Brekle's Brown - Anchor Brewing Company

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours medium brown with a tan firm head. No true lace.

Some light caramel and toasted malt aromas. Light mineral notes as well.

A little thin in the flavor, and that is my biggest bitch. Lightly sweet, with caramel and toasted malt notes. Malt forward for sure. Not sweet as I expected, and the hop-driven bitterness is a clean bitterness and very much on the palate. Almost out of balance. Slight nuttiness in the mix and a light sour edge as well. Flavors are very undefined. Bitter; sweet; malty; but nothing that you can tie your flavor memory to. I find it a slight bit weak, and I became a little bored as I worked my way thru the oversized bottle.

Medium bodied. Appropriate carbonation.

Overall, not bad, but not great. Off balance, but not past the tipping point. Hit and miss. Not something I'd chase but while it exists on the market, nothing I'd refuse.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 01:16:21 | More by OtherShoe2

Hopfenpeter

Maryland

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a crystal mug, the beer appears a deep mahogany brown with a tan bubbly head building about two fingers high.
It does not stick around for too long, and leaves little lacing.
The smell promises sweet character of caramel, honey, brown sugar, but has citrus and hop notes present.
Tasting the beer, the citrusy hops build the front. In the middle the more sweeter flavors dominate with caramel brown sugar and honey. A malty finish provides good balance and the urge for more.
Probably one of the best "browns" I have had so far.
Great brewing!

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 04:31:33 | More by Hopfenpeter

Offa

California

4.22/5  rDev +15%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bright red-brown, huge tan head slowly shrinks.

Aroma is caramelized citrus, caramelly toast and nut, hint of maple.

Taste is juicy, citrusy but with rich toastiness, hint of wine, great balance and nice complexity, toasty, nutty character with hint of grapefruit but not too much. It is excellent and very drinkable. I had it on the warmer side, cellar temp.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 04:55:03 | More by Offa

Seanibus

California

3.8/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A pretty and interesting beer.

Pours a deep hazy brown with a huge, dense fluffy tanh head that lasts and lasts. The aroma is sweet and sticky, with brown sugar and molasses and a little hop on the end. The flavor is very brown - bread, molasses, caramel, and brown sugar, all the things you'd expect from something brown. There is a nutty malt in the middle and a bitter bite like brown rum on the finish. There is a lingering burn that emphasizes the blackstap rum effect.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 00:06:16 | More by Seanibus

YumYumGumGum

Virginia

3.03/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: 650ml bottle poured into a snifter. Very dark metallic brown body with 2 finger of fluffy white head on an agressive pour. Short lasting medium lacing.

S: honestly, sweet booze.

T: less booze with a decent, thinly nutty body

M: nicely carbonated easy drink.

O: at $4.59 a bottle, a fine brown with a warming sensation. If you like the anchor steam stuff, this is up your ally.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 18:59:31 | More by YumYumGumGum

rootbeerman

Virginia

3.55/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: pours dark clear brown, with a finger of light cream brown head. This is the first time the etchings on the glass actually maintained the head longer than 2 minutes and at about a eighth inch thick.

S: has an aroma like no other brown ale I've had so far. Hop is up front and first, of which are very light pine and citrus. Then it is nutty and malt sweetness.

T: nutty brown ale sweet malt upfront. None of the slight sulfur that some browns have.
M: lightly creamy carbonation, lingers on the palate just long enough.
O: it is good, somewhat one dimensional but there is a little depth. I think as much as I don't like my local brown I like it better than this.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2011 08:45:03 | More by rootbeerman

bum732

Maryland

3.03/5  rDev -17.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

S: Light citrus, some ripe cantaloupe, some caramel sweetness.

L: Fairly clean reddish-brown, light tan, creamy head with great retention and lacing.

T: Toasty malt with a prominent citrus fruitiness. Medium low bitterness leading to some additional toasted malt with just a touch of malt. Fairly clean and semi-dry finish.

M: Medium bodied, medium carbonation.

Meh, not sure what the point of throwing citra hops in a brown ale. They just don't work here.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 03:10:54 | More by bum732

jsled

Vermont

3.48/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

P: 4/5. beautiful clear rich brown. Good finger of off-white head, well-supported.

