into the Abyss Brown Ale, 5.3%

Deep brown color with light tan foam, with garnet-ruby highlights as brought to light. Aroma was a rich roasty, chocolate with a hint of hop character. The beer featured nice sweetness and the roast didn’t dominate the flavor as much as the nose advertised.