Bonfire Brown - Saugatuck Brewing Company

tophers

Michigan

3.63/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

I found the aroma to be great with the dark chocolate notes. Head could have been a little but more long lasting but it fit into the style guidelines. I thought this beer could use a more of malt backbone as I would like the malt to shine a little bit more in this beer. Good beer from Saugatuck. Wouldn't be the first choice on my list for an American Brown but not a bad representation of the style.

a: Medium brown with some ruby highlights. Appears to be fairly transparent from what I can tell. Head is quite thin and off-white in color with large bubbles around the side of the glass.

s: Aroma consists of toffee and chocolate primarily. Chocolate smell is of a dark chocolate and is very pleasant. Some bready and coffee notes in the background too. Not detecting any hop aroma. Some fruity esters.

t: More hop forward (bitterness) than malt with this one, although not overwhelming. Malt flavors are of toffee, chocolate, and a bit of coffee. A bit of fruitiness in there too. Moderately bitter with a moderately dry finish. No diacetyl.

m: Medium body with moderate carbonation. No alcohol warmth.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 23:02:12 | More by tophers

hackmann

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 2.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: I don’t know it is all foam. One inch of brown liquid and a four finger tan head and that was on a gentle pour. This is one foamy beer – went to pour the last inch of beer from the bottle, once my glass was half done, and wow explosion of foam. All over the table; the foam was pouring out of the glass like lava coming out of a volcano; it just would not stop foaming.

Aroma: toasted grains, mild-medium roast coffee, lightly toasted sugar,

Flavors: medium roast coffee, toasted grains, roasted caramel malt, some dark chocolate likeness, and a little toasted sugar

Mouthfeel: super fizzy carbonation (something is wrong with this ale), very dry finish, toasted grains linger on the palate

To the Point: Toasty is the word to describe this ale. A very nice and toasty brown ale. I just want one with 75% less carbonation. I would try this again. The flavors are nice.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 22:18:54 | More by hackmann

bob_d_j

Michigan

4/5  rDev +9%

04-10-2013 23:28:43 | More by bob_d_j

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.33/5  rDev +18%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in a nonic)
A- This beer pours a slightly dense glowing caramel brown body with a thin light beige head that last for a good bit and a few strands of microbubbles that glide up the sides of the glass.

S- The deep toasted dry malt aroma has some lighter toasted malt notes underneath and a fresh biscuit and grain hint to it.

T- The nice slightly dry lightly toasted malt has some breakfast roasted coffee coming through and a fresh dry grain taste aswell. There is a deeper toasted malt hint in the finish. There are some mellow yet complex malt flavors that linger after each sip aswell.

M- The medium-light mouthfeel has a crisp fizz and no alcohol heat notice.

O- This is a great brown ale with lots of nice complexity and depth aswellas a good freshness. This is a really nice session beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 15:18:06 | More by rhoadsrage

SmellsofMahagony

Texas

3/5  rDev -18.3%

03-11-2013 02:52:54 | More by SmellsofMahagony

JohnnieNepal

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%

02-22-2013 23:44:51 | More by JohnnieNepal

Mitchster

Michigan

4.29/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

$1.79 for a 12oz bottle @ BevCo. 5.5% ABV, 20 IBU's.

Pours out to a clear walnut, forming a modest light tan head with ok retention and sparse lacing. Moderate carbonation, ~2.25 carbs. The nose is nice...definite walnut and hazelnut (almost like extract was added), vanilla, carob, minimal hop presence, mild dark fruit, and bread crust. When swirled, I get this odd peaty manure smell. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a lightly roasted astringency. Taste is of rye bread crust, walnuts, a surprising herbal hop flavor, medium bitterness, a clean ferment, slight chalkiness, and a leathery/woody finish. No appreciable off flavors or aromas. Some reviewers are mentioning smoke in their reviews, but I get none.

I'm not a huge fan of brown ales, but this is one of the best I've had in a long time. A wonderful example of the style. Complex yet very drinkable. Highly recommended. I'll have to go pick up some more of these.

Serving type: bottle

02-21-2013 02:00:36 | More by Mitchster

superspak

Michigan

3.95/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best before 3/3/2013. Pours hazy reddish brown color with a nice 1-2 finger dense light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Nice dense soapy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of caramel, chocolate, toffee, toast, cocoa, light nuttiness, light roast, brown bread, light smoke, and floral hops. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of dark malty notes, with good strength. Taste of caramel, chocolate, roasted malt, toast, toffee, cocoa, brown bread, smoke, light char, light nuttiness, light coffee, floral, and light pine. Light pine bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, chocolate, roasted malt, smoke, light char, toast, brown bread, coffee, and light pine on the finish for a good bit. Very nice balance and complexity of robust dark malt flavors; with a nice moderate hop balance; and minimal cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy and lightly slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is an damn nice brown ale. Nice balance and complexity of robust dark malt flavors; and very smooth to drink. I don’t think I’ve had a smoked brown before, but this was very well done; very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2013 06:13:51 | More by superspak

ROBSTARR

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev -4.6%

02-15-2013 14:38:54 | More by ROBSTARR

scruffwhor

Illinois

3.41/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3

Rusty, ruby, and BBQ brown mix. Faint residual foam after the pour left a small light tan head. The beer is to dark and hazey to see any bubbling.

