Downtown Brown - Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe

BWED

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz. bottle into a tulip

A- A deep brown, yet quite clear. Light shines through and showcases a nice light brown highlight. A dense light tan head rests on top, and retains well at a half finger. Just a little lacing hangs out.

S- A roasted nut aroma is at the forefront, with a semisweet chocolate lightly chiming in.

T- A mellow roasty maltiness, with barely any hop character, yet not terribly sweet.

M- Medium, and faintly chewy, but has a nice clean finish, with a semi dry aftertaste.

O- It's nice and malty, but clean. Not oversweet, as well. This makes a good seasonal transition beer. Coming out of those strong dark winter beers, and hopping right on Pales and IPAs can be a bit shocking. This brew carries you gently into the spring.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 18:41:51 | More by BWED

Dbrown144

California

3.41/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: dark caramel color. Thick foam head.

S: I really like the smell. It's sweet, and smells mostly of roasted malts and caramel.

T: one of the better brown ales that I've tasted. While I wouldn't describe the taste as strong, there's a lot going on. It tastes a bit like a porter, the main tastes I can pull out are coffee, chocolate, and sweet roasted malt. At the very end of the sip, i taste a very faint hop flavor.

M: goes down nicely. Little carbonation and average consistency but bordering slightly on the thin side.

O: refreshing and tasty. I normally don't go for brown ales, so it's not one of my favorites, but still a solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 05:09:08 | More by Dbrown144

Cyrano41

Virginia

3.81/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Had this on tap at the local Yardhouse in Virginia Beach.
Deep brown with a good inch on head in a standard pint glass.
Picked up some earthy, nutty tones on the smell, not alot.
The flavors were malty with strong undertone of nuts. More nutty than I expected but not harsh or overpowering. This was the best beer of the day and I immediately sought it out at the local total wine for home consupmtion.

Serving type: on-tap

01-29-2013 16:26:55 | More by Cyrano41

WestCoastLibations

California

4.19/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

For some reason, Lost Coast Brewery, and in particular Downtown Brown, are readily available in 12-ounce bottles here, far across the Pacific, in South Korea! I don't know if there is some stipulation in the recently ratified FTA which aims to promote good beer, or if there is in fact a beer aficionado on some trade committee, but either way, those of us who are familiar with this blessing straight from Humboldt County, are grateful! I for one, have visited the brewery itself while riding my bicycle down the coast of California, so when I stumbled upon it in a corner mart in Seoul...well...I was beside myself!

Poured from its unforgettable bottle into an accompanying Lost Coast pint glass, the namesake color was obvious, with plenty of bubbles present as well, lining the glass with a almost cola-like appearance. Fear not though, this was no cola, but rather a breathable beer, which even after traveling across the globe, had seemingly not lost any of its freshness. Likewise, the smell had also not lost anything in translation, as the scent reminded me of the bays of Eureka, rather than the mountains of Korea.

Following then, the taste also drew me into much warmer climates, with regards to both body and S(e)oul, with hints of Hops which are unfortunately lacking in many of the Korean Lagers so prevalent in these parts. Dark but not heavy, Downtown Brown, as with all good beers, was able to transport me to a time and place far removed from my current set of local circumstances. A reliable go-to back home in Killa Cali., and now, for some blessed trade clause, here in South Korea too!

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2013 09:05:23 | More by WestCoastLibations

Hawksfan79

Washington

4.08/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 4.25

Appearance: dark brown with red highlights. Thick light brown creamy head. Good lacing.

Aroma: nutty. Roasted malts.

Taste: nutty and caramel, roasted malts, coffee flavor especially in the finish.

Mouthfeel: thin, watery with a soft carbonation.

Really good beer, great aroma and flavor. Mouthfeel was pretty pretty disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

01-19-2013 06:38:06 | More by Hawksfan79

VoodooBear

Puerto Rico

3.01/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Presentation: 12 oz. brown bottle with no freshness date. Served in a Samuel Adams pint glass.

Appearance: Deep, dark caramel color. Develops a thick, two finger, tan colored head that fizzles out into a thin ring. Leaves some nice, patchy lacing.

Smell: Very faint, so it's hard to notice. Smells mainly of caramel and a little bit of malt.

Taste: Roasted chocolate and caramel notes are evident. The malt sweetness rounds things out and a hint of hop bitterness provides balance. There's a slight alcohol feel at the end.

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, and easy to drink, feels a little thin, even. This might be surprising to a lot of people who expect a darker beer like this one to be stronger and fuller. It has some nice and crisp carbonation.

