Bells Best Brown Ale

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Brown Ale
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Bell’s Brown ale is always a favorite of mine that I look forward too each year it’s released. With that being said this years Best Brown was a bit disappointing. Pours dark brown, head small, white, OK. Flavor with a bit thin this year with some chocolate and Munich character. Seems too be missing that special something that Bell’ usually delivers. Hops are present but lacking for the style. Probably will go unnoticed to the unsophisticated palate. Not bad. $9.99 6/pk at Hops & Vines. www.hopsandvines.net

A very good beer. Pours a dark brown with tan head. Nice lacing on my glass. Aroma of nuts, toffee, and a litte sugar. Beer goes down smooth, very good but after drinking Rogue’s brown ale, it wasn’t as good.

Bottle. Pours a dark brown color with a small off white/tan head. Aroma is roasted malts, touch of hops, caramel, hazelnut. Flavor is rich, creamy chocolate malts, hazelnut, oatmeal.

Smells buttery and toasty like a light toffee with light summer fruits along for the ride. Pours a handsome dirty river orange-brown with white head. Flavor gives some hints of clove and other robust spiciness to go with very present wheat toast. Great mouthfeel that is velvety all the way through. Solid brown that is tasty and easy to enjoy. Thanks Bells. 2009 12oz.

Pours a dark chestnut amber color with mahogany edges when held to a light source and a foamy light beige head that slowly fades into a lasting cap and ring. Slightly smokey aroma with a nice chestnut/hazelnut presence with a nice malt backbone and subtle hop notes. Slightly watered down with a subtle smoked maltiness along with some oatmeal, chocolate malt, hazelnut and subtle hop notes. Finish is slightly dry. Pretty drinkable session beer but not something I would seek out again.

Thick tannish head, nice brown color, not cloudy. Low malt aroma. Moderately sweet malt flavors, roastiness. Medium bodied, hop bitterness, dry at the finish. Nicely done, I am learning about browns, so I am not sure what to really expect.

I love owls, and I love Bells Beer. I’m less crazy about brown ale. Pours an amber brown color with a big fluffy tan head and good lace. Aroma is malty with a bit of coffee, fairly simple but nice. Flavor is very malt forward with some nutty flavors a mild bit of chocolate and some good hop bitterness. I expected more American hops but the hops here are very earthy and woody, fuggles? Nicely balanced, and more full on the palate than the normal brown ale. All together enjoyable, I think I might buy some more when the fall sets in. .

Dark brown-amber color. Great head with good lacing. Weakish nutty smell, very good taste. Hops on the nose a little but taste is mostly malty, nutty. Very good brew.