A: 3/5. sweet. cinnamon. caramel. herbal.

F: 7/10. rich sweet spicy caramel. some minor roast, but very minor. which leads to a mostly-balanced fun brown ale.

M: 4/5. good. reminiscent, but not lingering.

O: 7/10. a very good brown ale. malty and rich but not overpowering.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 03:59:29 | More by jsled

oline73

Maryland

2.6/5  rDev -29.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Poured from a bottle into a standard pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a clear dark amber color with two fingers of off white head that fade to a ring around the edge of the glass.

Smell: Really sweet, very ripe dark fruit and some brown sugar. Lots o malt, too sweet.

Taste: Not as sweet as the smell, thank God, but still too much ripe fruit sweetness for a brown ale. Malty in the finish. I was really hoping the hops would play more of a role here.

Mouthfeel: Medium body, mild carbonation, the finish is slightly dry.

Overall: Reminds me of a bad homebrew, not particularly professional tasting. Way too much sweetness for the style with nothing to balance it out.

Serving type: bottle

09-17-2011 00:45:40 | More by oline73

Djedhead360

California

2.8/5  rDev -23.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Dark Brown clear
Smell:Malt I cant smell the hops
Taste: light hops smooth
mouthfeel: low in carbonation
overall:It was ok I had a lot of Malt taste almost no Hops it did not taste like a brown beer to me.this would be a good light beer to drink ain the day time relaxing

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2011 03:16:10 | More by Djedhead360

scottfrie

California

3.98/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

22oz bottle into SN tulip pint glass.

A: Pours a nutty dark copper color with a huge light brown head that slowly bubbled away into a thick film that left great patches of sticky lacing down the glass.
S: Light notes of roasted malts, sweet dark fruits, caramel and wheat bread crust.
T: Follows the nose with sweet dark fruits, bread crust and roasted malts. I get a bit of caramel in the finish and the aftertaste is very fruity.
M: Light body, thin and slick mouthfeel and low yet tingly carbonation.
O: I got really excited when I saw that they bottled this. I’ve had a taste of it at a beerfest and regret not being able to review it as I love all things Anchor. It’s a solid brown ale, and I would not be sad if I had to drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 22:50:27 | More by scottfrie

jm1229

California

3.33/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

22oz bottle opened on 8/27 and poured into my Stone IPA pint glass.

A- Dark red/brown. Given the name, who would have thought? Aggressive pour gave considerable amount of head and no retention on the glass.

S- Very malty. Some caramel, roastiness, and citra hops. Citra hops? So this is THAT beer that everyone wants... wait. Never mind.

T- Just like the nose, it's very malty with a little bit of citrus in the background. Nice, subtle aftertaste. No alcohol taste and a refreshing finish.

M- A little over-carbonated but definitely satisfying. A little thin, so it's a good afternoon beer.

O- I owed it to Anchor to buy at least one of these considering it was Anchor's Porter that got me into the craft beer scene. That being said, I didn't quite love this beer as much as I would have liked to. It's refreshing and enjoyable, but I'm not going to be seeking this out like I once did with Anchor Porter.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2011 02:31:25 | More by jm1229

DrJay

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Clear garnet colour with a short cap of fine tan/brown foam. Lots of lacing, good head retention. Notes of caramel and toasted wheat bread with mild grain character in the aroma, light grassy/citrusy hops, slight apple fruitiness. Much the same in the flavour, but with herbal bitterness and more fruit. Breadiness was scaled back, but it still had considerable sweetness. Medium bodied with relatively soft carbonation and a hint of husky astringency. Overall, a decent offering with characteristics that are a little out of the ordinary for a brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2011 23:55:44 | More by DrJay

popery

California

3.43/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

From notes. Sampled during SF Beer Week 2011. Pours a nice, hearty brown with a nice light beige head. The aroma is citric hops, caramel, nuts, a touch of tin and mild roasty fruitiness. For me, the hops are pushed too much in the aroma and taste. It's also a bit dry for a brown ale. More caramel and fruit in the taste. Mouthfeel is a bit thin. It's a good beer and a somewhat interesting take on the style, but I would have preferred to see Anchor go a different direction for both a brown ale and a new beer. I just like brown ales that are easier to drink with less (clashing) complexity.