Overall: This is a very good brown ale, easy to drink and pleasant. It's simple in taste and smell, so it won't win any awards for being bold, dramatic and different. But sometimes you just want to drink something nice and easy. This is what this beer provides, and it does a really good job at it.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 07:03:36 | More by VoodooBear

Fatehunter

Oregon

3.71/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.5

A finger of light tan head on a fairly clear brown colored body.
The aroma is chocolate, coffee and roasted malt. It smells like a porter.
The taste is mild bitterness, roasted malt, chocolate sweetness and finishes on a bitter note. A good profile.
The texture is crisp with a little cream. The carbonation is on the higher, fizzy side.
Overall a good brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 04:39:46 | More by Fatehunter

rickyleepotts

Arizona

3.58/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

I've had this beer before, but I can never remember the flavor. I am not usually a fan of this style, but it's been a while since I have had an English brown ale. Having been to England recently, maybe that will help me enjoy this beer more. Plus, it's a cool story. Two women founded this brewery, and one of them is the brewmaster. That, and this is one of the first beers she came up with. Oh, and I love the label. It's fun! A lot of breweries are trying to use crazy names and create interesting packaging for their beer. This one is simple, but a bright and fun label that was designed by a local artist. Local to Eureka, California, anyway.

Let's drink!

In the Glass: It is darker than I expected. Not black, but a nice thick rich brown color. The lace is weak, but the beer is appetizing. Maybe because I am thirsty, but it still looks delicious.

Nose: I could smell this as I was pouring it. The nose, without even sticking my nose in the glass, is powerful. When I do stick my nose in the glass, I am getting lots of chocolate and some nuttiness that the tasting notes mentioned. But I do get more chocolate than I expected. I just had a can of Sex Panther (LOVE the name) that is a double chocolate porter. I am getting more chocolate here than there.

Flavor: The flavor is really nice. I haven't had a brown ale in a while, but this one is solid. The flavor starts out somewhat sweet, nearing bittersweet. See… I am thinking chocolate again. Then the flavor profile changes completely as you swallow opening up all sorts of flavors. It is a little dry, that I didn't expect. I guess most English beers are dry… so I am not surprised. The aftertaste is really nice, too. But we will get to that.

Mouthfeel: At first, the mouthfeel is thin and boring. But as the beer slides across the tongue, bubbles start to dance and you are hit with a dry finish that lingers. The bubbles are nice, too. I don't normally like carbonation in my beer. But here, it works. It makes me think of a flavorful domestic at first, but then settles on the tongue and leaves you with a really nice nutty finish.

Aftertaste: The aftertaste is great. It lingers on for a good three minutes. It's dry, and has a burnt chocolate flavor to it. For as cheap as this beer is, I would totally buy this again just to experience that aftertaste. The brewmaster made this beer to pair well with food. I can totally see where this would pair well with pork or beef. Well done, ladies!

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2013 18:49:10 | More by rickyleepotts

tjsdomer2

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -2.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Ruby brown...if that makes sense. Looks a lot like Coke. Great thin layer of tan foam and lacing. Not overly carbonated and quite thick.

Smell: Vanilla, oak, and bourbon. Fairly smoky.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Tastes like it smells. Mouthfeel is way too thin to stand up to the flavors.

Overall Drinkability: Not the best brown ale, but it's pleasant enough.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 04:48:53 | More by tjsdomer2

NuclearDolphin

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass

Appearance - Dark clear brown/red with a filmy head with no carbonation. That's pretty much it.

Smell - Chocolate, Cocoa, Coffee, Roasted Barley and Malts. Fairly sweet smelling and quite nice.

Taste - Chocolate, Cocoa, and Roasted Barley. Simple flavor but good.

Mouthfeel - Light and crisp. Carbonation is light so it's easy to drink.

Overall - Simple tasting brown ale but it's still good.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2012 02:01:50 | More by NuclearDolphin

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.28/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a conical pint glass.

The beer is a nice dark ruby mahogany with a frothy cream colored head that takes some time to recede. Really foamy lacing clings to the glass initially.

The aroma is rich in barley and malts, glazed over with a bit of caramel sweetness.

This is one of the sweetest, most delicious brown ales I've tasted in a while. Very malt-forward with a sweetened honey-like glaze in the beginning. A nice brown sugar body, and a toffee finish.

The mouthfeel is clean and medium to light.

