Sweet Josie Brown Ale - Lonerider Brewing

DaveONan

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 2 | overall: 4

My first review, so I'll probably not do it right.
I picked up the now named Sweet Josie Brown ale in a Growler this afternoon. After a 45 minute drive home I poured it into a pint glass. Beautiful dark color, much darker than most Brown Ales I have had.

Taste is quite good with a nice balance of choc. malt, brown sugar and well balanced with a nice hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel and carbonation is poor, I couldn't even get a head to form with a hard pour. That could be due to the growler serving and the delay in pouring.

Drinkability is excellent, this brew goes down like water.
Overall my first experience with Lonerider has been positive, and I hope as they mature they will tweak their recipes, as they have a lot of potential

Serving type: growler

11-06-2009 23:13:42 | More by DaveONan

Minkybut

Virginia

3.69/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

I poured this nice beer into my tumbler at 45 degrees. The beer was very black indeed. The beer pored a fair head with a tan coloring to it. The smell was of roasted coffee and nuts. Head ended up going away pretty fast. The good news though is that the beer was very smooth and very nice tasting. I would certainly buy this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 15:44:34 | More by Minkybut

jaycle

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: 1.5 finger creme colored head which dissipated to moderate lacing. Deep brown with a slight crimson coloring

S: nutty and bread aromas

T: A healthy portion of wheat. the nuttiness is very slight. The bitterness of the hops is there, but not obvious. An aftertaste of sweet-ish coffee.

M: moderately high carbonation. medium-light bodied.

O: Overall, no flavors stand out too strongly to me, but I'm a beginner at this. Mainly I think it is just a nicely balanced brown ale, with no one flavor grabbing you or distracting you. A great beer to have with a meal. And I believe that's how a brown ale should be, nothing too fancy, just a good rounded beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 22:06:43 | More by jaycle

Apellonious

North Carolina

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle from six-er at teeter.

A - dark brown/black with a one finger head that moves quickly to a thin lace

S - smoke, chocolate malt, faint hops

T - more of the same, with a chocolate vanilla sweetness, some smoke, and some dry hops on the finish

M - slightly watery, the carbonation is near perfect

O - one of the better brown ales, wish more places in Charlotte had this on tap. Fans of brown (ale...) should give this a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 02:00:37 | More by Apellonious

alpinebryant

Connecticut

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a hazy light chestnut brown with large brown head that stood around for a while and a sticky lacing all over the edges.

S: Aroma of molasses and roasted brown malt, nuts and light porter aromas.

T: Taste of a nice roasted brown ale. There are great nutty flavors here, a very light bittering making this a very well rounded brown ale. I am naturally biased towards brown ales and especially so when done right. This brown is clearly done well. Well attenuated, not overbittered, not flat and not too simple. Roasted malt flavors, slight toffee , coffee and molasses flavors all mixing well together.

M: Mild body with a relatively high carbonation, slightly stinging. I let it settle for a few minutes and it tasted better, but this is probably the one area that could use some work without messing with the overall product.

O: Definitely worth a try . I really enjoyed this and would buy this regularly if it were a local. I used to be a regular Brooklyn Brown ale fan, but have found it to be a little lighter than I prefer a brown ale now.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 01:28:31 | More by alpinebryant

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a clear dark brown in color with significant amounts of amber highlights and some light amounts of visible carbonation. The beer has a half finger tall creamy light beige head that slowly reduces to a thick film covering the entire surface of the beer and a slightly thicker ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of toasted malts with just a hint of sweetness over a light amount of nuttiness and some spicy hops.

T: Similar to the smell, there is a light to moderate flavor of toasted malts with a light amount of sweetness over the top of some light nuttiness and light hints of coffee-like bitterness in the finish (which fades pretty quickly).

M: Medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Smooth.

