Indian Brown Ale - Dogfish Head Brewery

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -14.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Great colour and lace and promising mollasses and alcohol aroma, but taste was initially sour and then more malty after inducing some spicy food. For the latter, its a quencher. Some burnt carmel, appropriate carbonation. Maybe it works on tap or another day, another meal.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2005 03:24:26 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

4.47/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Non-opaque dark brown that becomes dark reddish copper when backlit. The largish head is toasted cocoa in color and looks dense enough and tacky enough to result in better than average lace. And it does; I see a near contiguous sheet on the glass opposite as I drink.

Indian Brown smells like a porter to me, maybe even a light stout. It's redolent of chocolate with a generous smattering of hops and perhaps a whiff of coffee. Without a doubt, the best brown ale nose that I've run across yet.

Massive flavor profile for a brown ale. There's plenty of dark, roasted malt that results in a bittersweet chocolate flavor, hops that do not want to be assigned a supporting role and a pleasant underlying smokiness. Coffee percolates through each mouthful as well. Thanks to the full body and the soft, smooth mouthfeel, the finish is long and satisfying. Amazingly complex and hearty for the style.

Dogfish Head and I did not get off to a great start (Immort Ale), but I have since been extremely impressed with the brewery. I had a very good brown ale a while back (Bell's Best Brown), but Indian Brown noses it out of the top spot. The DFH website describes it as a cross between a Scotch Ale, an IPA and an APA. I'm not too sure about that, but however one chooses to categorize it, this is one well-crafted, delicious beer. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2004 19:30:25 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Finally splurged on a bottle at Bruisn when I was there today, okay at 2 bucks not really splurged, but got one none the less. Poured a deep dark brown with a huge tan head, lots of lace left over on the sides. Smell was lots of hops, pine, with some sweetness mixed in. A touch of some earthy, grassy flavors as well. The taste was great, good malt back that was hoped to all hell. Very fresh taste, and a sstrong biting finish. Alot of similarity to the Terrapin Brown. Great smooth feel, lots of carbonation made it go down smooth with a nice dry finish. I could easily see myself drinking this on a regular basis. It was really just that good. A very quality session beer for sure. Just a treat to drink, and I will definatly be looking forward to the next time I am around grabbing some of this to bring home!

Serving type: bottle

07-29-2007 03:46:13 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

3.8/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Matt for this tick.

A: Pours a very dark brown color with some reddish highlights and a thin tan head.

S: Smells really roasty with some nice chocolate and earthy hop notes. There is a strange aroma that seems to be chlorine, but it's sort of in the background. Some pretty decent coffee notes too.

T: Lots of roasted malt, dark chocolate, and a bit of coffee. Pretty bitter with a nice earthy hop profile. A nice toffee flavor and some toasted malt notes.

M: The body is medium with a moderate level of carbonation.

D: The strange chlorine thing was a bit of a black mark on this beer, but otherwise, this is damn good.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2011 06:39:00 | More by womencantsail

Thorpe429

Illinois

4.38/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Very dark brown with a pretty good, long-lasting head.

S: Definitely finding the combination of beers here--plenty of hops as well as sweet, dark malts with chocolate and carmelized sugars. Dark fruit underneath.

T: Much like the smell with a little bit of molasses thrown in. The dark fruits are a little more prominent in the taste.

M: Medium bodied and very smooth. Chewy.

D: Very nice beer. Perhaps my favorite of the year-round, six-pack offerings.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2009 21:57:34 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

There I was, last weekend, talking about beer, and bemoaning the fact that I can't find a decent brown ale back home in Atlanta.

And BAM, what shows up in the cooler at Once Upon a Vine during my roadtrip to Richmond, but Dogfish Head's Indian Brown Ale!

Appearance: Poured out a crystal clear dark-reddish brown color with a khaki-colored head recedes to a thin band around the glass.

Smell: Chockablock scent full of sweet satisfaction - hazlenut coffee, brown sugar, and candied dark fruits.

Taste: The flavor of this brown ale is so far superior that it barely warrants mentioning, but I'll do my best. A rich, assertive malt base charges the tongue. Fiendishly sweet flavor suggesting coffee, toasted nuts, and cooked caramel (which carries with it a delicate smokiness). A restrained herbal hop bitterness allows the malts to really shine through. Finishes with a lasting roastiness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Light on the carbonation, keeping this brew singularly smooth and creamy.