Overall, I'm really impressed with this brown, certainly as a session beer. In fact, it may be too sweet with not enough hops to balance it out, but that's alright.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 10:36:42 | More by JuicesFlowing

Gstarkey

4/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very delicious brown ale. Pours a dark coppery brown with a slight one finger creamy looking head. Smells of medium roasted malt with slight toffee and nutty notes. The first thing you get right off the bat is the nutty toffee flavor . Then you get the sweet malt and chocolate notes. Finishes with a very subtle pleasant bitterness

Overall a very good, above average brown ale. I would actually prefer this beer over newcastle. Definitely worth picking up and trying. One of my favorites. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2012 06:40:42 | More by Gstarkey

Mosstrooper

California

3.68/5  rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz bottle into Guinness branded tulip pint glass.

Appearance: Deep, dark, rich brown color with a bit of an amber hue. Large off-white head dissipates quickly and leaves some small spots of lace.

Smell: Caramel and molasses with honey and apple. Slight floral hint, a touch of chocolate.

Taste: Begins with caramel and fuity sweetness that turns into a touch of chocolate. Finish is largely sweet molasses with a hint of bitterness in the back of the throat to round everything out. Random notes of grain throughout as well.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with smooth carbonation and a sticky finish.

Overall: A nicely done, sweet and enjoyable brown ale. I'd have this again and may seek it out if I'm in the mood for something sweeter.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 23:28:06 | More by Mosstrooper

magine

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Samuel Smith nonic.

Pours a root beer color with a light tan thick bubbly head; tons of bubble action. Some patchy lace remains along with a lace layer that makes up the remaining head. Pretty good looks.

Brew smells of toffee, nuttiness and some lingering hops. Pretty good nose.

Brew tastes of cocoa, nutty, toffee, caramel and thinned out by some lively hops. Very good balance to session, thin enough to drink plenty of and has a abv where you could have several without knowing. Crisp initially and then smokey, mellow middle to a drying end. Good cocoa and nutty flavors stand out as you drink. Good stuff here. Good sessionable brown - solid.

Brew is a good sessionable brown that I am enjoying very much. Has nice flavor and is a good brew. Case worthy.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 01:21:42 | More by magine

Hoppsbabo

United Kingdom (England)

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Impenetrable dark, dark brown. Light beige head which dissipates quickly.

S: Very sickly caramel. Very similar to the Rogue ales I've had. Yuck.

T: Hmm, roasty smokey malt. Bitter. The swallow is a bit tasteless but there's a nice aftertaste which isn't as sickly as the caramel bouquet. It's pretty dry but there are hints of sickly caramel in there. As it warms up I'm getting some earthy English ale tea leaves and hops spice. Quite fizzy – nice frothy mouthfeel.

O: Not bad but a bit unremarkable. I'd still have this over Newkie Brown any day.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 10:32:15 | More by Hoppsbabo

Tucquan

Pennsylvania

3.33/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Had this on 2012-08-05 in Columbia, PA

A - Pretty clear brown with a 1-finger tan head that fades quickly and leaves mild lace.

S - Roasted grain, touch of caramel and chocolate. Very mild aroma.

T - There's an initial vegetal taste right before the caramel and chocolate flavors appear; then some roasted grain. There's some balancing bitterness in the finish with flavors of dark chocolate and dark roasted (but not charred) grain. After the first two sips, I no longer noticed any vegatal taste. No alcohol taste

M - Full body and light-medium carbonation gives a creamy feel. I dig how thick it feels for a sessionable brown.

O - A decent brew. It didn't knock my socks but it certainly didn't offend. I'd be happy if I were served this again although it's not one I'll be seeking out.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2012 16:55:58 | More by Tucquan

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.9/5  rDev +6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Lost Coast Downtown Brown from a 12oz stubby into a pint glass.

Looks copper brown with reddish hues in the light. Thin half-inch tan head turns to lingering surface scum after awhile.

Great big toffee malt sweetness with some mild nuttiness in the nose. Aromas of musty grain, dates, and faint light-roast coffee bean.

More roasty than nutty, but still plenty nutty with flavors of pecan and hazelnut. Toffee flavors are pretty ooey-gooey with burnt sugar residuals on the frontline. Middle pulls out some IBUs in the mouth, but the sweetness finishes things out with nuances of dark fruits.

Super smooth medium body with an spiky medium-high carbonation. No ABV listed on the bottle, but it feels very sessionable.

Tasty and great-feeling nut brown ale, and my first from Lost Coast. Thanks to Brian for letting me have one from his stash as this is one of his favorite session ales. Heard a lot of great things, happy to have finally tried it.

