Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale - Smuttynose Brewing Company

alkchrios

New Hampshire

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

had this on cask at my favorite local pub. dark drown in color...almost zero lacing in my tulip. smells of cinnamon and dried fruits. tastes of dried fruits..not that hoppy or malty but rather complex. easily drinkable...I could put around 4 of these down. slighty carbonated at the perfect cask temp

Serving type: cask

03-14-2010 04:41:17 | More by alkchrios

Biggness

New York

4.15/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I had this on cask this evening @ once and for all. It pours a browninsh amber with a slight white head. The smell is of nuts and malts. The flavor is very nice with a nice nutty flavor, this cask was dry hopped so you get a nice hop flavor as well, there is also alof of nice malt flavors to fill this beer. The mouthfeel is very pleasant and this is a very drinkable cask, well done!

Serving type: cask

08-17-2008 02:13:21 | More by Biggness

Bierman9

New Hampshire

4.45/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Cask review from 04MAY02...
Enjoyed at Nerax! A great rendition of an already good bier! Lovely color: garnet-ruby hues....superb! Very little head/lace, though. Appealing sweet, malty nose. Just invites you in! Medium for body/smoothness on the tongue.... Great flavors! lots of maltiness, some caramel, finishing on a great balancing note of hops! Mmmm!

overall: 4.45
appearance: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 4.5

*** ***

On-tap review from 30JAN02...
Enjoyed on tap... a nice copper color, but small fine head. Nose hard to detect....touch malty/nutty? Medium body/smoothness-wise. Semi-sweet flavor, hint of nuttiness. Easy drinking, though I've had tastier bottle versions. (4.0/3.5/4.0/4.0/4.5 = 3.95)

34

Serving type: cask

01-30-2002 15:29:13 | More by Bierman9

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.33/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A: Pours a dark chestnut color. The head is a one finger light brown shade, starting off with a rocky texture, but becoming thinner and creamier as it recedes. Some lacing is left on the glass.

S: Fairly typical of a brown ale; nuttiness and chocolate are the dominant aromatic notes. I also notice a touch of fruit esters, and even some earthy hops.

T: There's an initial nuttiness on the opening. This slowly transitions to a middle of caramel and a finish of earth, marzipan, and mild pine. Not interesting, but I find that many brown ales
don't fit that criteria.

M: I like the creaminess at first...which turns into a less-than-desirable finishing chalkiness. On the plus side, decent dryness and carbonation makes it very easy to drink given its ABV.

O: It's pretty solid. I kind of feel like saying "it's not you, it's me" due to the fact that it's well made and well balanced, but not my thing. Brown ale fans will really like it.

Serving type: bottle

05-18-2013 21:10:53 | More by ThisWangsChung

creal92

Kentucky

4.25/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

A - Very unique for a brown ale. Non-transparent with an amber glow.

S - A nice sweet malty smell, but a little be desired in aroma, not too bad.

T - A nice biscuity, bread matches the nose with the malt and very pleasant taste that invites another sip.

M - Very lacking, a little watery but some mouthfeel there.

Overall - Recommended, I would rate it a 4.5 on the unique qualities for a brown ale. Tasty brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 03:22:42 | More by creal92

timn

Kentucky

3.99/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

A: Pours a medium brown almost reddish color, similar to cherry wood. Looks nice, overall, with a color that fits the flavor.

S: Slight smell of roasted malts.

T: Pretty nice taste. A malty, slightly nutty flavor. Occasionally a bit of acid / citrus at the finish. The flavor is pretty balanced and not hugely complex, but quite nice overall.

M: Light-medium mouthfeel, with noticeable carbonation.

O: Overall, a nice, steady, drinkable brown ale. Think a malty, earthy, nutty type of experience, and that is what this beer is all about. Pretty good.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 02:11:57 | More by timn

smiga

New Jersey

3.99/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Appearance: Nice looking brown ale. Not much of a head, not long lasting, medium lacing. Slight haze.

Smell: Well done, a great nose. Bread and caramel, sweet caramelized, toasted malts - nicely bready - nutty - some sweetness, and a raiseny fruitiness. Gets better as beer warms and airs.

Taste: Chewy toasted bread - toasty malts, caramel, nuts - just right sweetness - roasty and earthy - raising raisons as it warms, minimal bitterness. Smooth. Best part.

Mouthfeel: Medium, smooth, lightly carbonated, refreshing, sessionable, but strong.

