The Bar Towel

With my first home brew batch still fermenting (and while bottling day approaches, and I'm getting more scared of it!) I've been thinking a lot about English style brown ales, and how they're simple and even refreshing.

Just wondering what everyone's favourite brown ales are? particularly local ones...

10W30

mintjellie wrote:10W30

+1.

Also, Black Oak Nut Brown, Barley Days Wind & Sail. Those are my fave locs.

I tend to start drinking more browns from right about now as the evenings get a bit cooler and throughout autumn, before it gets really cold and I get into Barley Wines and Impy stouts and such.

Black Oak Nut Brown is definitely my favorite local option, a real nice hop character to balance the nutty character. Definitely on the drier side which I appreciate.

For not local, I think I go Pretty Things St. Botolphs which is loosely defined as a brown ale but is a historical recreation that really straddles a number of styles.

I just love a good brown ale. Awesome session style in my view. Not really traditional in style but my favourite is Rogue Hazelnut Brown. Honourable mention goes to:

Hockley Dark
Wellington County Dark
Muskoka Dark
Tilburg's Dutch Brown (not English in style, but still awesome)
F&M Dark
Corporal Punishment

I love brown ales. My favs locals would be blackoak and amsterdam nutbrown. Recently I had a nut brown from ithaca brewing company that was awesome. I find they are a style that can be fantastic or bland. I love a good one though.

I currently have an imperial brown ale in bottles conditioning. I over shot the gravity with a brew in a bag and ended up with 1.070 instead of 1.055.

Hope your first homebrew turns out well.

Wellington's County Ale is about the best IMO. 10W30 is very good too. And Upper Canada Dark Ale when you can find it.

Is there any brown ale made in Ontario with a marked taste of Cascade hops or a similar taste? The original Pete's Wicked Ale tasted like that and I always enjoyed it, more than most APA in fact. While brown ale is a classic English style, I always liked this early "West Coast" interpretation but what would be its equivalent today?

Gary

Rogue Hazelnut Brown. I buy lots whenever it's available.

G.M. Gillman wrote:Wellington's County Ale is about the best IMO. 10W30 is very good too. And Upper Canada Dark Ale when you can find it.

Is there any brown ale made in Ontario with a marked taste of Cascade hops or a similar taste? The original Pete's Wicked Ale tasted like that and I always enjoyed it, more than most APA in fact. While brown ale is a classic English style, I always liked this early "West Coast" interpretation but what would be its equivalent today?

Gary

Corporal Punishment or Flying Monkeys Netherworld

If Riggwelter from Black Sheep is classified as a brown ale then that's the best one I've had. For locals I think Black Oak is the best but it's been about three years since I've seen it at an LCBO so I'm starting to forget how it tastes. When I'm in the mood for that style (winter usually) I usually go with Hockley Dark as it's not only good but I can buy it in singles, unlike KLB's version which is 12 packs only at my local TBS.

JesseM wrote: Hockley Dark
Wellington County Dark
Muskoka Dark
F&M Dark

I don't really think of any of those as being brown ales. Am I in the minority? Its been a long time since I have had the Muskoka though. The Hockley I think of as almost more of a mild than anything.

I just checked my notes on the F&M Dark and they commented about it being brown ale like, so I guess I am just forgetful!

Corporal's Bitter Brown Ale (is this still available?)
Muskoka Dark Ale
Barley Days Wind and Sail Dark Ale
Black Oak Nut Brown Ale
Amsterdam Nut Brown Ale
Hockley Dark
King Dark

I loved the Corporal Punishment in its heyday. Please bring that back.

Baird Angry Boy Brown Ale
AleSmith Nautical Nut Brown Ale
8 Wired ReWired Brown Ale

The local Ontario offerings are frankly shit by comparison.

G.M. Gillman wrote:Wellington's County Ale is about the best IMO. 10W30 is very good too. And Upper Canada Dark Ale when you can find it.

Is there any brown ale made in Ontario with a marked taste of Cascade hops or a similar taste? The original Pete's Wicked Ale tasted like that and I always enjoyed it, more than most APA in fact. While brown ale is a classic English style, I always liked this early "West Coast" interpretation but what would be its equivalent today?

Gary

Not from the west, but Surly's Bender and Dogfish Head India Brown ale are nice hopped-up browns, but not as dry as a cascadian dark. There must be a few others out there, but I can't think of them...

I really like the black oak myself, as well as the Wellington County (which I also think is boardering on the pale ale style).