O: The flavors of this beer are light and would pair well with lots of different styles of food. Relatively easy to drink and enjoyable, though this would not be a go to beer for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 00:41:04 | More by dbrauneis

chinchill

South Carolina

3.85/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle dated best before 11 Dec. 2012 served in a snifter

An unusually dark ale, for style, with the corresponding flavor: i.e., darker roast malt with hints of chocolate and smoke. Sweet and bitter in near equal proportion. Nice, lasting aftertaste of dark malt with a bit of spicy hops. The small beige head is short-lived and leaves only spotty lacing.

M: medium body and carbonation; slightly dry finish.

Overall: A well-crafted brown ale that leans towards an American porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 23:03:24 | More by chinchill

RWLawman

North Carolina

3.53/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark brown with a generous head that retains very well throughout the drink.

S - Roasted malts and chocolate.

T - Follows the nose with roasted malts and chocolate, along with caramel. Very tasty.

M - Moderate mouthfeel with decent carbonation. Very sessionable beer.

O - Overall I enjoyed this beer quite a bit. Definitely top 5 in my brown beers. Highly recommended.

Serving type: on-tap

10-18-2012 02:29:30 | More by RWLawman

ezterry

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Very dark brown, with a good bit of head, giving almost the appearance of a porter or stout rather than a brown ale.

S: Nice rich smell of roasted malts

T: Full taste with a strong coffee/chocolate like after taste.. The coffee like taste overpowers most of the hops.

M: Very full mouth feel, makes the beer feel a little heavy

O: A enjoyable dark beer, a bit richer flavor than I was anticipating from the bottles well balanced description.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2012 01:15:00 | More by ezterry

mdaschaf

Washington

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to Woodrow for this one!

A: Pours a rather dark brown with a one finger off-white head on top. Decent retention with thin lacing all the way around.

S: A nice mixture of cocoa, nuts, and a little bit of caramel.

T: Similar to the aroma, some cocoa powder, a hint of coffee and nuts. There is a slight toasted bread flavor as well.

M: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Easy drinking.

O: A very solid brown ale, no problems with it at all. Not overly complex or crazy, but very solid.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2012 01:50:42 | More by mdaschaf

bum732

Maryland

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

S: Toasty malt, subtle fruitiness, some nuttiness, hint of cocoa powder. Slight coffee as it warms.

L: Hazy dark red, floaties, light tan head that dissipates.

T: Very toasty malt with some nuttiness up front. Some cocoa sweetness following a medium-low bitterness. Finishes nutty with some cocoa powder, little bit of roast.

M: Medium bodied, medium carbonation.

A really solid brown ale. When i think of a good brown ale, these are the flavors and aromas I think of.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2012 03:18:20 | More by bum732

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz bottle poured into a nonic.
6.1% ABV, Best Before 07-17-2012

A - Sweet Josie pours a vintage burgundy color with ruby highlights and is topped by a creamy, ever-lasting pile of light khaki foam. Despite the fact my greasy nose accidentally touched the pile, this hasn't dissolved quickly at all. Thick lace clings to the glass pretty nicely.

S - Sweet indeed! Sweet Josie is malt-forward with a deep complexity of light roast from toasted whole-grain bread to dry cocoa to a mildly roasted coffee bean. Nutty undertones and discrete dark fruits compliment some faint earthy hops nicely.

T - The aroma certainly carries some roast character to it, but far less than I was expecting to encounter in the flavor. Bittersweet chocolate and coffee grounds present themselves forcefully but remain balanced by sweetness and earthy hops so as not to become overbearing. Ever sip becomes more and more delicious, especially as vanilla notes enter as it warms!

M - Moderate carbonation cares not if it's overtaken by a robust, silky smooth body! With a lack of strong hopping, faint acrid bitterness really plays a key role in making sure this brown ale doesn't become too malty-sweet. Sexy, Sweet Josie finishes out with just a light lingering on the tongue, drawing you back for more.

O - Sweet Josie, offering a smooth, voluptuous body and excellent taste is one seductive brown ale, through and through. Roast notes push this beer towards porter borders while it's round sweetness and drinkability offers a nice balance. I'd kill for a few of these on a cool fall day!

