Legend King James Ale

Formerly brewed at Legend Brewing Company
Style: Brown Ale
Richmond, Virginia USA

Poured a clear deep brown color with a large beige head. The aroma was soapy and floral with mild diacetyl notes. The flavor was lightly malty with a citrus hopmiddle and a roasty finish. Mildly bitter with a semi-dry finish. Light to medium bodied.

Bottle sampled on 5/23/07: Pours a dark amber mahogany with a nicely lacing light tan head. Lightly sweet, toasty dark caramel malty aroma has some toffee notes. Body starts lightly sweet and toasty with some dark, mildly roasted notes toward a slightly grainy, drier finish. A nice brown ale.

Bottle... Pours dark brown and sits black in my glass with a small, off-white head. Good retention. Chocolate and graham nose. Watery, thin flavor with very subdued chocolate and toasted nuts. Perfectly balanced, but in a “club soda” kind of way. Not a whole lot going on here. Light to medium-bodied with fizzy carbonation. Watery finish! Kudos to growler for providing the bottle for everyone to share!

This is certainly the darkest brown ale I’ve had. Pours a thin-looking, very dark brown with mahogany hints. Looks like an English Porter. Thin, light beige head, slow recession. The aroma has notes of English malts, toffee, caramel, in that order they become noticeable. Chocolate follows, then lots of various earthy nuts, vanilla bean, cocoa dust. Good quality and quantiy of roast. Alcohol is lightly evident. The flavor is competent but less interesting, slightly muddled. Notes of chocolate, caramel, marshmallow and vanilla dominate. The mouthfeel is medium to medium-full bodied with adequate, soothing complimentary carbonation, soft and very pleasant. Finishes chocolatey, nutty, medium duration. Tasty.

Pours brown, medium-bodied, with quite a small light tan head. Smells of light caramel, sweet malts, a little roast, a little nuttiness. The taste is very malty, alot of that carmael, some dark fruits, maybe raisins. Kind of nutty too, although very sweet. Nice flavors, easy drinking, nice aftertaste left on the palate. I liked this brew for what it was.

Bomber. Very dark, clear brown with a light brown head. Mildly nutty nose, some caramel and light chocolate. Medium body, a touch of softness. Milk chocolate and caramel flavors, light walnut and a tinge of vanilla. Interesting - not bad!

(22oz bottle) Important note -- let warm to near room temperature before drinking, as this was pretty mediocre when I first opened it. Medium beige head atop very dark brown body. Aroma is medium sweet, nutty, caramel, chocolate. Taste is medium sweet, milk chocolate, nut, caramel, light cherry. Soft medium body, low carbonation.

Draft, Baja Bean, Staunton VA. Very dark brown with tan head. Roasty and toasty aromas in the nose, but not too sweet. Flavor was somewhat light, with emphasis on toasted caramel malt, and a nice clean finish. Refreshing and flavorful-- if only brown ales really tasted like this!