American Brown Ale - St. George Brewing Company, The

skynxnex

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a color almost the same as the pour bottle into my glass. The beer is probably a touch darker than the bottle. Nice dark tan creamy head.

The taste is mostly a good hop bite with little hop flavor. This is backed with some very rich (slightly) roasted malts. Overall a medium body and not very sweet. Hint of roasted malts. Dark, astringent side of brown ales.

I'm not a huge fan of brown ales, but this felt like almost a cross over between the porter/stouts and browns. Definitely in style, however. Pretty good. Straight 4s pretty much.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2006 03:06:50 | More by skynxnex

cliff1066

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.4%

12-11-2012 02:37:30 | More by cliff1066

avisong

Virginia

3/5  rDev -22.5%

05-08-2012 02:26:22 | More by avisong

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%

04-01-2012 23:02:20 | More by TMoney2591

abrand

Illinois

3.28/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle obtained via BIF. Poured into a pint glass.

This pours a deep copper color with a small head up top. Smells of grains, some sugar, and caramel. Taste is pretty light but nice. Grains, toffee and malts on the palate. Mouthfeel is thin. Overall a nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 02:17:43 | More by abrand

TappaKeggaBrew

Ohio

3.55/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours dark brown, but with an anemic head ( a fault of most products from St. George...) No appreciable lacing.

S: Floral notes first. Then toasty malt. On the third, deep sniff, I could pick up hoppy notes.

T: Powerful sweet malt initially, yielding quickly to burnt grain. Bitter hops rounds it out, and grows even more bitter -- almost astringent -- in the finish.

M: Moist, but rather flat. Pretty "meh" to be honest.

O: Not as good as others from this brewer, IMO. Not quite a drain pour, but not worth repeating.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 20:59:11 | More by TappaKeggaBrew

ROGUE16

Delaware

4/5  rDev +3.4%

12-07-2011 22:04:14 | More by ROGUE16

Arithmeticus

Maryland

3.68/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured chilled in ale glass

A: OK carbonation; purplish black (like a porter); no head
S: pleasant caramel aroma
T: nicely sweet; roasted barley plays the biggest role; medium hopped; it does seem to play the role of a porter or stout

A good, solid beer from St. George.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2011 14:23:42 | More by Arithmeticus

engagechad

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer was purchased as a single in a Dragon Pack from World Market in Charlottesville, VA - poured into tulip

Pours a beautiful mahogany brown with good head and good lacing. Smells like a perfect brown, complex hoppy roastyness like an am brown is supposed to be for me. Taste follows, a bit more on the malty end but it's a good one.

Overall this is the best brew from St. George that I have had. The others were lackluster. I would get this again

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 14:14:32 | More by engagechad

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12oz bottle (no date anywhere on bottle) poured into a Shaker pint glass.

Appearance: Vigorous pour gave a very dark, almost black beer, which shows some hints of ruby red at the edges of the glass when held up to the light. Head was nicely dense light tan foam about 1/4" thick , but this died down to give a thin film across the top and a ring at the edge. Persistent strands and big sheets of lacing noted.

Smell: With a swirl, the beer has sweet fruity notes - grapelike in smell. Otherwise the smell is faintly that of roasted and charred malts.

Taste: If the label didn't say "American Brown Ale" I would swear I'm drinking a porter or stout. Roasted malts with chocolate and coffee flavors dominate this beer the whole way through, with something of a mild citrus hop and bitter coffee/burnt sugar finish. Overall a beer on the sweeter side of things as the malt flavors dominate.

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation on the tongue and a creamy mouthfeel. Very nice combination.

Overall / Drinkability: Another beer from this company that went quickly. The flavors are not what I was expecting in a brown ale, but I'm not complaining mind you. It's just that this beer makes me think more of a porter. The beer's sweet flavor and creamy mouthfeel make me think this one would be a perfect dessert beer, but by itself....it's a little too sweet. Good, just a little much by itself. Still, a good looking and tasting beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2011 22:21:54 | More by damndirtyape

MadTown1000

Virginia

2.68/5  rDev -30.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours a very, very dark brown, approaching black. Held up to the light, it's actually a very deep ruby red. Only maybe a quarter inch of creamy, stout-like foam. No apparent lace as the beer disappears.

