Ellie's Brown Ale - Avery Brewing Company

AtLagerHeads

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Oh, my, my, my. Great label, but I sure wasn't expecting something this good. What a look! Pours dark, dark mahogany with a nice tan head that lasts very well and leaves huge bubbly lace deposits. The nose is malty, perhaps a bit caramelly, and fairly average in volume. The taste is unique. Now I'm going to be honest here so don't be cruel - my first impression was of raw Idaho potatos. This abated quickly and moved on to something more recognizable as beer, mainly roasted malt wholesomeness and nice balanced bitterness. Very nice. Bit of a flat, watery mouthfeel, but this seems nicely drinkable. Hello, Ellie Brown, you dog you!

Final note: as this beer warmed to near room temperature it definitely began to taste like a mild porter and the nose strengthened significantly. Very nice indeed.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2003 16:47:38 | More by AtLagerHeads

BeerAngel

Texas

4.35/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer pours a beautiful clear brown with deep reddish-orange highlights with a massive fluffy vanilla colored head. The aroma consists of a roasted malt and a slightly earthy grain. Might I add the massive head is hanging in there nicely. The taste is a nice buttery on the nose fading into lightly roasted malts with just the right amount of hops to balance this brew. It has a light to medium body and finishes with a light bitter and slightly sweet end. Very solid beer! Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2003 19:28:30 | More by BeerAngel

Mitchster

Michigan

3.8/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Clear, dark-amber to mahogany in color with an adequate, yet quickly thinning beige head atop medium-sized bubbles. Carbonation is moderate, and leaves nice sheets of lace. Mouthfeel is initially brisk but is very smooth in the finish. Body is medium-thin. Aroma has a pleasant gentle maltiness, moderate fruity hops, chestnuts, and a clean ferment profile. Taste begins with earthy truck-stop coffee, then merges flawlessly into juicy, fruity hops (Bullion, Cascade, & Fuggles) followed by a delicious grainy note with roasted accents. The finish is very smooth with a nutty sweetness perfectly balanced by mild bittering hops. Fusels are absent, diacetyl and caramel are minimal. The water used adds a great mouthfeel and contributes to the smooth, roasted grain character. The roasted character is somewhere between a brown ale and a porter...a brown with a little more oomph. The flavor hops may be a little too much for some, and probably a little out of style. Not being a big fan of brown ales, I found this to be quite enjoyable.

ABV 5.5% per the website.

Serving type: bottle

03-05-2003 15:52:13 | More by Mitchster

Gusler

Arizona

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

The pour a translucent sanguineous color, the head mastodonic in size, frothy in its texture, and the color a light tan and as it dissipates it leaves behind a glutinous sheet of covering lace. Nose has light floral hints, but the malt wins the day, sweet, clean and fresh a real treat to the senses. Ambrosial start, lots of malt, the top skimpy in feel with the finish having a delightful hop spicy bite, the carbonation moderate and the aftertaste droughty and long lasting. As I sample more of Avery’s beers I become a bigger fan than the last time, and a must try brewery for the serious beer “Geek”, or if you just like good beer!

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2003 16:58:10 | More by Gusler

Morris729

Texas

4/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark brownish color with a thick and foamy tan colored head that fades into a bubbly and sticky lace. Nose is sweet roasted malts, milk chocolate, caramel, and some floral notes. Very smooth and creamy mouth feel. Taste is sweet caramel, earthy malts, and a bit of a toasty nuttiness. Just a faint touch of hop bitterness in the end with an off-dry finish. Brown ales aren’t my favorite, but if you’re a fan of the style, then this is a must-try.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2003 21:52:30 | More by Morris729

