Big Boss Bad Penny Brown Ale

Brewed by Big Boss Brewing Company
Style: Brown Ale
Raleigh, North Carolina USA

I love the nose on this! A lot of toffee, dark cherry and slight espresso notes... very comforting. It pours a dark mahogany-prune into the glass, with a minimal head and sparse lace. The flavors don’t quite live up to the bouquet, as they are a bit lighter on the tongue than expected. Some nuts, toffee, roasts and vinous notes intermingle, but with a soft body and light nut back-palate, it comes across a bit weaker than it initially seems. A little disappointed with the offering, as it has so much going for it before it hits the lips...

Thanks for bottles go out to Captain Cougar and emacgee. Pour is mahogany with a beigh head. Smell is decent...coffee and chocolate with roasty malts. Flavor is of weak chocolate and slightly bitter. Body is thin. Drinkable anyway.

On tap at Mitch’s, Raleigh. Really wanted to like this offering by the locals more, but I found it pretty disappointing. Very nice looking - deep brown body with flecks of amber and a nice substantial head - but the weak aroma gave it away. Thin in most respects, with only the faintest (and pretty boringly standard) hints of caramel and bready malts in there. Not much depth or character at all.

Pours a dark brown with a one finger fizzy tan head. The aroma is sweet, a little nutty, caramel and toffee, . The flavor is nutty, sweet, a little grainy, toasted malts, no hops detected, definitely on the English side. Light mouthfeel. Easy to drink sessionable brown.

Thanks to Ryan for this one. Black body with low carbonation. Aroma is nutty, roasted, and sugary. Thin and watery, with some sweetness and some smoke.

Clear brown cola appearance. Light roasted malt and toasted bread smelled, tastes of bread crust and brown sugar, some light maple, some cracklin’ oat bran cereal, and the texture is frothy turning to dry over the middle. Overall a decent brown ale.

12oz bottle, courtesy of artusory. Thanks, Ryan! Pours clear, bold brown-cola color; very thin off-white head. Some cocoa and toffee in the aroma; one-dimensional malts. Medium mouthfeel: slightly watery at the edges; cocoa, caramel, toasted malts; a light, inoffensive brown ale; some roasted character coming through mid-palate. Medium finish showing cocoa and roasted malts and breadiness.

Clear brown body with a small tan head. Sweet, toffee nose with nuts, brown sugar and light molasses. Flavor is lightly sweet and watery with light molasses, nuts and cola. Light thin body is moderately carbonated.