Smell is sweet, with almost a maple syrup quality to it. The flavor doesn't match. There is some coffee-like sweetness, but it's overwhelmed by a strong smoky flavor. The malt tastes burnt. This could be good if it weren't for that, but as is I don't really want this stuff in my mouth.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2009 22:09:15 | More by MadTown1000

likethetaste

Virginia

3.88/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got this in a variety 6 pack from Farm Fresh.

Now this poured a very dark brown color. Almost black. Smelled richly of chocolate. Taste is pretty good with a slightly bitter aftertaste. The lager and pilsner from this brewery do not seem to be that good but St. George does a very good job on Porters and brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2008 00:03:08 | More by likethetaste

Seanibus

California

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is on the darker end of the Brown Ale spectrum, almost drifting into a porter.

Pours black with a lively white head. The smell i s dominated with roasted malt. The flavor is strong with roasted malt, chocolate, and dark cherry, with a little bit of bitterness. The mouthfeel is satisfyingly thin. Not bad, though more like a porter

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2008 21:51:03 | More by Seanibus

Hojaminbag

Colorado

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brown body with some slight ruby tinges. Light brown head about a finger in height, not a whole lot of retention or lacing.

Smells of some sweet malts mostly.

Tastes like a nice blend of malts, with chocolate and sweet molasses. A little bit of spicy/nuttiness in the finish. Light bodied.

Fairly drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2008 16:53:39 | More by Hojaminbag

bkilpatr

Oregon

3.45/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. 07/21/08.

Pours a dark mahogany brown color with about two fingers of tan head, which left no lacing. Aromas of toffee and chocolate malts.

Taste is very malty with lots of chocolate malts. Roasted nuts and some floral hops finish it off. Slight bitterness to the finish. Feel is a bit thin and watery, though I guess that's fairly typical of the style. Plenty of carbonation. Drinkability is pretty good. The ABV is low and it goes down pretty easily.

Overall not my favorite beer from St. George, but still good.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2008 03:17:41 | More by bkilpatr

PhageLab

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a pilsner glass.

A - Dark ruby colored brew that made a decent one tip head of froth. Decent retention and some spotted lacing.

S - Caramel malts and dark fruits make up the nose. Sweet and roasty aroma, very pleasant.

T - Sweet malty body with a perfect level of bitterness. There is a slight hop tinge near the end that dries and rounds this brew out nicely.

M - Light to medium bodied, moderate carbonation level, crisp, dry finish.

D - Very nicely crafted and enjoyable brew. This has quickly become a favorite brewery of mine. Highly recommended.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2008 15:58:08 | More by PhageLab

argock

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz brown bottle into a clear pint glass. No freshness date.

A: Dark brown/cola colored with 1-2 finger light brown head and lots of lacing. Love the St. George bottle labels too.

S: Pretty underwhelming with most earthy hops aromas and a tad of caramel thrown in.

T: A really nice brown ale with slight charred flavor which melds micely with the sweet caramel and mild bittersweet chocolate/cocoa. It finishes with a strong hops bite to give a lot of character. It tastes like a subtle version of DFH Indian Brown Ale.

M: A little underbodied but very smooth and no sense of big carbonation others have disliked. Sweetbread aftertaste and a touch dry rather than chewy.

D: A very drinkable ale that keeps the trend of solid and sometimes spectacular brews from St. George.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2008 06:23:39 | More by argock

Riverwarrior

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

S = This beer had a very nice sweet caramel aroma.

T = The taste had a mild caramel, chocolate malt flavor with a hint of roasted nuttiness coming through.

MF = It was crisp and smooth with medium carbonation.

The finish was very nice with only a small hint of hops bitterness which quickly disappeared and left a sweet bread taste to enjoy.

