Grays Autumn Ale-Nut Brown Ale

Brewed by Grays Brewing Company
Style: Brown Ale
Janesville, Wisconsin USA

12 oz bottle. Murky tarnished copper with a miniscule head...light caramel and smoke in the nose...pleasant, clean woody notes in the body, caramel and a bit of tar and licorice...medium carbonation, could be fuller at the finish.

This beer was nothing special as far as the style. Solid, not impressive. A little thin and yeasty for a brown. Color and balance were well done, but the yeast came through and the mouthfeel was thin. Reading the other reviews, maybe I had a bottle that went a little awry, but maybe not. Same bitterness as described elsewhere.

A deep brownish red beer with a coppery-tinged head (thin and fleeting). Strong scone or honey and biscuit aroma. Warm nuts and honey or honey and nuts. A fine brown ale, a bit on the thin side for body, but has a long, enduring finish. Very little up front though. Sweet for the style, but not bad overall.

RERATE 10/8/04: After sampling three more bottles of this, I have to revise my rating upwards a little. I think the original bottle I tried was a litlle "funky". None of the three bottles I sampled later had the metallic taste I detected in the first one, and the "nuttiness" was more pronounced. Flavor was far superior so I've adjusted the rating accordingly.

ORIGINAL RATING: I wanted to like this beer more. I really did. But let’s take it as it comes...From a bottle, this brew poured a dark brown with reddish tinges at the edge of the glass. Nice initial tan head that disappears quickly. Slight metallic hint in the aroma. Taste is mildly chocolate-y & somewhat nutty. Very slight metallic taste in the background. Reasonable hop presence towards the end. It certainly isn’t a bad brew for the money but it didn’t exactly wow me.

Strange tea-like bitterness that I couldn’t get past. Nice brown-ale aroma with slight floral hop aroma. Very malty, but the weird hop flavors turned me off.

Appearance is that of a glass of Coke, right down to the carbination. Nutty scent. Coffee taste, with a slight nuttiness. A little chocolate flavor as well. Too watery though.

Nutty aroma, color is brownish red. Nicely hopped for a brown ale. Finish is chocolately.

10/6/02: Chestnut brown color with a small bubbled small tan head. Aroma of roasted grains and nuts. A faint solvent aroma distracts slightly. Quite thin in body. Flavors of hickory nuts and a mild hop bitterness. Finishes with a touch of astringency. Borders on a brown porter in flavor, but lacks body. A good beer none the less. 10/9/03: I pick this up every year. This may be the only brown ale I would buy on a regular(annual) basis. touch more body this year and a hint of chocolate. Still solid.