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 23:21:36 | More by BeerFMAndy

Blargimus

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass. Best before 5/4/2012 - sorry, Sweet Josie. Received in a trade with heelsn02 - thanks!

Pours a reasonably dark brown, slightly hazy. Half a finger or so of head that fades almost immediately.

Hints of molasses and grains. No significant hop smell.

Predominantly malt and molasses on the tongue. Quite sweet, but with slight bitterness, and no real hops. Much better than I was expecting at this point in the freshness process.

Surprisingly thick mouthfeel- really coats the mouth. Medium-low carbonation.

Very solid brown ale. Sweet, but not cloying. I'd like to try this fresh.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 23:36:14 | More by Blargimus

cavedave

New York

3.63/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Big thanks to easyreader for some NC goodness. BB 7/12 Live review

Pours a very thick, opaque, dark brown with a brownish beige head that leaves a mountain range of lace along the rim of my tulip as it subsides to a lasting cap.

Light strength aroma, sweet dark caramel, light floral hints, not really much going on here.

Medium strength taste, quite delicious and sweet almost like a milk stout, then the roast kicks in with some bready and herbal coming in at the swallow. As it warms to room temp. light bittering hops begin to dry what otherwise is a very juicy beer.

Thick in the mouth, med. carb., fairly clean finish.

Palo Santo this beer is not. It is a highly drinkable and tasty beer, though, and one I would be happy to drink again.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 00:41:16 | More by cavedave

SLeffler27

New York

3.63/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

The foamy almond head reaches half an inch, then lingers over a dark brown beer with russet highlights. Lacing coats the Harp nonic.

Sweet malt is muted behind toasted and nutty aromas, particularly peanuts. There is also some caramel.

Overall well balanced, however, slightly to the bitter side than most brown ales. Otherwise, the flavor closely follows the nose. Some chocolate can be found in the finish.

A medium body with chewy velvet texture, fizzy carbonation, and a hint of alcohol. Warmth brings out a creamy texture.

This is a good pub beer to be enjoyed with a burger or on the deck with pals.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 21:27:17 | More by SLeffler27

JayQue

Virginia

3.53/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A nice brown ale. Pours a clear mahogany brown color with amber highlights when held to a light. Antique white head, decent size, fairly good retention. Aroma is roasted and bready malts.

Taste is primarily bready malt...a little on the sweet side, hence the Sweet Josie name. Tastes pretty good.

Mouthfeel is smooth and crisp, the sweetness is not overdone. This beer is rich enough for a brown ale.Don't notice the slightly high abv.

Overall pretty good brown ale. Too high octane for a session beer, but I could certainly enjoy a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2012 19:53:27 | More by JayQue

Arborescence

Finland

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark copper. Pours a medium head of moderate creaminess.

Aroma: Delicate mix of hops and malt, with a hint of caramel/toffee sweetness. Nutty.

Taste: Chocolate sweetness and a hint of coffee. Light, but with a nice balanced malt background.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied, light carbonation.

Overall: It's pretty good. Quite a light beer really, none of the aspects are overwhelming at all, but there's a nice mixture of characteristics and delicate flavours.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2012 23:27:49 | More by Arborescence

jktedder12

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a chilled pint glass. Half finger head with some lacing dissipated within a few minutes. very nice color; a deep brown, slightly ruby. Smelled of roasted nuts, but only minimally with a hint of chocolate. Medium body with a bold mouthfeel. Definite taste of chocolate malts with a bit of nuts and hint of coffee. Hops are noticeable as well as the alcohol. A bitter/sweet brown. Overall very nice American Brown.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2012 23:44:52 | More by jktedder12

BeerDawgs

Georgia

3.23/5  rDev -16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark brown, 0 clarity.

S - Sweet smells. Not much hop aromas.

T - Wow, very sweeet. ABV is not too well hidden.

M - Light bodied, not well carbonated.

O - A decent brown. A little sweet for the style....hence the name "Sweet" Josie.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 04:05:52 | More by BeerDawgs

kneeland

North Carolina

3.7/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Who is Sweet Josie and where can I meet her?

