Foothills Indian Brown Ale

Brewed by Foothills Brewing
Style: India Pale Ale (IPA)
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

on tap at the brewpub and at mellow mushroom up the street. I tried it twice at two differen places two days in a row to make sure I really hated it as much as I thought I did. pours a hazy ruddy-brown with a small beige head. smells earthy, spicy and of strong hops. I was disappointed by this. some interesting flavor profiles but it bites you all at once in a messy miss mosh of flavors and then disappears all at once, finishes very very dry with an unpleasant rotten bitter hop aftertaste. the bite of bitter spiciness is peppery, hoppy, yeasty, earthy and nutty. definetely hazelnut. it also tastes like it was sprinkled with dirt. if you love love love hops maybe you would be forgiving of this one. I think it was poorly executed. i won’t drink it again.

Pours a deep dark chocolate color; almost a cola look to it with ruby highlights along the edge of the bottom. Fluffy almond head exhibits some staying power. Wet loose lace slides and glides inside the glass. Aromas of some Dutch process cocoa powder float upwards to saturate the nostrils. Earthy hoppiness; you can smell the soil the rhizomes were planted in. An ample spiciness in the air as well. Flavors offer a roasty feel; heavily kilned malts result in a rather porter-esque (or a lighter stout) roastiness. Very nice. Nut character appears with some almond and hazelnut. A bitter earthiness finishes the taste. Plenty of hops abound in this India Pale, er, Brown Ale. Average mouthfeel. Feels a tad thin and reserved. The dark color and earthy attributes trick you into thinking this might have a hefty body. Drinkable and enjoyable. An earthy dose of bitter awaits you. (Previously reviewed as "Foothills Festive" on 1/5/06.)

Draught. Dark, brown, with ruby tinges. Mediuim tan head, very thick, nice lacing. Aroma is spicy and hoppy, and a roasty malt aroma too. Flavor is similar, with a good bit ot chocolate and a very nice hoppy finish. Excellent beer.

Draught at Mellow Mushroom. Black/maroon pour with thick creamy head, good lacing. Roasted malt, toffee, slight hop aroma. Roasted malt flavor that turns into a hoppy aftertaste. Very smooth and well ballanced.

Pours a murky brown with hint of ruby. Medium-full bodied. Malty, sweet, notes of toffee I think. Good hop bitterness to the finish. Very drinkable. Good offering from foothills
Earlier Rating: 10/27/2006 Total Score: 3.6
Pours an almost black color with hint of ruby. Small head. Roasty some malts and coffee notes. Moderate hoppiness. Good, but there are better Foothills out there.

On Tap at the Mellow Mushroom. Had a pint of this with my pizza, and it was pretty good. Pours out brownish red in color with a thick tan head on it. Smell is spicey and full of biscuit malt. Taste is smooth and pleasing, with a nice spicy christmas tree like finish. Pretty good stuff that reminded me alot of Anchor Christmas Ale. I enjoyed it, as I do with most foothills brews I come across. Went good with the pizza, nice accompaniment (is that a word?) to the pizza. Good stuff.

Dark brown color with a fairly thick tan head. Some notes of chocolate and caramel in the nose but nothing to clue you in to how hoppy this one is. What you have is a decent chocolatey brown ale with a nice blast of bitter hops. Very easy to drink yet full bodied and buzz inducing. Another winner from Foothills.

Dark brown with a froathy light brown head. Pretty hoppy beer much like an IPA, but with more roasty undertones like a stout. Still a lot of citrus. Pretty good brew.