Old Brown Dog
Smuttynose Brewing Company

Old Brown DogOld Brown Dog
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From:
Smuttynose Brewing Company
 
New Hampshire, United States
Style:
American Brown Ale
Ranked #84
ABV:
6.5%
Score:
88
Ranked #13,952
Avg:
3.93 | pDev: 10.94%
Reviews:
1,016
Ratings:
2,811
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 11, 2024
Added:
May 07, 1998
Wants:
  146
Gots:
  584
Old Brown Dog has been cited as a classic example of the “American Brown Ale” style of beer. Compared to a typical English Brown Ale, Old Brown Dog is fuller-bodied and more strongly hopped.

30 IBU
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.21 by fivepilks from Pennsylvania

Mar 11, 2024
 
Rated: 4.9 by Paulrothlauf from North Carolina

Feb 19, 2024
Photo of jjamadorphd
Reviewed by jjamadorphd from Florida

4.1/5  rDev +4.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
One of the most smooth brown ales I have ever had...

...not only smooth, but it really looked good, smelled malty, and had a very medium-bodied mouthfeel that was light on carbonation. Overall, it is a solid brown ale - I think this is the one that finally has me thinking of making my own...
Jan 08, 2024
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Rated by Captain69 from Illinois

3.65/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
pours brown ith thick head malty ale slight hint of hopps
Oct 29, 2023
Photo of OhioLimoncello
Reviewed by OhioLimoncello from Ohio

3.76/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Enjoyed on tap at Smuttynose Brewery in Hampton, NH. Light body with soft, soapy lacing. This beer, is easy drinking 6.5% ABV. It has a solid malt backbone, which is more characteristic in the finish.
Oct 20, 2023
Photo of Foyle
Reviewed by Foyle from North Carolina

4.36/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Poured from 12 oz can into pint glass. Thin tan head, no lacing, color is light brown, moderate carbonation. Aroma of roasted malt and earthy hops. Mouthfeel is medium. Flavor: sweet barley malt syrup, toasted bread, a bit of cocoa, earthy hops and a bit of citrus. Overall: excellent.
Sep 04, 2023
Photo of Cathartes
Reviewed by Cathartes from Massachusetts

4.21/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
12 oz bottle acclimated to 48°F and poured into a nonic.

Pours a murky carob color with a 3-3.5 finger foamy beige head, leaving seemingly very little lacing. Looks great.

Initial aroma is metallic, with a presence of hops, seemingly musty. There are light coffee notes, with a hint of raspberry. What I enjoy most is the presence of an earthiness with a little dry dirt, and the smell of clean outside air. I got whiffs of chocolate while pouring, but not while smelling. Initially very hard to smell anything besides the metallic smell, but quite good after noticing the other nuances.

Initial taste before swallowing is mild to moderately bitter raspberry chocolate seltzer, and a distinct note of dark fudgey brownie and notes of purple. After swallowing I immediately taste coffee, some blueberry, and a slight sourness, with continued raspberry and chocolate/fudgey brownie notes. The raspberry and chocolate last into the aftertaste, staying in the front of the mouth and tongue, with the coffee and blueberry fading, and the general chocolate changing into a bitter cocoa powder taste. Sipping again I notice some light hoppiness, feeling grassy and dry, doesn't seem to match the other tastes but it doesn't feel wrong or particularly weird. It's relatively sweet, and a mild to moderate dryness becomes very noticable in the final third.

Mouthfeel is a little difficult to nail down, it seems to move a little slowly, and feels a little pulpy/hazy. The head was huge but the persiting carbonation is very similar to seltzer.

Overall this sort of fascinated me, multiple things I didn't expect to taste or smell which ended up being very good. I haven't had much in the way of brown ales but fruit is not really what I associate with the style, that said it was highly enjoyable, which may be partly due to my surprise. It's rich, but approachable. I would drink this when I want a beer that feels like I'm sitting next to a fireplace, but when I don't want the magnitude of mirth and intensity carried by a barleywine.

I will definitely buy again, I have to see if I taste the same things in a future test. I would absolutely buy again if promised the same experience.
Aug 22, 2023
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Reviewed by impossiblyjacob

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured into a pub glass. The beer was from a bottle at room-temperature. Bottled May 9 2023, so a little less than two months ago. Little or no head. Nice brown, not too dark. First taste, I thought, yes, I really like this. A few sips later, and I decided that it was a little sweet for my taste. So I put my glass in the freezer to let it cool for about twenty minutes. After that, was a-ok. Definitely would drink again.
Jul 03, 2023
Photo of Olesjm
Reviewed by Olesjm from Kansas

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
From a can. Pours a clear brown with little head. Smells of caramel malt and dark fruit. Tastes like it smells plus some sweetness. Medium bodied and smooth.
May 30, 2023
 
Rated: 4.17 by TimDixon1964 from Maryland

Apr 20, 2023
Photo of MrOH
Reviewed by MrOH from Maryland

3.82/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Clear reddish-brown, big tan head, good retention, lace like a black metal band's logo
Slight cocoa and toasted nuts, yeast driven fruit aromas
Tastes like it smells
Medium bodied and appropriately carbonated
Good for what it is
Apr 18, 2023
 
Rated: 3.2 by BEER-NICK from Pennsylvania

Apr 16, 2023
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Rated by DanO1066 from Maryland

3.92/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Draught pint at The Brass Tap here in Baltimore: Place holder 4a real re view
Mar 17, 2023
Photo of KenjiN
Reviewed by KenjiN from Massachusetts

4.33/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This beer boasts a beautiful dark copper color. Head is slight and offwhite. Beautiful nose of roasted malt. This beer is rich with toasty and sweet malt flavors without being cloying, Malt-hop balance is very good. This strikes me as an ale yeast version of a doppelbock. Very good.
Feb 12, 2023
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Rated by Nass from Florida

3.75/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
The pour is mahogany brown colored. The taste is brown bread crust, mild hops, & toffee. Cheers! B
Nov 01, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by TeachChefs from Pennsylvania

Sep 18, 2022
 
Rated: 3.5 by LAM01833 from Massachusetts

Aug 01, 2022
 
Rated: 4.31 by nung51

Jun 19, 2022
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Reviewed by ANIMOUL from Vermont

4/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a 16 oz pint glass from tap at Red Robin (yummm) in Saratoga Springs. Pours light, opaque brown with no head. Served very cold - tried to wait for the beer to warm a bit to appreciate the tastes. Light toffee light desk with subtle chocolate. Not bad.
Jun 06, 2022
 
Rated: 3.75 by tonystanhope from Florida

Apr 04, 2022
Old Brown Dog from Smuttynose Brewing Company
Beer rating: 88 out of 100 with 2811 ratings