Serving type: on-tap

08-14-2011 20:57:31 | More by popery

musicman575

California

4.08/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

This really tastes like Anchor's take on Arrogant Bastard.

Had on tap in a Moonlight Brewing pint glass.

A: Reddish-brown mahogany with an inch and a half of creamy tan head.

S: Wacky! Some aromatic hops, rye, molasses, musty malt.

T: It's fun to drink. The molassesy flavor comes out a bit after a few drinks. Hops are like grapefruit. Finishes with a bit of "electricity".

M: Yes, it felt like a slight electrical current running through my mouth on the finish with the mix of hops, alcohol, and heavy carbonation. Also, I think I had this beer at just the right cold temperature. Feels very smooth if you let it sit in the mouth for a fe seconds and foam up.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2011 00:25:18 | More by musicman575

nbree00

California

3.45/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Nice to see Anchor putting out a new beer here and there. Can't help but root for my home town brewery, which just so happens to be an institution in the craft brewing world.

A: Pours a deep rich brown and mahogany with some reddish undertones. Also produces a nice frothy 1/2 inch head, which dissipates quickly. Slightly above average score here, but it looks better than most Anchor Steam beers I can remember.

S: Smell is kind of muted here, maybe a bi-product of the pasteurization, still pleasant though. Aromas of aged fruitcake, strawberries, pineapple and whole wheat bread. Really get a lot of Citra hop character on the nose.

T/M: This definitely strikes me as an English style brown with some American flare. Nicely rustic and dry, with a subtle bitterness on par with an ESB, just slightly more fruit character. Flavors of pecan pie, prunes, bakers chocolate, raspberries and a hint of pencil shavings. Bright and dry finish, very palate cleansing. Having it with some BBQ right now and it's holding its own.

O: For a take on a traditional brown it's spot on. It' a great session beer and seems to have versatile food pairings. The style will never impress me like an imperial stout or barrel aged sour, but what are you gonna do.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 06:45:54 | More by nbree00

mactrail

California

4.13/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Well this is good. A really creamy foamy glassful in the chalice. A hint of caraway is the flavor that jumps out amid the roasted malt and touch of hops. I like the way they use the Citra hop to give a distinct but restrained hoppiness. Beautiful coppery brown color and lacing all up and down. It ought to make a nice schooner-ful. Interesting aroma, leather maybe. A little sharp with a mushroomy flavor.

I keep hoping Anchor will use their pedigree and expertise to make some actually interesting beers. This one seems like a step in the right direction, after the unpleasant bock, small beer, and grainy over-spiced Christmas ales. This is what makes beer good, a surprise that keeps you tasting.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2011 05:13:47 | More by mactrail

Zorro

California

4.1/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Clear brown colored ale with a tall light brown colored head.

Smell is hoppy with a mix of English and northwestern style hops. Pine and pine wood from the northwestern style. There is a second more earthy hops cent here something like buttered leather with a faint fruit aroma. Sent of butter and almonds with a faint apricot scent.

Starts out sweet and bitter with a burnt sugar aftertaste. Bittersweet with some pine and wood flavors. Flavors of butter and leather with some tobacco taste. Taste never gets harsh and patent malt doesn't really asset itself here. This is solidly about in the middle of the American and English styles of the ale.

Mouthfeel is good.

Overall a mild and tasty ale.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2011 01:40:31 | More by Zorro

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.93/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very large, frothy head which is quite slow to recede. It leaves a lot of webby lace.

There's an interesting blend of floral hop. I note some alcohol in the background. There's another smell that I'm struggling to identify. At first, I thought it was metallic, but there's also a light exotic spice nose.

The taste is more sweet than the smell suggests. But the hop provides plenty of counter-balance. There are elements of a low alcohol barley wine, but it is also like caramelized pale ale. Good body with a high carbonation level.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 23:22:20 | More by smcolw

JRed

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours reddish brown with fluffy off-white head. Caramel, brown sugar, toffee, toasted grains in the nose. A bit on the sweet side. Caramel, toasted grains, citrus and rind comes through as well. Medium bodied with light carbonation. A tasty session that is crisp and a hoppy brown. Balanced and clean.

