Mountain Ale - The Shed Brewery

Etan

Illinois

3.66/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

12oz into an MBC tumbler.

A: Pours a honey-hued amber with a thick off-white head.

S: Yeasty, dried fruit esters, apricot, brown sugar, multigrain bread, slightly buttery.

T: Caramelized grain, fruity British yeastiness, very light roastiness, toffee, a hint of alcohol, plum.

M: Medium-bodied with active carbonation.

O: This is ok. A very yeasty English brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 01:28:01 | More by Etan

donkeyrunner

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.5

One of the beers I obtained on an Easter Sunday beer swap.

Dark hazelnut to auburn in color with a thin beige head. Horseshoe shaped retention.

Smells like pumpernickel. Brownie batter peaks out a little as it warms.

Bread crust and orange rind with a swamp hop tea finish. Burnt brownie edges emerge after it's been sitting in my glass awhile. A 7.4% it's a big brown and it's got a big brown body. Full and creamy and just plain thicker than most browns.

Toasty and tea-like like a Northern English brown but big and full like an American brown. Neat genre straddler but not something I'd buy again. Or buy in the first place technically.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 20:59:02 | More by donkeyrunner

metter98

New York

3.68/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is clear but very dark reddish brown in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation when it is held up to a bright light (but appears black when viewed from afar). It poured with a finger and a half high dense beige head that gradually died down, leaving a thin layer of bubbles on the surface, a collar around the edge, and lots of lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of dark and nutty malts are present in the nose along with notes of dark fruits.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has a light amount of bitterness and bits of initial malty sweetness. Plums seem to stand out in particular among the flavors of dark fruits.
M: It feels medium-bodied, a little smooth and a bit creamy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This wouldn’t be a bad beer to sip on a cold day. It definitely lives up to being described as "a rugged brown ale" on the label.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 02:44:47 | More by metter98

micromaniac129

Pennsylvania

3.7/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

A pretty desent beer here in all catagories. It has a nice looking appearance with a brownish amber. The head is small though and there is no carbs. Aroma is nutty malts and biscuit malts though the nose doesn't jump out at you. Still not bad. Taste is all malts. Rich and sweet with a nuttiness too. In the aftertaste it sweetens up a bit. I don't notice much hops in the taste. It is semi dry and slightly bitter in the aftertaste.
All in all a good beer but not one I'd care to have again.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 14:29:35 | More by micromaniac129

Chico1985

Massachusetts

3.76/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Described on the label as a 'rugged brown ale'.

Poured to my Shed pint glass. Darkish brown with bright orange highlights, nice color. Beige head retains as a mostly-full thick cap with some lace left behind.

Nutty and roasty malts stick out most in the scent, with some light caramel and molasses backing. Some earthy and leafy hops.

Taste - nutty malts, roasty toasty malts, caramel, candied dark fruits, hints of cocoa, some dark bread and earthy hops - less hoppy than expected, nice malt profile. Some booze.

Malty and oily mouthfeel, medium carbonation, a little boozy.

Good, an interesting beer with some nice complexities, reminded me of a doppelbock kinda.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 12:15:30 | More by Chico1985

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.35/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25

Another of my local, in-person trader, tone77's latest drop-off.

From the bottle: "A deep Stowe, Vermont heritage, this small batch classic now makes its home in Middlebury, Vermont. Smooth, malty overtones with a pronounced hop finish."; "Born in Stowe, Vermont at the legendary Shed Restaurant & Brewery, moved to Midddlebury to to raise up a family of Vermont ales."; "Unfiltered, Brewed fresh since 1995, established in Stowe, Vermont, a rugged brown ale."

It is early, so I decided to go with a heavy-handed pour that ended up producing some cascading action in the glass. It also produced two-plus fingers of dense, foamy deep-tan head with good retention. Color was a deep-brown with burnt orange highlights and just a touch of haze in terms of clarity. Nose had an interesting mix of chocolate malt and minty, evergreen hops. It is Girl Scout cookie season and this made me think of Thin Mints. The lacing that had begun to form was wonderfully sticky. Mouthfeel was medium, approaching full and the chocolate malt was immediate on the tongue with the minty hops following as I breathed in. This was really good, much more than I was expecting and the finish really did have a Thin Mint cookie quality to it. I will be recommending this one to others.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 12:45:54 | More by woodychandler

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

3.71/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

Nice label.

