Sierra Nevada Brown Ale

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: Brown Ale
Chico, California USA

i was very suprised with the taste. i thought it tasted very much like a pale ale. it didnt have the rich flavor i expected with it being a brown ale

Crystal clear medium brown color with small to medium off white head. Aroma is malty, touch of caramel and honey, crisp, almost Kolsh or lager-like in quality. Flavor is malty, fair presence of bitter malts, hint of caramel and honey. Finish is balanced.

Served cold on draught, too cold to get much of a nose, but really opened up as it warmed, and the taste improved measurably, too. Cola-dark and cola-sweet initially, with appropriate carbonation and a medium-full mouthfeel. Smooth and oily yet slightly astringent, I was expecting more of the Sierra Nevada hop bite, but I know that’s not the focus of the style. Malty, with nutty and toasty characteristics reminding me of a Scotch ale . . . a bit of that oilyness too. Very fresh and very, very good. One of the best of its style I’ve tried in years.

Bottle at The Rake, London.dark copper with a nice big creamy head. Faint malt aroma. Malty caramel, offset by good citrussy hop bitterness. Dry finish. Medium body. Not very memorable, but still acceptable.

Good beer, some maltiness and bitterness, but a good smooth drinker. Not much head and a medium/dark brown color. Not bad, but nothing truly special.

Disappointing, indeed. Coming on the heals of an Oaked AB, I thought I’d either be lathered up or this would come up amazingly bland. Check the latter box here. Meediocree. No aroma to speak of, no hazelnutty tones to compare remotely with Rogue, and watery palate. Brown ales can be much better than this. Come on, SN, don’t insult our taste buds.

A Sim Rate (bottled from Gristede’s, Manhattan): Aroma is almost non-existent. I even swished! Slightly crayony aroma. Flavour is full though. Coffee and chocolate in the initial hit and nutty finish. The colour is browny amber with no head but decent lacing. Nice dark ale with a sweet honey flavour.

From a 12 oz. twist cap stubby bottle with a short blurb and the year 2006 on the neck label. Poured a clear golden hued brown with a foamy off-white head, good retention, that slowly settled into a thin sudsy lacing. Nice toasted nutty aroma with highlights of citric hops and grainy malts. Good steady carbonation and a crisp, creamy smooth medium bodied mouthfeel. Pleasant brown ale taste, toasted nuts and roasted grain, earthy and light citric hops, just enough bitterness to break up the malts, and a dryish nutty, grainy, malty finish. Smooth, easy drinkability, very quaffable, another quality brew from Sierra Nevada.