I will certainly buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2008 13:52:30 | More by Riverwarrior

oelergud

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Dark brown glass bottle, classic style with the usual St. George label, this one on a golden background.
Opaque brown deep ruby body. Tan head of small to medium body. Good retention and great lace.
Sweet dark bread scent, really good and inviting.
Light mulch and sweet malts.
Burnt and roasted malts, heavy and strong. Just a hint of nutskin. Good hop presence and a mild aftertaste of roasted hops.
Full body with little coating and a slightly dry finish.
This is a very drinkable brew. Tasty and strong without being overwhelming.

-Oelergud

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2008 04:18:32 | More by oelergud

Phocion

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brown with a slight copper hue. Small but retentive frothy beige head. Lots of bubbles throughout the glass.

Very warm and malty aroma. Lightly roasted biscuity, caramel and bread-dough malts with just a subtle hint of nuttiness which increases as it warms and also a touch of floral hops.

The flavor is fairly mellow and excellently balanced. I'm picking up a hint of chocolate I didn't catch earlier in the nose and a bit of piney hoppiness.

Fairly thin body but a lot of carbonation. Very crisp with a decent flavor profile. This would definitely make an excellent session beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2008 01:37:25 | More by Phocion

Gavage

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: clear brown in color with a thin one finger head that fell apart quickly. A spotty surface foam lingered a while. No real lacing developed.

Smell: malt sweetness, caramel, and a bit of an earthy tone are picked up by the nose.

Taste: bready malt base here with some caramel candy, brown sugar, and a bit of earth tones. Bitterness is soft but works within the style.

Mouthfeel: lightly crisp at the start while the finish is smooth. Aftertaste is short and bready. Medium bodied beer.

Drinkability: a nice session beer is all you can say here. Not an overwhelming beer, but a nice offering worth giving a try.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2007 23:44:49 | More by Gavage

Fish113d

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured chilled into a pint glass, it pours a dark brown mahogany color with very little tannish surface layer with just a bit of cling to the glass. Nothing spectacular, but on par with the style.

Pleasant nose. I first sense some nice toffee and chocolate malts, and then a bit of floral and bitter hops, which balance out the sweetness of the aroma. Very nice.

At first, sipping reveals a nice toffee flavor along with a nice smooth maltiness, but quickly gives way to a burnt roasty flavor that reminds me of dark roast coffee. A bit of hops also comes through, but the roasty, dry taste comes through on the finish and aftertaste.

Feel is decent. At first the sweetness makes this one smooth, but a bittering dryness comes on the swallow. The finish is rather dry and suprising with just a bit of tingly alcohol hitting the tip of my tongue on the finish.

Very flavorful brew with nice characteristics. This would make a nice session brew that you could drink all night long, if the sweetness doesn't bother you. Well done!

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2007 23:15:00 | More by Fish113d

RBorsato

Virginia

5/5  rDev +29.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Clear dark brown color (mahogany to light) with a nice pillowy light brown head and good carbonation. Very nice hoppy aroma with robust chocolate malts underneath. Perfectly balanced robust malts and citrusy hops. Medium bodied and smooth with a nice robust finish.

Would definitely buy 6-packs !

Per Label: 5.5% ABV

'6176' lasered on bottom
Tasted: 05/17/07

($9.99 / mixed 6-pack "Dragon Pack")

Serving type: bottle

07-13-2007 20:06:34 | More by RBorsato

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.35/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Based on notes from my trip to Va late march; been a busy spring

Pours chesnut 1/2" of sand colored head. Above average head head rention & lacing

S: Nutty with toasted malt

T: Roasted malt, chocolate, & nuttyness up front. Finishes toasty, with some hop bitterness (herbal) & a little coffee

MF: Medium bodied with low cabonation & real good balance

A nice session ale, despite the ABV, one pf the better browns I've had in a while!

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2007 03:31:41 | More by russpowell

atsprings

North Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer poured a good crisp brown with a thin head that diminished to a ring and left no lacing. The aroma was strong on brown and chocolate malts. The taste was dominated by chocolate malts. There was a decent hop backbone hiding in the background, but chocolate reigns. The beer is light and crisp. Out of the mixed six pack, this is the best I've had yet, with only the lager and porter left to try.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2007 00:33:34 | More by atsprings