Sweet Josie Brown Ale - Lonerider Brewing

mikesgroove

South Carolina

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

a really interesting beer and not at all what i was expecting when it was first poured. a eep, dark brown color with some light reddish highlights that popped up on the sides of the glass. huge foamy head of off white came up and covered the top of the glass at least three fingers deep. lots of lacing left down the sides of the glass.

aroma is light roasted nuts, caramel, touches of light grains and a bit of spice. this was especially noticed in the flavor which had a light cocoa touch but was punctuated by a touch of rye?? something that tickled the taste buds in an odd sort of way, but it seemed to work. tons of carbonation here, a bit too much for me given the style, but still it was nice enough to be very drinkable.

overall it was pretty damn solid and an easy to drink brown ale on a hot day.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2010 00:18:34 | More by mikesgroove

womencantsail

California

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

Thanks to Charlie for sending this one.

A: The beer is a dark brown color with a reddish hue to it and a short lived off-white head.

S: Smells primarily like a mix of coffee and chocolate. Some dark malts and a bit of malt sweetness like toffee and molasses. Some cocoa powder and bitter dark chocolate.

T: Moderately sweet with a big time chocolate flavor. Cocoa powder and dark chocolate give a slight bitterness. Decently roasty for a brown ale. A substantial coffee flavor and a pretty strong sweetness.

M: Medium in body with a medium level of carbonation.

O: Good but a bit too sweet.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 06:13:17 | More by womencantsail

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.01/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle - $1.99 at Total Wine & More in Kennesaw, Georgia.

I see where they attempted a printed on "best before" date, but, unfortunately, it's smudged off. A teeny bit of lacing present.

Appearance: Pours a clear, dark brown body with a medium-small, soft-looking, light beige head.

Smell: Deep toast, roast, oven-roasted nuts with chocolate and touches of molasses and blackened caramel. Quite malty. Only offset by some slight, fruity esters.

Taste: You've got your roast, your heavy toast, your charred nuts, and your chocolate powder, with accents of burnt caramel and molasses. It's a brown ale. Lightly estery. Moderately sweet. A little hop flavor beyond the malts, with a little bitterness showing that plays well with the nuttiness and roasty tones. Drying, malty finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Medium carbonation.

Overall: Easy drinking, (dark side of) malty brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2013 01:44:58 | More by ChainGangGuy

oberon

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On tap at Sticks and Sones in Greensboro.Poured from the tap into a standard pint glass a deep roasted chesnut brown with some ruby tinge,a 1/2 finger beige colored head atop.Aromas were a little light with chocolate malts mainly sticking out with light roastiness as well.Well rounded on the palate with sweetish chocolate and a hint of brown sugar,firm graininess and light earth in the finish to keep it balanced.A pretty rich tasting brown,one of the better browns I have had in a while I gotta say.

Serving type: on-tap

04-17-2011 11:58:50 | More by oberon

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is clear dark brown in color with amber highlights. It poured with a thin ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass; no carbonation is visible in the form of rising bubbles.
S: The smell is very faint and has some hints of chocolate and toasted malts.
T: There are flavors of caramel, chocolate and toasted malts in the nose; the finish has a slight amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
D: The beer goes down smoothly and would be a good accompaniment with food because the flavors in the taste aren't very strong.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2011 02:08:55 | More by metter98

Beerandraiderfan

Nevada

3.5/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brown ale, dark, thin head. Looked seductive, maybe it was the label! Cool lil Clint Eastwood silhouette (sic) on the cap. Aroma was of slow roast.

Taste, slightly hoppy for a brown ale, smooth mouthfeel, miniscule wood notes, just barely a chocolate, cocoa and sweet presence to it as well. Everything nuanced in a brown ale for the most part. You know the line, easy drinking, mild, sessionable.

Not a bad beer at all. Nice extra to throw in thanks, dsc I believe?

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2011 23:33:58 | More by Beerandraiderfan

mothman

Saskatchewan (Canada)

3.13/5  rDev -18.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass. Pours 1 finger of beige head. Decent retention leaving some lacing. Color is a dark nut brown.

Aroma: Notes of chocolate and caramel. A bit of roasted malts. Some nut flavors.

Taste: Creamy and chocolate. Nut flavors with a bit of roasted malts. Caramel. No hop flavors.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy. Medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation ends dry.

Overall, a fairly average brown ale. Easy to drink and fits the style fine.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 03:26:15 | More by mothman

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

ccrida

Oregon

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

Dark brown with a small tan head that leaves decent lace.

Smell is roasted malts, a little wood, peanut butter, caramel when it warms opens up a bit.

Taste is balanced, some sweetness from the malt, particularly as it warms. Nice herbal hops, and fairly aggressive flavor overall, but smooth.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, dry.

Drinkability is solid, as is this brew, a nice punch flavor but smooth and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 02:39:52 | More by ccrida

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

smakawhat

Maryland

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

Poured on tap at the brewery in Raleigh NC into a plastic cup.

No head given or present, giving a minor collar with perhaps some tan color. Body is a cloudy chestnut brown, but when opened up to the sun it gives a great cloudy ruby red.

Nose is nutty like a classic American Brown, with some estery fruit sense. Roast bent seems kind of mild but still alright.

First comes that mild nut presence in the taste. Hits the mid palate pretty solid and obvious, but lots of clove also. Finish gives a big sense of roast character and there's just a hint of cream as well.

Overall a really good solid brown ale that these guys make.