Drinkability: Yeah, to sum up: Dogfish Head's Indian Brown Ale is strikingly drinkable and incredibly tasty! For me, that was enough, but the beer is unique and clever and well done enough that any fans of the style should check it out.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2006 02:59:04 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Pours a dark chocolate brown color with russet highlights; the rocky head that displays great retention, depositing a touch of lacing with every sip

Smell: A bit indistinct, but primarily brown bread and rich caramel malts

Taste: A whole lot going on here - starts out surprisingly hoppy from the get-go and then builds from there; in the middle, some caramel and burnt sugar flavors develop along with roasted coffee; somewhere, later on, the alcohol makes itself known as the gullet warms; finally it finished with a complex sweet and bitter crescendo

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with lively carbonation

Drinkability: What is this beer? One sip and you think it is a hoppy brown ale and the next it is masquerading as a light bodied stout. Can't tell for sure but it is a worthwhile beer to seek out.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2005 18:37:05 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an almost opaque super dark brown with a 1 inch foamy dark khaki head. Thin foamy rings of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt, toasted nuts, and some slight herbal hop aromas. Taste is of toasted malt and nuts, burnt brown sugar, and some herbal hop flavors on the finish. There is a mild roasty bitterness on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer with some solid aromas and flavors that make this one really easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2012 02:56:15 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle: Poured a deep brown color ale with a nice foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of nutty caramel malt with some dry hops. Taste is also dominated by some toffee and caramel malt which are well balance by some dry light bitter hops. Good body with some good carbonation. Very well done for a session ale that can still retain some character.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2008 20:52:45 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.18/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

High praise is had all around as Dogfish Head celebrates all of what's brown with a unique dry toasty beer with a heavy hop influence.

With an appearance that looks austerely like porter, the beer lands in that dark bark-brown realm with onyx-like refelection and firm head formation and retention. The medium sand-tan foam laces extremely well and forms the final impressions of a well made ale.

Heavy toast, roasted nuts, rich cold-press coffee, cocoa, and starchy malt begin the aromatic dialogue as the balance of pine, citrus, and grass emit in their hoppy form to counter the dry malt influence.

Burnt molasses, bold roast coffee, bittersweet chocolate, walnuts and malted milkshakes start to form the taste just as the citrusy build up from hops begin. Soon, the sweetness is supplanted by dry bitterness both from char and hops and seem like saw dust, grapefruit, and burnt embers carry the beer into its semi-dry bitter finish.

Medium bodies, the beer's early creaminess is quickly shed and makes way for the lighter mid palate of toast, powder, hops to easily develop with an even fade into dryness, warmth, and quickly closing dark malts.

The American influence on this beer is undeniable- it's much more toasty (almost roasty), it's drier, and much more hoppy (American citrus hops)- all making it easily agreeable for a pairing of medium-well cheeseburgers with sharp cheddar!

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2005 12:34:32 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -10%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Wow this is no brown mild!This pours a nice deep brown with light had that stuck a little to the sides of the glass,the aroma was pretty nutty and a little bitter sweet.Taste was well unexpected,it had the nutty,earthy qualities of a brown ale but it also had a very alcoholic note to it as well.A real good beer but I couldnt have more than one or two.

Serving type: bottle

06-30-2003 20:09:42 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very dark reddish brown with a lightly creamy head that has fair retention and keeps a light surface covering throughout the serving. The aroma is bold, with dark chocolatey malt and bright Goldings hops. The body is medium with a very fine, restrained carbonation that leaves the mouthfeel lightly creamy and smooth. The flavor is quite rich with a lightly acidic and fruity bittersweet chocolate maltiness, and sharp, hoppy flavors. The bitterness plays a supporting role to the dark, sugary maltiness. The alcohol is somewhat noticeable, but not intrusive. It finishes semi-dry with a lingering sweet malt and bitterness. Although it builds upon the palate, which limits it's drinkability, it's still quite enjoyable. Interesting and somewhat complex.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2002 17:43:02 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Served in a Chicago Bears shaker pint glass.