Overall: One of the best Brown Ales, beats Avery's Ellies. (why always the wet dog? this is one nice chocolate brown wet new hampshire dog on the beach. Let it warm!

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2013 01:15:05 | More by smiga

KYGunner

Kentucky

3.76/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Brown ale or amber? Beautiful color but my impression is tilted towards amber. A thick off-white head popped up but fled just as fast.

Weak but ever present sweet maltiness gets deep into the nose s a cracker like aroma lingers.

I love the taste but it leaves me begging as the sweet maltiness teases but never quite satisfies. Hint of caramel, hint of burnt malt there's a lot of amber or Irish Red qualities. Very nice for the price I'd love to see a double malted version to truly satisfy a teasingly good ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 22:06:47 | More by KYGunner

AmitC

Indiana

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter.

Color is deep amber almost brown with a lot of ruby hues. Translucent, some very fine suspensions. About half finger thick off white almost tan colored head that recedes really fast. Decent lacing on the sides. Some bubbles seen rising up.

A strong malt presence. Caramel. Toasted notes. Low on hops. Dry nuts. A bit of fruity esters.

Flavor is bit of caramel and toasted malts. A bit of roasted notes. Some nutty character.

Mouth feel is light medium. Moderate carbonation. No astringency.

Overall a very average ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2013 02:37:59 | More by AmitC

harrymel

Washington

3.64/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Best by: xx/27/13 (uncertain month)

Pours brown with cocoa hues and a solid sheet of fine tan foam. Smells nice and bready with some herbal hops and a little bit of graham with just a touch of tea. Flavor is malt, nuts, toasted bread, burnt coffee (really light) some solid bits of leather. medium on full bodied with light carb and a wet finish. Decent for the style, not available in my area, so I'd rather drink Avery's Ellie's instead.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 07:20:37 | More by harrymel

mactrail

California

3.25/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Light bodied and fairly roasty brown beer. Dark amber in the glass. Modestly carbonated. Plenty of caramel with a touch of wine and cocoa. Not much of a hoppy flavor but it has a pleasant scratch of dark grainy taste.

Just another Brown Ale, but it's quite drinkable as long as you down it fast. On tap at Burger Tap & Shake in Foggy Bottom. [transcribed from notes ; 06/12/2012 visit]

Serving type: on-tap

03-25-2013 05:43:19 | More by mactrail

StonyB

New Jersey

4.21/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

You know that favorite pair of jeans or shoes you can't get rid of? Because they're just so darn comforting?

That's what drinking a Smuttynose Old Brown Dog is like.

Looks exactly like you would expect from the style, a deep, slightly murky chestnut brown. Aroma of lightly roasted malt, caramel, coffee. Tastes way better than jeans or shoes. A great, subtly complex blend of chocolate, fruit, coffee, caramel and nuts. Just a small but welcome hint of balancing hops. Surprisingly full-bodied, almost but not quite creamy texture.

This is one of my favorite "go to" beers. Pair this up with your favorite cheese, or a good whiskey. Trust me.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 03:10:19 | More by StonyB

mattbk

New York

3.48/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A: Pretty light brown, almost dark red, just a bit hazy, decent carbonation.
S: Not a ton of aroma, maybe slight roast, slight hops, almost porter like.
T: Chocolate, some light piney hops, maybe a little toffee, malt flavors, no roast as in the nose. Not a ton of flavor here, not bad, nothing special.
M: Too light, I would have liked more here. It is drinkable, but fails to linger, and fades too quickly.
O: A good, drinkable, but fairly uninteresting beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2013 01:37:52 | More by mattbk

sommersb

Tennessee

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 03-18-2013
Freshness: Best by 05-13-2013
Packaging: 12 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Wellington
Purchased: Received in a trade

A semi-clear, dark brown colored brew, with a nice off-white head. Very good retention and excellent lacing. Aroma is malty and reminiscent of dark brown bread. Earthy hops also contribute to the smell. Flavors start with a rich caramel, plus light coffee and chocolate notes. Just enough hop bitterness is there for balance. Medium-bodied, the finish is easy and has aftertastes of slightly roasted, semi-sweet malt.

I'd say this is more of an English brown ale than an American version, but whatever you call it it's a delightful beer.

Thanks to Treyliff for this trade extra!