This was pretty good, but I had higher hopes for a brown ale. It's got a lot of good malt, caramel flavor, and a decent laced foam head. The 6.1% abv is nice too. It's just missing that "it" factor. But overall, I did enjoy it and thought it was good.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2012 23:01:41 | More by kneeland

devilben02

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

From my home tap, this one looks gorgeous in the glass, with a warm, reddish, deep-but-still-translucent medium brown color and capped by a thick, foamy, tan head that clings to the glass after every sip. The aroma is likewise thoroughly enticing, with a dry, bittersweet chocolate character and a bit of minerality. The flavor is similarly only slightly sweet, with a slight bready sweetness creeping into the mostly dry, roasty, chocolaty profile. The flavor is also a bit grainy and astringent, however, especially in the aftertaste, which detracts from the nice balance of flavors. The light body and light carbonation helps it all go down smoothly, though. Overall, this one doesn't slide too far to either the sweet or the bitter sides of the spectrum, making it an easy-to-drink yet flavorful brown ale

Serving type: on-tap

01-28-2012 06:44:23 | More by devilben02

Cyberkedi

Georgia

3.38/5  rDev -12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Strong, malty aroma has notes of yeast, cinnamon and caramel and just a hint of molasses. It pours a somewhat transparent warm brown with a fairly thick and fine-bubbled tan head. Flavor does not quite live up to the aroma, having malty, caramel and cinnamon notes but a bit of a metallic tang and a bitter undertone that is not hoppy. Texture has average body and only a little fizz. Well, maybe this bottle came from a not-so-hot batch. A decent ale nonetheless. Give it a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 23:20:19 | More by Cyberkedi

rangerred

Tennessee

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear dark brown with a one finger tan head. Head retention is fairly good.

Smells of milk chocolate and roasted malt. There is a hint of coffee along with a slight nuttiness.

Tastes of moderately roasted malt along with milk chocolate. The nuttiness in the smell comes through in the taste too along with some coffee. A moderate amount of bitterness towards the end helps balance out the sweetness. Finishes with a slight alcohol note.

Overall a well put together brown ale that is not too sweet and has decent bitterness. Glad I was able to try.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 23:33:05 | More by rangerred

KajII

North Carolina

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

[Best served in a Dimpled Mug]

The pour was a hazy medium brown with a large (2-3 finger) white rocky head that pretty much lasted throughout and had some fair streaky lacing.

The aroma was of a dark roasted malt, an earthy hop and a light leathery yeast with notes of milk chocolate, a mild coffee odor, a touch of caramel and a bit of nuttiness.

The taste was nice and malty and a bit nutty with a hint of chocolate in the beginning and then a pronounced hoppiness took hold with hints of coffee and maybe a little brown sugar towards the end. The flavor hung around for an average amount of time after the swallow letting the hoppy malt taste linger for a little while.

Mouthfeel was just about medium in body with the texture being quite creamy and a tad dry with an almost prickly carbonation.

Overall a fantastic Brown Ale that had just the right amount of bitter sweetness and a surprising hoppiness at the end.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 18:41:10 | More by KajII

thain709

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Deuane brought me a bottle of this from a recent trip to North Carolina. Thanks buddy!

A - Poured a nice brown with ruby highlights...it showcased a tan one finger head...the head fell to a spotty cap, but it was the whole way across...decent lacing

S - Dark and milk chocolate...some hops...toffee...a strong nuttiness

T - First sip shows this brown ale is very malt forward...roast and sweetness are leading the way...there is a big blast of milk chocolate in the middle...that's followed by another level of sweetness and some dark toffee flavors...soft hops finish with a subtle nuttiness

M - Medium bodied...sometimes thin...soft hops and a subtle nuttiness

O - I enjoyed this brown ale...there were notes of chocolate and toffee and even softer notes of nuts...the body was never too sweet or heavy so you could have more than just one

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2012 13:10:42 | More by thain709