The Duck-Rabbit Brown Ale

Brewed by The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Style: Brown Ale
Farmville, North Carolina USA

12oz bottle: Clear, deep brown color with tiny light tan head. Aroma is chocolately, with maple and vanilla. Flavor is malty, slightly nutty, bit of caramel, with a stiff bitterness in the finish.

Alright, but nothing to write home about. It is complex and hoppy but I generally prefer a bit more maltiness in my brown ales. This one could use a little more malt sweetness to balance it out.

Bigtime overcarbonation problem with this bottle. I ended up ditching about half a glass full of head and cleaning up a big mess. Some sort of acidic flavor or something in this one. I really wasn’t a fan.

This one has a tan-colored head, with a dark mahogany-brown, body. The head is soapy. It is an interesting beer: spicy, nutty - hazelnut - aroma, but it is also very perfume-infused and a little off-putting. Full, spicy flavor with strong cocoa notes in addtion to Old Spice cologne. Surprisingly dry and roasty.

Courtesy of a trade with TurdFerguson. Thanks, Sam! Pours a hazy, cherry-brown with an enormous khaki head. Plenty of milk chocolate in the aroma; floral hops, some tea-like qualities. Medium mouthfeel, crisp carbonation and upfront bitterness on the tongue; bubbly mid-section, like a chasm between the hops and the malts full of bubbles; surprisingly hoppy for a brown ale; malt core shows some chocolate, roasted/charred character; a bit too light to balance things out, however. Finish is light-to-medium, showing dark chocolate and some lingering floral bitterness.

From notes 5/22/05: Notched best by 7/05. 6-pack carrier boasts its elevated hoppiness. Pours a clear nut brown color, but a brilliant copper when backlit. Initial frothy light beige head reduces quickly to a thin milky covering. Loose patchwork of lace remains. Aromas had quite a bit of roastiness to them. Roasted malts, woody pulp, and a smidge of char. As it warms, a definitely piney hoppiness peeks through. Flavors are "deliciously bitter" as the label suggests, with a robust coffee feel, a roasted malt character, a chocolate malt feel, and a mish-mash of nut/caramel/toffee/brown sugar. Ever-present bitterness. Not the bland nut brown I haven’t been swayed yet to fully enjoy; this one has some gusto. Solid malty base, extensive roasted qualities, and a lingering finish of bitterness. Firm body, easily drinkable. This one is a wonderful session brown.

Re-rate. Pours a dark copper brown with ruby hues. Two finger creamy tan head. Leaves a slight lace. The nose isn’t very forward, hoppy notes and sweet malt. The flavor is more pronounced. Definitely a well hopped brown, sweet malt provides a nice balance, nutty and earthy, slight toffee. Nice mouthfeel, full and well carbonated. Finishes waxy. An interesting brown.

Draft... NTB Ernesto Festo ’06... Hazy mahogany ale with a large, frothy, beige head. Great, creamy retention. The aroma is chocolate, toasted malts, caramel and roasted nuts. Mildly sweet, herbal flavor with brown sugar, chocolate, citrus and singed grains. Medium-bodied and velvety with moderate carbonation. Lightly burnt, dry finish.