We mourn the passing of the Devil's Backbone willibecher. *sniffle* Moving on, this brew pours a clear deep amber-garnet topped by nearly a finger of off-white foam. The nose conprises maple syrup, caramel, brown sugar, molasses, walnuts, and a touch of flowery oak. The taste brings in an additional bit of mandarin orange syrup, while also maintaining a decently powerful nuttiness. The body is a light medium, with a light carbonation and a very smooth feel. Overall, a very tasty brew, one of the best normal-ish browns readily available.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2010 01:29:33 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.28/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A fine tan head stands atop a dark brown to near-black body. Sweet aroma with caramel notes. Strong sensation hits the tastebuds, an all-out hop assault. Warming with a definite alcohol kick, at 7.2%, probably the strongest brown ale I've ever encountered. A totally unique animal; many browns are too lacking in hops,but this one ups the ante, making a tasty and powerful brew. Alcohol lessens some toward the end, for goodness' sake. Definitely, my favorite brown ale.
Part of a growing trend in nomenclature. If it's stronger than normal, call it Imperial Blank, if it's hoppier, call it India Blank.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2003 13:56:22 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.33/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a deep brown color with a thick tan head. The aroma is of sweet crystal malts and roasted barley. The taste is good. It has a decent amount of flavoring hops which balances nicely with the crystal malts and brown sugar. The mouthfeel is good. It is a full bodied brown ale with adequate carbonation. This is one of the best brown ales going.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2003 19:24:23 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Indian brown on draft at a DFH pub in NOVA. Served in a pint glass. Head is thin and brownish, beer is dark, DARK, brown, almost black. Aroma is a mixture of roast and hops. Hop aroma is not overwhelming but it is there. The overall aroma is not pronounced, you have to search for it.

Initial impresions of the flavor is smokey. A lot of roast, not a lot of hop bitterness. Roast shows up in the back of the mouth, probably masking the 50IBU. Drinkability is high, some aftertaste of smoke builds on your palate.

Serving type: on-tap

10-12-2009 18:30:42 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

The beer pours a dark brown color with an off-white head. The aroma is full of roasted malt, chocolate and coffee. An outstanding smelling beer. The flavor has a lot of coffee in it as well as some nice bitterness from the piney hops. I also get some roasted malt and some chocolate in the flavor. Overall, the mouthfeel is a little bit creamy and the carbonation is low to medium. A great brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2011 03:21:32 | More by Mora2000

metter98

New York

4.22/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer poured very dark amber in color with a finger high creamy beige head that slowly diminishes into lacy patterns. A faint amount of rising bubbles are visible.
S: There is a moderate aroma of dark roasted malts in the nose along with notes of caramel and some hints of brown sugar.
T: The taste is rather complex and has notes of brown sugar, caramel, nuts, roasted malts and toffee. A mild amount of bitterness is present from the hops.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate; there is a little bit of warming from the alcohol.
D: The beer is very easy to drink and the smell or taste of alcohol isn't perceptible. I definitely want to try this again because the combination of flavors is very unique.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2010 22:31:56 | More by metter98

zeff80

Missouri

4.45/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A - Poured out a dark brown color with a foamy, bubbly, tan, three-finger head. It left some soapy trails of lace.

S - It smelled very grassy and of rich roasted malt. There were also spicy notes.

T - It tasted very hoppy. It was spicy with a bitter kick. The roasted malt flavor was smooth and sweet.

M - It was crisp and smooth. A medium-bodied beer.

D - This is probably the best American Brown Ale that I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

02-29-2008 02:43:38 | More by zeff80

Gueuzedude

Arizona

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours with a frothy four-finger thick, amber to light brown colored head. The beer is a brilliantly clear, ruby highlighted deep amber-brown color. The aroma is sweet and fruity up front with notes of caramel, cherries and a bit of sweet herbal hoppiness. The nose finishes with a light roast note that evokes thoughts of toasted bread and milk chocolate. The taste is sweet up front, and is followed quickly by very fruity notes that are reminiscent of cherries, perhaps even a bit like cough-syrup (though only lightly so). The finish is long, though not heavy handed and has an astringent roast malt character to it. This beer is quite smooth up front, but finishes with a prickle of carbonation that helps to balance the overall sweetness of the malt. The body of this is fairly light, this beer is quite quaffable. There are some hop notes here, though perhaps not as much as I was expecting from the label; there is a nice herbal quality in the middle, and the finish has a solid hop bite to it that helps to balance the sweet candied caramel note.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2005 22:24:26 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Track 84 in Warwick, RI, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a dark brown color, with a short dense beige head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is malty and nutty with maple, caramel and a good amount of hops.

