An Ode To The English Brown

Is there any beer more subtle, wonderful, and comforting than the English Brown ale?
Flavorful, easy to drink, attractive to look at, offering sweet, sometimes nutty aromas, English brown ales are a very soothing choice in the ale world.
Possibly the most versatile beer, English brown ale is at home in a multitude of situations. While tolerable in the summer heat, and somewhat warming in the winter, brown ales are perfect for spring, but especially the first chills of fall, when stouts and porters are too strong, and pale ales are too light and hoppy.
This brings us to the English and their storied brown ales. Much like with IPA, English brown ale has an interesting history, intertwined with the English mild ale. English mild is the quintessential pub beer, a session ale for the ages. Where mild ales were gentle in their malt flavor, low in alcohol and basically ‘mild’ overall, brown ales are more robust in color and full of flavor.
English brown ales can be further broken down into two distinct categories, Southern and Northern. Southern English brown ales are sweeter in taste and deeper in color, with a strong caramel or toffee essence. Beyond this sweet malt, hints of dark fruit are not unusual, although hops are rarely noticeable. Southern browns tend to seem thicker and fuller, due to the sweetness and the dark malts used in brewing.
Northern brown ales are more prominent in that country (and ours), and stand out with a dry, lighter body and a nutty flavor. Where southern brown ales have more in common with sweet stouts, northern brown ales would be closer in nature to a dark pale ale.
Although widely available, Newcastle Brown Ale is a somewhat average, if not a subpar beer in the Northern style. It’s often referred to as the ‘Budweiser of Brown Ales’ among craft beer drinkers.
If mild ales are hard to find in the states (Moorehouse’s Black Cat is recommended, Coopers Dark Ale is not), true Southern English brown ales are nonexistent. I’ve only ever had one while visiting London. Thus, it’s the Northern English brown ale that we must embrace. And while the Smuttynose Old Brown Dog is rich and hoppy, and my favorite American version of an English brown ale is the bittersweet chocolate and dark fruit and nut notes of Avery Ellie’s brown ale, you really must seek out an ale from across the pond.
The tried and true standard, purest example, and based on availability, the best English brown is Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, brewed in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire. There’s no better choice when searching for a real English brown ale, and hailing from the North of that country, this one will have that distinct nutty addition.
Out of a bottle or a draught line, the ale has a succulent, nutty smell and a quick malt and nut taste. A sweet, butterscotch like taste greets the tongue, with a bitter aspect, slightly nutty, passing over the back of the mouth. A smooth beer, that only gets smoother as it warms, a tinge of chocolate is noticeable on the sides of the mouth as the nutty finish takes over. Somewhat dry and medium to light, the average alcohol level makes this an English brown ale to return to again and again. Enjoy the brews. … Cheers.
Gene’s Haufbrau has at more than 200 beers in bottles or on tap. While they don’t have every beer the Beer Snob writes about, they probably have most. Gene’s is located at 817 Savannah Hwy. 225-GENE. E-mail the Beer Snob at publisher@westof.net.