Don't see enough brown ales out there. Not that I'd really be rushing out to get them anyways.

This is a pretty nice one. Decent body, flavor is bringing something, though it's slightly too tangy. Just a wee bit. Carbonation is a bit too high as well. Overall a pretty good brew. Glad to be able to try something from a new (to me) brewery. Will keep an eye out for more from them.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 04:56:20 | More by RblWthACoz

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.8/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a two finger khaki tan head that fades quickly leaving no lace. Brown hazy color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Light malty nose, flavor is sweet malty and nutty. Better than the usual brown. $1.80 for a 12oz bottle from Concord Coop Concord, NH.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2013 23:09:10 | More by jdhilt

Haydn-Juby

Quebec (Canada)

4.1/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from a 341ml bottle

A: Dark brown color with some ruby red tinges coming through in the light. One finger head that died rather quickly into a little ring. Moderate lacing.

S: Nutty perhaps toffee like smell. If you really search in the smell you can find the booze but its pretty undetectable.

T: Nutty flavors typical of a Northern English brown ale. Mild hop bitterness in the beginning of the sip but it finishes with nice toasty malts. Caramel and toffee are slightly evident but far less present then the nutty backbone of the beer. Alcohol is masked very well and is barely noticeable after the first couple sips.

M: Nice body to it. Not too thin and a nice feel going down.

O: Third time I've had this beer now. They were all given to me as gifts. Its a pretty good beer. Nothing that astounded me or made me want to go out and get some but the experience was enjoyable and memorable.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2013 23:44:04 | More by Haydn-Juby

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.69/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Served from my local bar as part of a beer incentive program with a pilsner style glass.

This beer was a very cloudy brown with a decent amount of foam. Off the top I pick up a decent amount of malt from this beer. The hopping was kind of light.

This is more like an English Brown, than an English Strong. The flavor was more muted than you would expect. The flavor on this one is deceptive compared to the ABV.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2013 21:33:16 | More by ummswimmin

JMScowcroft

Vermont

4.65/5  rDev +25.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

Shed - Mountain Ale - 12fl oz bottle

Look - Nice looking 6-pack, fresh marketing from Shed, was surprised to find this at the grocery store, although it is a local brew so it makes sense. Pours a dark brown sugar with a minimal head.

Smell - Malty and bitter, but appetizing.

Taste - An interesting bite, a tasty malt and cocoa attack, slight hop wave finish.

Mouthfeel - Smooth and casual, surprisingly tasty bite with a "throat bomb" at the end. So drinkable.

Overall - This brew is deceptively smooth for a 7.2%, it goes down with grace. Enjoyed wholeheartedly.

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 14:45:57 | More by JMScowcroft

ryan1788a5

Massachusetts

4.08/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

12oz bottle poured into a pint glass.

A: Mildly hazy, red-brown in color. A half inch of creamy tan head retains fairly well, but settles after a bit. Thin rings of lacing are left in its wake.

S: Bready, caramel, molasses, slight brown cocoa. Toffee. Wild berry esters. Very faint earthy hop backing.

T: Bread crust and cocoa. Nutty and a little yeasty. Cocoa and toasted crust. Berries. Oily hops on the mid palate. Toasted nuts and cocoa powder on the finish.

M: On the thicker side of medium bodied. Slight weighted presence in the mouth. Very creamy and very smooth. Moderately low carbonation. Very slight warming sensation.

O: Nice to see this brand brought back from the dead. This is a good beer. Rich, flavorful, and smooth. Highly drinkable despite its size. You would not know that this is 7.4% abv. A great fall beer, though I'm glad it's offered year round.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2013 19:22:04 | More by ryan1788a5

Ryanm1

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark copper color with moderate white lacing. Unfiltered as labeled on the bottle. Sweet in smell.Tastes slightly carmely. definite malt flavor, not coffee or chocolate but a lighter malt. Sweet with a touch a hoppy, piney bitterness at the finish.

This is great tasting beer. Very smooth. I pegged it for a standard "brown ale" as stated on the bottle, but later found it was classified as an English Strong Ale weighing in at 7.4% abv. You can barely taste the alcohol in this thing which is a great thing.