T: The taste starts with flavors of nuts, maple & chocolate followed by a strong hops burst for the style. The malt character is hearty but there’s very little sweetness unlike other beers in the style. The after-taste is bitter.

M: Smooth and very crisp, medium body, medium carbonation, sticky and dry finish.

D: Tasty, goes down easy, not too filling, good kick as most DFH beer have, good representation of style while being a bit different in keeping with the DFH hallmark, it’s a good beer to stick with for an evening.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2007 15:44:46 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev -9.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Been quite some time since I had one of these. The beer poured out as a brown color with a pretty good looking head on top. The smell of this beer has a good amount of citrusy hops on the nose, with a more subtle aroma of chocolate malt. The taste of this beer is very hoppy, It's along the lines of some Black IPA's that are available these days. The flavors are sweet and bitter all at the same time. Pretty interesting stuff really. The mouthfeel is average I think, the carbonation in good and it is a drinkable brew. Overall it's a nice choice if you're looking for something new to try. It's a pretty enjoyable beer all around.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 20:05:31 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.53/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours brown/light red with a 2" light tan fluffy head. Average lacing and head retention

Smell: Caramel sweetness and slight toasty notes

Taste: Rich toasty notes, caramel, super fruitty & a slight nutiness. Fruitty crisp finish

MF: Rich and well balanced, perfect carbonation levels

Extremelydrinkable, I'd guessed this was about 5%abv. Very quaffable fot the abv. Expensive, but a really tasty brown. Another winner from DFH!

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2006 05:43:31 | More by russpowell

Halcyondays

California

4.65/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

12 oz. bottle, bought by my sister at AJ's Fine Foods, in Glendale, AZ,

A: Pours a dark brown, with a thick tan head, with good retention, not much lacing though.

S: Nice full smell of caramel malt, with a distinct French roast coffee smell, and a bit of floral hops, interesting.

T: Caramel malt and brown sugar/Rapadura hit the tongue first, which is then balanced by a spicy hop character, leaving a sense of grass on the tongue. Even though this isn't a porter or a stout, there is a distinct coffee element to this beer as well, very tasty, the malt flavours in this beer are just beautiful.

M: Full-bodied, smooth and creamy, a little bit of resin is carried on the tongue as the beer finishes as well.

D: This is a very good beer, possibly the best Brown Ale made in America, or the best that I have had. I wish I had another bottle of this, but I guess as Miles says in Sideways, I'll just have to live bottle to bottle, until Dogfish moves back to CA.

Edit - Had another bottle of this 8/1/10 in AZ, still as good as I remember it, my cousin raved as well.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2007 03:35:15 | More by Halcyondays

jwc215

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev -8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours brown with ruby hues and a thin, lasting, white head. Some lacing sticks to the glass.

Brown sugar dominates the aroma at first. But, caramel, sweet grains, earthy and nutty notes soon back it up. A touch of alcohol is mixed in. Very complex and inviting.

Unfortunately, I wasn't as impressed with the taste as I was with the aroma. It seems to pull in different directions, giving it sensory overload. Brown sugar and caramel with plenty of hops. Earthy hops control the sweetness, almost too much. I don't know if they add much to the flavor as they do as balancers. They do do a fine job with the aroma. Can I appreciate the complexities of it? Sure, and for this I give it a decent rating on the taste. Is it my thing? Well, to try it. But this just seems too all-over-the-place for me.
Alcohol present, though never overwhelming.

Thick while staying in a medium body. Medium carbonation. Drying.

An experimental brew that is certainly worth trying, and they do combine IPA with Brown Ale. There is something about it that I can't quite put my finger on that holds me back from liking it even more.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2007 23:09:36 | More by jwc215