Drakes Hoppy Ass Brown

Formerly brewed at Drakes Brewing Company
Style: Brown Ale
San Leandro, California USA

On draft at Toronado. Brown color, weird to have stereotypically IPA hoppy aroma from a beer of that color. Lots of citrus, some caramel malt in there -- not one-sided like most super-hopped beers. Taste has hop citrus but brown ale creamy malt, dry finish. Can Drakes do any wrong?

Bottle shared courtesy of Jasonmech77. Poured a medium brown color with a small sized off white head. Aromas of caramel, citrus, pine, toasted malts, and some wood. Tastes of caramel, wood, pine, and citrus. A nice ’mistake’ from the brewery.

Thanks to Jasonmech77. Pours a translucent brown with lots of ruby red coming through and a smaller off white bubbly head that left some lacing. Aroma of lots of up front hops, citrus, some pine, yet a nice toasty malt, some caramel, nutty and some vanilla. Flavor of the same...but less. Kind of thin, with that nutty/toasty malts, nice hop bitterness, some grapefruit.

Thanks to Odeed for sharing this hand bottle from aspidites! Thanks Jake and Mike! Nose of hops, not the usual citrus, floral or pine, just hops, with a little caramel; Transparent brown with a medium brown head; Flavor of grapefruit and hop bitterness, then some caramel and molasses sneak into the medium body. The hop bitterness lasts to the finish.

(FIRST OFF MANY THANKS TO ASPEDITES FOR THIS HAND BOTTLED SAMPLE!)nice brown body with crimson highlights.with a serious pour i got a small light brown head that left nice lacing.wonderful "hoppy ass" aroma followed by some nuts,and caramel malts.flavor is a little less hoppy and has a nutty flavor with some caramel malts and brown sugar as well.this is very different in a very good way.

12 oz bottle via trade with Stoutlover72. Thanks Garrett! Like the raters below, I feel this is definitely not what I expected from a brown ale (a style about which I could generally care less). It’s not only the hops - and yes, this is a hoppy ass brown - but the fairly subtle malts, with a fine peaty aroma and a well integrated dose of bitter herbs or fruit. Would love to have more of this at some point. Thanks to a great trader for hooking me up!

Bottle via trade with Stoutlover72. Wow! Drakes have made something special with this one. Aroma smells like a mix of hops and pot. Very, very dark brown look with thin head and a great overall look. Smooth flavor that is well balanced and really does not tatse like a brown ale. Very hoppy and goes down easy. Wish I could get some more of this. Thanks Garrett!!!! Cheers!

This isn’t your father’s brown ale! This is like a little hop bomb in a bottle. Sheesh. A big hoppy aroma of grapefruit rinds and a big blast for floral sweetness. Appearance is muddy brown in color with a head on the smaller side of things. Flavor is attacking with hops cranked up nice and loud, with a sweet caramel support from the malts. Talk about pushing the envelope. Brown ales will never be the same. Damn you Drake’s!