One of the better brown ales on the scene. Crafted with care to produce a palatable taste.

Serving type: bottle

01-08-2013 23:43:53 | More by Ryanm1

ithacabaron

California

4.05/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a nice deep walnut. Little or no head, which soon becomes a thin halo around the edges. No lacing evident.

Smell is subtle -- unsweetened chocolate, cherries (both the fruit and the stone), untoasted sesame, milk caramels. Although it's hidden well, what's there is nice.

Taste is complex and malty. Notes of raw pecans start, with allspice and brûléed sugar soon behind. Carefully implemented hops keep things dry, but never assert themselves beyond that. Skillful, mellow, and superb.

Mouthfeel is nice and full, if a bit too foamy. This is really a matter of taste; the carbonation could be taken down a touch, but then the sweetness might become too dominant and the balance of the beer would be lost.

Overall, a nicely done beer, and perfect for a night by the fire. These kinds of brown ales are rapidly being lost under the influences of more hop-forward examples, so it's nice to see the New England style come out to shine. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 01:29:45 | More by ithacabaron

MusicaleMike

Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Original beer recipe designed by Shaun Hill from Hill Farmstead.

Poured into my Tired Hands stemmed glass. Deep ruby brown color with finger worth of tan, frothy head. Head drops down to some bubbly lace. Attractive brown ale, but I have seen better.

The aroma is familiar, but hard to pin down where I've smelled this before. Notes of brown bread, herbal hops, cherry cordial (yum!) and candied ginger, with a mostly lightly sweet malty aroma dominating this beer. It's a robust aroma and certainly fits their designation of this beer as a "Rugged Brown Ale." It's not very hoppy, but it's not one-dimensional either. Good. I like this complex malt aroma.

Flavor is full of rich, delicious rich malt notes and only a balancing bitterness in the finish. This dark brown ale shows no flavor of chocolate or coffee or any other roasted flavor, but what we do get is sweet notes of plum pudding, dark fruits, and brown sugar.

Carbonation is spot on and it has a medium to heavy body. Not overly sharp or effervescent, and enough carbonation to lighten up this 7.4% alcohol beer.

I found this brown ale to have a very unique character in the flavor and aroma. I'm not completely blown away by this beer, but I would buy this beer again and certainly would recommend this over some (most) of the other duller brown ales out there. Better example of an American Brown Ale than most.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 03:44:34 | More by MusicaleMike

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a tumbler pint, the beer is a dark, vibrant, ruby-highlighted brown coloring that looks dark and deep. A thin, sparse, filmy coating on the surface of the beer is all you get for head. Aromas of rich toffee, molasses, and a touch of roasty qualities. Smells very heavy/big, but not overpowering on the nose. Flavors are much more roasted than the nose lets on, with the rich, dark, sweet flavors entering in after the forward punch of earth and roast. Malty profiles overall, with a touch of bitter coffee at the end to draw a bitter close to the palate. Roasty and blended aftertaste, with hints of the dark, earthy sweetness you just tasted, as well as the bitterness that brought everything to a close. Smooth and clean in mouth, with a slight effervescence at the end of the drink. Very easy to drink, with a rich, roasty finish that hangs on just long enough to bring you back for more.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2012 00:29:55 | More by GarthDanielson

BeerLover99

New Jersey

3.45/5  rDev -6.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: dark brown, copper shimmer, finger khaki head, ok lacing

S: very mild malt, toffee, nutty

T: nutty, caramel, toffee, biscuit malt, mild roasted finish

M: med body, mild bubbly mouth

O: Nice beer, would buy again. Great to see this new brewery
make a name for it's self.

PRETTY GOOD, GIVE IT A TRY!

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 21:34:07 | More by BeerLover99

horshack7

Massachusetts

4.23/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Dark brown in color with a dark beige head one inch high.

Aroma: Figs, dark fruits, molasses, brown bread, raisins, grape notes. Lots of malty sweetness.

Taste: Quite a malty sweetness in front. Raisins, dark fruits all through it. Very bready and chewy, molasses mild traces of brown sugar.