Roasty, toasty, a little yeasty sweetness, and just a dash of smoke make up this timid aroma.

A little coffee, dark roasted bread crust and biscuits. A little pine needle hop bitterness adds a little twang t this malt brew. The finish has just a hint of lingering smoke. Easy to drink, good carbonation on the palate. This is a flavorful session beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 14:20:44 | More by scruffwhor

Glen0matiC

Illinois

3/5  rDev -18.3%

01-23-2013 19:46:00 | More by Glen0matiC

SerialHiker

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a deep, smooth brown…light tan head, about 1.5 inches thick…a nice looking and very inviting brown…(4/5)

Smell: A great smell here…it does need some “warming” to get the full aroma, but there is a lively smell going on…dark, roasted and sweet malts are the obvious backbone for this ale…there’s hints of chocolate and cream...a really pleasant aroma…(4/5)

Taste: A pale, smoked malt…has an earthy, nutty, creamy flavor in the middle…tons of smoke and roasted malt flavor throughout the drink…some toffee, chocolate and coffee hints mixed in…there’s a creamy astringent bitterness towards the end…(3.5/5)

Mouthfeel: A very light, medium bodied brew…medium carbonation that does form, but doesn’t linger…smooth and crisp for a brown, not very rich…(3.25/5)

Overall: I often say, “good, not great” and this one fits that bill…the flavor is good, standard brown, but it’s not full bodied enough for my taste…the smell is fantastic, I wish the flavor was more like it, a bit more chocolate and cream…it’s a light, creamy brown that is very drinkable but not outstanding or memorable…I would drink this again and am beginning to get the urges to visit this brewery first hand, as this is now the second Saugatuck beer that was good…(3.5/5)

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 01:31:00 | More by SerialHiker

DruC4

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%

01-04-2013 03:15:30 | More by DruC4

Pat316

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%

12-21-2012 20:18:33 | More by Pat316

runlikeakenyan

Indiana

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%

12-13-2012 12:14:53 | More by runlikeakenyan

jsisko01

Michigan

4.08/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - Pours an extremely dark brown color with a very nice, creamy tan head. Dissipates quickly and leaves a very bubbly, creamy lacing.

Smell - Creamy, caramel, coffee, chocolate, and malty. Smells delicious.

Taste - Matches the aroma.. Very sweet and creamy, earthy and toasted malts, nutty, with a strong coffee and chocolate flavor throughout. The coffee comes out stronger in the finish, with a slight bitterness and smoky flavor.

Mouthfeel - Medium to heavy bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall - This is a very tasty brown ale, better than most that I've tried. A little strong on the coffee though.. But this would go great at a bonfire or a winter drink.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 00:25:57 | More by jsisko01

akttr

Michigan

3/5  rDev -18.3%

12-04-2012 04:33:52 | More by akttr

TypsiYpsi

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%

11-26-2012 02:14:20 | More by TypsiYpsi

GRPunk

Michigan

3.65/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle poured into a nonic pint

A- A slightly aggressive pour created a 1-1/2 finger, light brown head. The body was a dark brown that was clean, reddish and sportin light-moderate carbonation when held to light. The head sustains at 1/4 finger and leaves really good stick on the glass.

S- Chocolate at first. A further sniff brings out a definite suggestion of smoke, almost like smoked nuts. It all comes together with some warmth to give the impression of some sort of winter/Christmas spiced nut mixture. Really kind of cool.

T- Much as aroma suggests. Strong smoked flavor. Hints of nutty and chocolate component. Nut flavor ducks in and out. I'm not a huge smoked beer fan, so it's a bit much for me (more than a Scotch ale, but nowhere near a rauchbier of full-on smoked beer).

M- Dry, tending toward a little chalky. Light bite I might attribute to carbonation. Moderate body for the style.

O- Pretty good beer. Smoke isn't my cup of tea, but I can appreciate this beer. It seems to be nicely done and what the brewer was aiming for.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2012 23:28:05 | More by GRPunk

brentk56

North Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Arrives with a tea brown color capped by a small head; not much lacing

Smell: Roasty, with hints of chocolate, coffee and caramel

Taste: Roasty, up front, with the chocolate, coffee and caramel flavors setting the pace; some nice balancing elements come from char and earthy hop flavors

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Overall: Quite a surprise, as I am not normally that fond of a brown ale; this one is a bit more like a Porter

Serving type: on-tap

11-16-2012 03:25:24 | More by brentk56

strohme2

Michigan

4/5  rDev +9%

11-15-2012 21:30:18 | More by strohme2

enelson

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -11.4%

11-15-2012 06:05:23 | More by enelson

coz

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev +2.2%

11-11-2012 06:44:54 | More by coz

klipper

Michigan

4/5  rDev +9%

10-27-2012 06:22:38 | More by klipper

NeverSettle

Texas

3.25/5  rDev -11.4%

10-23-2012 19:59:26 | More by NeverSettle