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2013 04:52:51 | More by sommersb

ADZA

Australia

3.26/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

Pours a reddish brown hue with a wispy one finger head and a rim of lacing,the smell is toffee,oak,tobacco,cherries and brandy,mouthfeel is lightbodied with minimal carbonation and has tastes of cherries,caramel,brandy,dried fruits and finished with a slight roasted nuttiness,overall it's average.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 12:05:54 | More by ADZA

jpro

South Carolina

4.35/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.25

On-tap at Closed for Business...

A: coppery brown; light beige / off-white head (0.5 finger); light strands and specks of lace; not really THAT brown.

S: light nutty aroma; hazelnut; light toffee and caramel malts; very nice for a brown ale.

T: nutty malts; notes of grain husk and toast; leafy / earthy hop bitterness on end; very nice flavor and balance.

M: full bodied and high carbonation; nice feel and texture; very impressive.

O: maybe my new favorite brown ale; nice taste has some hoppiness that most brown ales don't; great mouthfeel and nice aroma; a good one for a chilly night.

*from notes 2-17-13

Serving type: on-tap

03-01-2013 02:12:25 | More by jpro

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.14/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a bottle into a Dogfish Head snifter. The pour is rather light for a brown ale. It's clear and chestnut brown in color with a ruby tint. It has a nice fluffy khaki-colored head with decent retention. The nose is rather sweet. I get notes of maple syrup, fresh toast, and a hint of lemon.

The flavor is superb for this style. It's very rich and sweet without an overindulgence of hops. Lots of chewy malty flavors slide all over your palate with just enough spicy hop bitterness to balance things out. There is a faint kiss of lemony hops right at the finish. No alcohol warmth or booziness at all. A joy to drink. The feel is also superb.

This is not just an American Brown Ale, it's more like an American Scottish Ale. It's all about malt. It probably won't appeal to a lot of drinkers, but it's one of the better American Brown Ales I've had. My hat's off to a brewer who is not afraid to leave the hops alone and let the malt take the lead. Welcome to Kentucky Smuttynose!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 23:06:49 | More by deadonhisfeet

GONZALOYANNA

Spain

3.1/5  rDev -21.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12floz. Bottle. ½ pt glass. Enjoyed on sep´12. Dark copper color. Clear appearance. Off-white froth creates a thin & quickly dissipated crown. Caramel malt aroma rounded by hints of candies, subtle chocolate & floral fragrances. Mild toasted malt at firs sip with tea infusion notes. Medium to high body. Moderate to high carbonation. Oily to watery texture & spicy palate. Slightly citric & orange hues as well as gentle black cocoa in the middle resolves into a kind sweet/bitter finish. Very easy drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 15:15:33 | More by GONZALOYANNA

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.95/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Consumed 2/15/13

Appearance: Yup, it's brown - medium, caramel brown - some dark gold around the edges - nice clarity overall - nicely sized, off-white head - keeps a decent cap, leaves a spotty wall of lacing - pretty

Smell: Bread crust and caramel, like a brown ale should smell - cooked, caramelized, and lightly toasted malts - nicely bready - a light nutty character - some sweetness, and a light fruitiness

Taste: Chewy, lightly toasted bread - toasty malts, caramel, and nuts - a nice amount of sweetness - very minimal bitterness - lightly roasty and lightly earthy - a vague estery fruitiness in the background as it warms up

Mouthfeel: Medium body, smooth, nicely carbonated, quaffable

Overall: A solid, solid brown ale

Remember when The Simpsons was good? Remember the episode where Moe sells Homer Red Tick Beer? There's a gag where the brewer tastes the beer and proclaims, "Needs more dog." I'm referring to this episode, which apparently aired in 1997 (ouch), because I don't have much to say about this beer, other than I find the name amusing. It's a solid brown ale. It's not Surly Bender, but what is?

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 06:16:58 | More by angrybabboon

barczar

Kentucky

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy medium brown with amber highlights and a frothy half inch khaki head that dissipates somewhat quickly, leaving short sheets of lacing.

Deeply toasted and lightly roasted, bready malt dominate the aroma. There's a hint of a metallic smell.

Flavor follows suit, with toasted malt forming the backbone, accented nicely by chocolate at mid palate, and carrying through to the finish, which has a light roast character. There's an underpinning of citrus briefly, along with lots of earthy hop notes.

Body is moderate, with moderate carbonation and slight alcohol warmth.