Notes: A very large malty backbone but still very smooth and drinkable. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 04:24:49 | More by horshack7

puboflyons

New Hampshire

4.08/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From the 12 fl. oz. bottle. sampled on November 29, 2012

The pour is a handsome looking mahogany brown with a soft, silky beige head and considerable carbonation rising up toward it.

The aroma is sweet and malty up front with a slight earthy hop note on the end. It is subtle yet noticeable and pleasant.

The body is medium to bold.

This is one of those beers that I really like because it moves through several sensations as I drink it. It begins sweet and slightly malty, coats the tongue in a creamy way, and then ends with a low to moderate bitterness which lingers and finishes dry. I had this on tap once in Vermont but the bottle is just as nice.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 23:42:12 | More by puboflyons

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.1/5  rDev -16.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz. bottle poured into a pint glass.

Appearance - Murky brown with no head to speak of. A few bubbles stray to the surface after a vigorous pour. Some lacing manages to stick around.

Smell - Cola with a nutty brown ale aroma. Nothing as deep as chocolate, but getting close.

Taste - Similar to the smell, without being as inviting. More pronounced cola flavor, with a little bit of astringency. Flavor drops off leaving just a little bit of caramel malt and not a lot else.

Mouthfeel - Low carbonation and nothing by way of a finish. Clean, though, and very drinkable. Stunned to see 7.4%.

Overall - Middle of the road in nearly every category. The nose held a faint promise, but nothing really delivered here.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 00:01:52 | More by Alieniloquium

greenengineer

Massachusetts

2.7/5  rDev -27%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle into my authentic UK pint glass.

A- medium brown, clear. Decent yeasty head disappears quickly.
S- faint malty aroma, old milk?
T- malt, cola, sweetness, little bitterness at the end
M - a little thin
O- drinkable, but not my favorite. A little flat, a little watery. Reminds me of a can of cola left open overnight.

Serving type: bottle

11-28-2012 02:22:27 | More by greenengineer

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a very dark brown color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is nutty, some hops. Taste is well balanced hops and malts, some nuts are present, very easy drinking. Feels medium bodied in the mouth and overall is a solid beer but unspectacular.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 03:04:50 | More by tone77

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.3/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep brown with reddish highlights when held to light and a huge fluffy off white head that persists forever. Smells of caramel and light chocolate with a hint of earthy hops. Not much of a nose on this one. The flavor follows the aroma quite well. Caramel, brown sugar, and a hint of chocolate with a touch of earth and mineral water. Medium to thin body with a moderate level of carbonation and a sweet slick and bubbly mouthfeel. Strong ale is a real stretch for this brew, but at 7.4% I never noticed the abv. This drinks more like a brown ale but even at that its really bland. Nice to try, but I doubt I'd pick it up again.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 23:48:29 | More by johnnnniee

VelvetExtract

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Surprised when I poured this out. A dark, hazy brown hue. Mild head. Head leaves only freckles of lacing.

S-Nose is all malt and enticing. Yeast and flat cola with Pumpernickel and molasses. Caramel and a hint of tree bark. The malt ticket is lengthy. Most of all, the specific dimensions of the aroma work well with their counterparts.

T-Caramel and Root Beer with that tree bark again. I think I enjoy the nose more. Powdered cocoa and dried fruit. Figs. A very submissive hop bitterness. Not much describable flavor frm the hops; more just a lingering subtle bitterness.

M-Now that I am focusing specifically on the feel, I can detect the bitterness more. This is decently bitter. It is also syrupy and a bit sticky. Soft bubbles. Mild booze. Decent drinkability.

O/D-A good 6-pack of "Strong Ale". Definitely a hybrid tht balances between styles. I enjoyed this single. Vermont to the rescue!

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2012 00:28:00 | More by VelvetExtract

SawDog505

New Hampshire

3.43/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a 13 oz tulip, bottled in early October. Pours a a dark brown, with a half inch of light tan head, that leaves some lace. Smell is biscuit, brown sugar, some carmel, and dark fruit. Taste is more aggressive with burnt brown sugar and roasted almonds leading the way. Body is medium large, plenty of carbonation, not dry, and drinkability is easy. This is a nice brew, not earth shattering. Nice price.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 04:06:34 | More by SawDog505