The Whale
Community Beer Works

The WhaleThe Whale
Beer Geek Stats | Print Shelf Talker
From:
Community Beer Works
 
New York, United States
Style:
American Brown Ale
Ranked #66
ABV:
5.9%
Score:
89
Ranked #11,478
Avg:
3.99 | pDev: 8.52%
Reviews:
23
Ratings:
89
Status:
Active
Rated:
Mar 17, 2024
Added:
Apr 20, 2012
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  16
The Whale is a smooth yet complex beer, packed with flavor yet easy to drink. We layer distinctive English brown malt and two types of chocolate malt to create aromas and flavors of coffee, chocolate and a surprisingly deep roast.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Photo of MonDak_Joe1953
Reviewed by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

4.02/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
16oz can. Bottom date stamp reads 'THE WHALE 23-072 CANNED ON 11/9/2023'.
Clear, ruby brown/cola brown colored body. Brief lasting tan head but there is a thin ring and minor surface storm. Scattered tiny dots of lacing.
Aroma is heavy with toasted grains, and also some coffee, and cola sweetness.
Taste is lit up with toasted grains heavily sweetened. There is a later coffee appearance. Floral hops add to the lightness and to the sweetness. Confectionery chocolate. Toasted grains have a long life in the aftertaste.
Pours thin, but mouthfeel is similar to syrup. Mellow and coating in the mouth. Supportive carbonation.
Beautiful clear body color, and has a fully expressive flavor profile for an English Brown Ale, plus an American degree of hops.
Mar 17, 2024
Photo of LiquidAmber
Reviewed by LiquidAmber from Washington

3.99/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a very dark walnut brown with little light transmission in the glass and a patchy, thin, light khaki head with slight lacing. Aroma of lightly toasted malt, coffee, light bakers chocolate and molasses; coffee forward. Flavor is lightly toasted malt, cocoa, diner coffee and a hint of caramel. Light coffee and bitterness in the finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. A pleasant, light brown ale that leans to the English style. Light in roast with a light hop bitterness, mostly in the finish. Well brewed and to style, a satisfying session brown ale.
Jan 26, 2024
Photo of MutuelsMark
Reviewed by MutuelsMark from Kentucky

4.1/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours dark like a coke with an off white tannish head. Head had good staying power. Nose was caramel, cereal and slight coffee. Taste was semi sweet with a burnt caramel or coffee flavor. Nice bready finish.
Jan 13, 2024
 
Rated: 4.47 by StrangerTides from New York

Apr 08, 2023
Photo of maddogruss
Reviewed by maddogruss from New Jersey

3.89/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A: pours a brown body with an off white head with some retention and decent lacing.
S: sweet, earthy toasty notes with hints of burnt caramel.
T: sweet, toasty burnt caramel notes with a. Slightly cereal finish.
M: full bodied and smooth.
O: nice feel and taste combo; solid overall.
Feb 13, 2023
 
Rated: 4.1 by The_Kriek_Freak from Pennsylvania

Oct 22, 2022
 
Rated: 3.77 by PaleAleWalt from New York

Jul 28, 2022
Photo of jmdrpi
Reviewed by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
on draft, in a nonic pint glass

medium brown in color, off-white colored head. Nice toasty malt aroma and flavor, good balance not too sweet. medium bodied.
Jun 25, 2022
 
Rated: 4 by Taenim from Maine

May 18, 2022
 
Rated: 4.15 by cambabeer from New York

May 08, 2022
 
Rated: 3.5 by TMoney2591 from Illinois

Feb 26, 2022
Photo of officerbill
Reviewed by officerbill from New York

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
L: a clear root beer color, that you can see through when held up to the light, with a thin off white head that quickly dissolves into a film.
S: not a lot there, mostly some roast malts and weak coffee
T: dark toast, weak coffee, a hint of chocolate, a little dark chocolate/hoppy bitterness that grows stronger as the beer warms
F: a little sweet at the beginning, but a dry finish with a mild round bitter aftertaste which grows stronger as the beer warms
O: Not too bad. The aromas are right, just weak. The flavors are nice, just weak. The biggest issue for me is how much strength the dark chocolate undertones and hoppy edge grow as the beer warms. The Whale is a fine, enjoyable brown ale when it is cold, but becomes more of a single note when it approaches room temperature
Nov 13, 2021
 
Rated: 3.81 by smithj4 from New York

Oct 23, 2021
 
Rated: 4.24 by bschmidt_37 from Illinois

Oct 07, 2021
 
Rated: 3.77 by ummswimmin from New Jersey

Sep 26, 2021
 
Rated: 3 by prisdefer from New York

Aug 10, 2021
 
Rated: 3.84 by biteme398 from New York

Aug 09, 2021
Photo of HarlotBronte
Rated by HarlotBronte from District of Columbia

4.36/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
Excellent brown ale. One of the best I’ve had. Strong aroma and taste of coffee.
Jun 05, 2021
Photo of FrMatthewLC
Reviewed by FrMatthewLC from Virginia

3.33/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
This seemed like a pretty standard brown ale but a little underwhelming. Nothing stood out and it tasted a little of for the style. I can't quite put my finger on it.
Apr 28, 2021
Photo of The_Beer_Guru
Rated by The_Beer_Guru from New York

4/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Great easy drinking brown ale!
Dec 17, 2020
The Whale from Community Beer Works
Beer rating: 89 out of 100 with 89 ratings