Serving type: bottle

07-18-2012 02:00:32 | More by thecheapies

Minkybut

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I poured this nice brew into my tumbler at 45 degrees. The beer poured a magnificent head that was very tan looking almost brown itself. The beer was a nice mahogany color. The beer also produced heavy lacing. beer smelled slightly nutty but was not really all that fragrant. Taste was warm and inviting with just a slight sweet finish. I liked it and would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

07-09-2012 15:29:41 | More by Minkybut

darkstar12

Maryland

3.48/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had in a pint glass off tap at Virtue, Old Town Alexandria

A: moderate copper color, 2-finger foamy head that dissipated slowly, moderate lacing

S: strong burnt malt, some coffee tones

T: again roasted malt and coffee flavors

M: syrupy feel, very light carbonation, got a thciker feel to it as the beer warmed up

O: certainly a decent beer, but given a choice of English brown ales I would opt for DuClaw's Euphoria instead.

Serving type: on-tap

06-29-2012 13:42:06 | More by darkstar12

Drinkerofales

California

3.75/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours clear copper brown, hints of gold and garnet in the light. A huge, silky, light mocha head doesn't leave much lacing, but the head sticks around for some time.

Smells of toasted malts, and lightly of chocolate and coffee. Surprisingly nice.

Taste is similar to smell, but a bit lighter, chocolate, a touch of smoke, and mild hops on the finish.

Feel is light bodied and smooth. While a bit thin, it drinks rather well, and has a long wet finish.

While I liked the beer, I am not sure how well it stayed to the Brown Ale category.

DOA

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 18:24:02 | More by Drinkerofales

Con-a-sewer

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this from a bottle I got at world market and did not enjoy at all I think it even hit the sink before I finished it way too sweet and flat well it possibly may have been a very old bottle. I stopped in to watch a game at a pub in KingsBurg CA I had never been there the place is called "Scores" and surprisingly had some damn good tap so I gave DTB one more shot

Look: very dark cola with a finger of head that dissipated to that lovely ring that continued to the last drink, some real decent lacing

Smell: chocolate, brown sugar, oak, near coffee

Taste: chocolate coffee, malty biscuit

Mouthfeel: smooth and drinkable but in my opinion a fare amount more carbonation would catapult the flavors into a stellar brew it almost felt soup like

Over all: I liked it way more then the first time I would get it again no doubt. I think it could be a little more crisp but what the hey

Serving type: on-tap

06-04-2012 19:04:52 | More by Con-a-sewer

B967ierhunter177

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -21.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This beer pours a clear brown with a thin head and no lace. It's aroma is coffee and caramel. The flavor has notes of roasted malt & caramel with honey and a hint of pepper as it warms. The mouthfeel is light-medium and drinkable. Lost Coast Downtown Brown is a good beer, recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2012 02:01:23 | More by B967ierhunter177

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a dark brown color with a 1 inch head. Smell is nutty, some malts and caramel. Taste is also full of nuts, some malts, different but tasty and easy drinking. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2012 21:53:19 | More by tone77

TheSixthRing

California

3.48/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours dark ruby brown with a tan, 2 finger head. Decent retention. Leaves behind an average, sticky lacing.

Smell - Delicate notes of nut, chocolate and sweet malt. Faint brown sugar.

Taste - Subtle notes of chocolate and a nut... maybe pecan? No, more hazelnut. Sugary sweet. A delicious flavor profile, but feels a bit muted.

Mouthfeel - Smooth, but a fairly thin, and a tad undercarbonated. Very disappointing body.

Overall - A decent to good brown. Sessionable, at the very least. It's a shame because it has a great flavor profile, but it's watered down character detracts from what could be a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2012 03:23:34 | More by TheSixthRing

Jparker37

Wisconsin

2.8/5  rDev -23.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured into an Imperial pint glass.

A - Fairly dark English brown. Some ruby streaks to it. Medium sized off-white head quickly recedes to a small ring around the top. Zero lacing to be found.

S - Nice complex light chocolate notes. Has a touch a sweetness, especially after it warms up. No major array of malt which is typical of English browns. No hop presence, slightly fruity.

T - Light caramel malts highlight this beers flavor. Stays a bit one dimensional and follows the smell as it lacks malt depth. Finishes with a touch of roastiness.

M - Light body with moderate to high level of carbonation. Semi-sweet body is true to style.

O - Smell was right on target for the style. Loses points in flavor for lacking solid malt structure. Refreshing enough for a summer cookout.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2012 01:55:24 | More by Jparker37