Excellent example of the style. That light chocolate character is a welcome treat, though not as hoppy as some, which I actually prefer in this type of brew.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 19:06:28 | More by barczar

tastymug

Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: Pours a clear, deep amber with a decent head that dissipates fairly quickly. Lots of bubbles from the bottom of the beer. No lacing.

Smell: Roasted, malty, with a bit of hop.

Taste: Really nice flavor, sweet, nutty, maybe a tad metallic, toasted/malty and some caramel, light to mild hop.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied and pretty carbonated; there’s a bit of a bite from the carbonation.

Overall: This is a nicely balanced beer, really drinkable with a nice flavor. I could definitely drink more than one. The only con for me was it was slightly more carbonated than I generally prefer in a beer, but that certainly wouldn’t stop me from having another!

Serving type: bottle

02-08-2013 23:18:11 | More by tastymug

beergoot

Colorado

4.56/5  rDev +16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Soft, dark brown body with a rather thin head. Excellent roasted grain, nutty aroma with traces of chocolate and coffee scents. Robust toasted taste; lots of caramel and molasses notes; cocoa; nice hop bitterness tames the residual sweetness. Medium bodied.

The malts really come through with this brown ale. Rich, fairly sweet and inviting with just the right touch of hop bitterness to balance things out. One gets a small sense of the alcohol presence, but it stays pretty well hidden in the background. So, yeah. If you're looking for a top-notch malt-centric brown ale, find one of these brews and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

01-20-2013 23:51:45 | More by beergoot

Treyliff

West Virginia

3.58/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

A- pours a rusty brown color with a small light tan head that fizzes down quickly leaving just a bit to skim the top with no lacing, also a few particles floating around.

S- some grainy husk with roasted malt character, a hint of chocolate and nuttiness, just a bit of hop and slightly metallic.

T- sweet and nutty malt with some graininess, slightly metallic, Finishes hoppy and dry, more hops than you would typically s expect from a brown. Linger leaves somewhat of a faint chocolate taste.

M- light bodied with moderate carbonation, creamy mouthfeel and smooth finish

O- I enjoyed the hops on this one as it added another demension, but the malt profile seemed simple. That could be what they were going for but it didn't quite click for me. Still worth trying though.

Serving type: bottle

01-10-2013 02:48:39 | More by Treyliff

champ103

Texas

3.58/5  rDev -8.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a clear ruby red color. A thin white head forms, and fizzes out in a second. No lace is left behind.
S: Toasted malt, grains, lightly fruity. A bit of a metallic twang in the finish. Very simple in the nose.
T: Again, very simple here. Toasted and caramel malt, cereal grains, and a light fruity ester finish. The metallic character lingers here as well.
M/D: A medium body and carbonation. A bit thin for my liking. Not hard to drink. An easy no frills beer I can quaff with ease.

This is very simple, and that is not always a bad thing. It just does not do it for me. I think the lingering metallic character and thin mouth are the biggest detractors. Though still enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 21:03:19 | More by champ103

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4.03/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark and candied brown with the slightest hint of ambering notes, like maple syrup. A lovely, light tan head of tightly packed and smooth bubbles forms over the top of the beer and stands at about a fingers-width. Lacing from the head is like thin and slightly slippery curtains along the sides of the glass, leaving cob webs of foam in its wake. The beer’s body is dark, but relatively clean with a very light haze. On the nose, the beer smells of a nutty roast, similar to lighter porters that I have smelt. Hazelnut coffee comes to mind, though there is a very faint bitter kiss to the nose suggesting hops, and some semisweet chocolate notes. The beer tastes lightly roasty and nutty, with some lovely light complexities playing on the tongue. The beer begins with light sweet caramel malts before opening into very light roasted flavors which eventually introduce nutty and chocolate flavors that smooth through the finish alongside the returning caramel malts. The aftertaste is of sweet malt coffee, almost like bittersweet chocolate. As I sip it more, I notice a certain bitter quality building in my mouth, though it has no discernible flavoring to it. On the mouth, the beer feels medium of body, with a nice chewiness to it. The mouth is left a little roasted dry on the tongue, but with a good sheen of saliva sitting over the tongue to dampen it down. Overall, this is a really nice brown ale. I’m actually really digging this beer right now. It doesn’t blow you away in any category, but has an all-around balanced flavoring that is excellent to sip on. This beer is a great fall beer, I imagine, and is surely excellent for sipping on as you watch the world blow by. This beer is the next step up from sessionable. A good beer from Smuttynose for sure!

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 01:43:46 | More by Maxwell