Serving type: on-tap

07-22-2011 22:29:41 | More by JRed

bennetj17

Arizona

4.05/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Rich mahogany color with a glowing clarity. A head of golden tan foam, nearly an inch, that settles after a couple minutes to some froth. The aroma has a nice nutty bite, it's very clean with light sweetness, reminds me of autumn.

The flavor has a well rounded bitterness, and a coffee-like malt sweetness that is almost chocolatey. It's not real intense, but it's very clean and the balance makes it easy to drink. There is some similarity, maybe it's the malts they are using, but it definitely tastes like other Anchor beers (Steam and Porter). The mouthfeel is somewhat thin but with adequate carbonation it does the job.

I have to say I liked it overall. Nothing special, just an easy drinking brown ale. The Citra hop works nicely. Would rather it be in 6-packs than a big bottle just for price sake though. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2011 05:29:38 | More by bennetj17

HalfFull

California

3.65/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a goblet form an oversized Anchor bottle. An interesting look for a 22 oz. bottle. Pours a medium brown with a robust cap of tan foam, clear and crimson in the light.

Yeast notes are prominent on the nose initially and through the foam, with a blend of malts including a bit of chocolate being revealed as the beer settles. Citra hops seem a bit of an odd companion for this beer, and in the end aromas are pleasant though not memorable, though becoming less volatile and more balanced with some warming.

Flavor is good and slightly enticing. Bit of roast, touch of carob and some dark cherry in the background. Flavors linger moderately, softening a bit over time to offer a touch of sweet dark chocolate. Feel is smooth and offers a touch of dark chocolate in a spice sense. Light to medium in body and easy drinking as a result, sweetish but not too viscous. Been a while, but this comes across as a somewhat subdued version of their Porter....will have to check back on that...

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2011 06:37:36 | More by HalfFull

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Ginger Man in Norwalk, CT. Served in a pint glass. Reviewed from notes.

Pours a moderate brown color with a good off-white head and a bit of lacing on the way down. The nose carries a bit of caramel and toasted grain plus some mild roast. Faint hoppiness is there as well. Nice blend. The flavor has a bit too much roast and hop, coming together to create a strange bitterness that really affects the taste and feel. Medium body with average carbonation. All the components of this one didn't really come together for me, though I did enjoy the nose.

Serving type: on-tap

07-14-2011 15:45:47 | More by Thorpe429

UCLABrewN84

California

3.6/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear dark brown with a 2 inch tan head that fades to a thin cap. Random streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smells of brown malt, light fruits, and some wood aromas. Taste is of caramel malt and fruit like apples or grapes. There is a woody zing flavor that I am getting as well. Some nuttiness is present too. This beer has a low level of carbonation with a smooth and slightly flat mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good brown ale from Anchor but nothing amazing. I am glad I got to try this one after I read it was going to be bottled.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 01:45:09 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phelps

Arizona

4/5  rDev +9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Enjoyed in a pilsner-style glass at Tops.

Glorious sunset brown, with hints of amber blending into darker mahogany. The sticky one-finger head of frothy tan remains for a long while, eventually slipping away to become a big, retentive ring of bubbles.

Fruity nose. Concord grape, apple, maybe hints of oak and vanilla? I also get lots of caramel, floral and earthy hops, and a handful of peanuts.

The flavor’s a glorious mix of caramel and fruit. Grape, dark wheat bread, caramel, a soft nuttiness, apple and earthy hops combine to create a rustic flavor. This brew belongs around a hearth. More fruit sweetness emerges as it warms (perhaps just a tad too much) reminding me of prickly pear. It’s got amazing complexity and many layers of flavor.

Smooth, velvety medium body with softly prickly carbonation and some booze in the nose.

Though it got a little fruity for me at the end, Brekles is a damn fine brown and a great addition to Anchor’s legacy of solid brews that stick to style standards. It’ll be great for the cooler fall weather.

Serving type: on-tap

07-08-2011 21:59:14 | More by Phelps