Serving type: on-tap

07-02-2011 13:06:15 | More by smakawhat

FosterJM

California

3.93/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

416th review on BA
bottle to pint
12 oz

Thanks to beermex2 for this extra.

App- A very nice brownish crimson with a big fluffy two finger head. Nice sticky lacing all the way down.

Smell- A little bit of cocoa powder from when I was a kid and some malts. A slight tinge of hops.

Taste- A pretty good brown ale (Thanks Steve!) Nicely soft and sweet with a powdery chocolate flavor and some darker malts.

Mouth- Medium bodied with a lighter feel and a high carb level behind it. Nice malty chocolate powder.

Drink- This was a nice extra and I am very glad I got to try it. If I am ever in NC I will have to visit this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2011 03:37:14 | More by FosterJM

blackie

Virginia

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

a: shaker pint serving, deep brown in color with a pretty average head, off-white with some light retention

s: brown malt with a slight roasted edge, some brown sugar and a little cocoa, earthy hops, mild toffee

m: carbonation moderate, body just around medium

t: nice set of brown malt flavors, a little nutty with a dusting of cocoa, slightly sweet with a balancing of earthy hops, plenty of malt flavor to satisfy, nice

d: a good american brown, pint taken easily

draft at Tap City, Raleigh

Serving type: on-tap

01-11-2011 02:01:22 | More by blackie

tdm168

North Carolina

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

On tap at Fork and Barrel in Raleigh

Pours a deep amber with a light lacing of head. Nose offers caramel and nutty malts. Taste is caramel, then nutty, then...coffee? Yeah, I think that's what that was. This beer is medium bodied, smooth. Overall, this is a solid beer. Lonerider continues to impress.

Serving type: on-tap

07-20-2011 02:11:30 | More by tdm168

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

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

atsprings

North Carolina

3.9/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at Flying Saucer served in a standard pint-glass a crisp dark brown with a thin diminishing tan head. Aroma is a decent amount of caramel, burnt toast and slight brown sugar. The taste is a decent amount of brown malts, brown sugar and slight Earthy hops. The beer is on the light side of medium with decent carbonation. This is a very enjoyable brown ale, I hope LoneRider keeps the new beers coming!

Serving type: on-tap

09-06-2009 20:14:05 | More by atsprings

HuskyinPDX

Washington

3.98/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Reviewed on 4.19.11

12oz bottle

A- looks like cola. Brown with a tan head.

S- Smells nutty, like malts and some wheat.

T- Nuts, raisins, wheat, and barley.

D- Oily and coats the mouth.

O- Over decent brown ale.

I love the Man with no Name picture on the crown.

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2011 01:23:28 | More by HuskyinPDX

cosmicevan

New York

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

thanks to brstls4drmrs.

a - opened the bottle and filled my E snifter. deep rich brown that settled even darker. full finger plus of cream colored bubbly head. pretty sticky lacing.

s - molasses and barley and grains. hint of brown sugar and nutmeg, but this is a grain monster.

t - flavor is big and bold. molasses, barley, malts, and grains. missing some of the sweet character i typically look for in the style.

m - full and bready. finishes a bit bitter. cooling.

o - overall, a decent brown ale that is worth trying. the earthiness is pretty dominant making it a bit unique, but not tailored for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 01:21:39 | More by cosmicevan

Brenden

Ohio

3.8/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A very dark brown but, yes, it does let some light into its thickness, though there's no opacity. Even from the look it's easy to tell this is a dark beer that's not particularly heavy, which is appropriate. The head, light brown in color, reaches one finger and leaves a stable, compact quarter of a finger that shows some stick initially before ceasing to cling to the glass.
The nose displays a malt backbone, but it takes some effort to draw out specific aromas. The effort I give presents me with a nice nuttiness and some cocoa primarily, with no char or bitterness to speak of and quite a light roast. A light caramel-like sweetness is detectable too.
The flavor presents itself for strongly, with an interesting element somewhat difficult to identify foremost on the palate. It's sort of a spicy earthiness. This does have a generous hops bitterness to it for a brown. Chocolaty sweetness balances it out, the nuttiness follows through, and roast is more pronounced than in the smell.
Carbonation is moderate and makes for a creamy feel off a light crispness. It develops the feel of an English brown to a point with a sort of metallic aspect and a little bit of chalkiness into the finish. It's nice to see a sturdy body in a style that sometimes neglects it.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2013 19:26:15 | More by Brenden

chinchill

South Carolina

3.88/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | 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.

(lightly revised upon tasting on tap in June 2013)

Serving type: bottle

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

wedge

North Carolina

3.76/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Clear, deep brown color with a thin, creamy off-white head. Nutty caramel malt and chocolate aroma...hint of maple and brown sugar. Sweet cocoa and caramel malty flavor with a touch of earthy hops in the finish. Pretty well balanced, though not as smooth as I'd like. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, and a bit drying. A well made, standard brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2011 00:58:37 | More by wedge

Haybeerman

Colorado

4.03/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Clear, deep dark brown color; ruby on the edges. Poured a <1 finger tan head with fair retention. Lacing washed down the sides of the glass.

T: Toasted malt character of a Scottish ale with a nice balance between burnt toast and molassas. Sharlpy bitter in the finish to balance the rich malt character. Admittedly, not a fan of the style, but I liked this beer a lot.

M: Light to medium body. Low carbonation. Its all about the bitter finish for me on the mouthfeel; not lingering sweet and cloying finish like many of the style.

D: Easily drinkable, especially for this style. Many will be drawn to the good balance and finish in this beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2010 00:38:39 | More by Haybeerman

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

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