aaronh

Pennsylvania

4.3/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I had to pour this one in two increments to contain the head. This cloudy brown ale pours with a voluminois light tan head. It very slowly fades to a rocky layer of foam that you must suck the beer through. It leaves about a quarter-inch collar of foam at the top of the glass. For those of us with mustaches, the head wants to collect on the upper lip. The aroma is sweet caramel and a hint of chocolate, with just a touch of hops showing through. The taste is mild and sweet. Chocolate covered caramel and some nice maltiness, followed by a touch of bitterness. A very light sourness creeps in on the finish, but it cleans up the palate very well and prevents the sweetness from hanging around. The mouthfeel is slightly overcarbonated and a tad thin. Drinkability is excellent. If they could just create a little more body for this beer, it would be a real gem. As it is, it is very enjoyable, and I will not hesitate to buy some more if I see it again.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2003 14:45:15 | More by aaronh

putnam

Michigan

3.58/5  rDev -8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Looks fine.
Smells like molasses and caramel and alcohol.
More of the same on the palate, but distinctly watery on the finish. Like sweetened, iced black coffee that has been melting for a while. There are some spiced toffee and gluehwein flavors with notes of steamed palm leaves appearing on the finish.
Lacking in texture.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2002 05:33:42 | More by putnam

RBorsato

Virginia

5/5  rDev +27.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The best of my 5 American Brown Ale tasting ! Unreal - a great experience from start to finish !

Med-dark Brown with a light brown head. Big-time chocolate malt aroma and taste with a nice touch of nutiness. Medium bodied (leaning towards the fuller side) with a rich and roasty finish.

Could not find one bad thing to say about this beer and think of it along the lines of a Robust Porter.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2002 09:18:15 | More by RBorsato

Pegasus

Texas

4.03/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a spectacular mahogony brown with a huge tan head that a pint glass can hardly contain, lots of lace. Rich aroma of toasted malt, nuts, and bitter chocolate. Taste is quite complex for a brown ale, begins with sweet toasted malts, which yield to earthy flavors, bitter chocolate, coffee, and hops with a slight sweetness at the end and a dry finish. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. A truly superb example of this style.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2002 19:14:17 | More by Pegasus

BKotch

Texas

3.13/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

My second experience with a sixer of an Avery product. After reading the other two reviews and the BA review, I've gotta wonder if I'm drinking the same beer. My first bottle was way too heavily hopped for the style. The beer looked good with a good brown color and small tan head. Fairly light mouthfeel that's just about right for an American brown ale, but the smell and taste -- hops galore! Almost as much as their IPA, my first experience with Avery (and one which rated far better). Don't get me wrong -- I like this beer, but I have a hard time calling it a good example of a brown ale. Maybe I just got a bad batch . . .

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2002 11:53:46 | More by BKotch

Murph

Arizona

4.25/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark amber/ruby color with a creamy off white head. Roasted malt, slightly wooody/smoky, slight chocolate in the nose. Some sweet darker and roasted malts are present with a nice balancing hop flavor as well. Faint chocolate on the tongue. Smooth and creamy mouthfeel and very drinkable. I am really starting to come around on brown ales. This is a real nice one.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2002 09:44:33 | More by Murph

Todd

Massachusetts

4.1/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Presentation: 12oz brown bottle. No bottled on date. There's a dog on the label, and a little note about it. What is with the whole micro brown ale/dog thing?

Appearance: Pours a grand beer with a massive off-white/tan head that stick and retains very well. Beer colour is deep brown/chocolate with mahogony stain edges.

Smell: Aroma = absolutely wonderful. Perfumy, floral, malty, toasty, bicuity with freshly milled grain powder aromas and loads of caramel flavours that force the anticipation of a rather sweet brew.

Taste: Silky smooth mouthfeel with a medium body. Malt flavours are very even. Caramel, earth, a bit nutty, touch of roasted, toasted and biscuit followed by a near sugary sweetness, but not too sweet. Hop flavours are perceived, but not dominant ... providing balance and thin bitterness that seems to team up with the touch of roasted malt. Hint (hint) of raisin that mingles with the hops. Finish goes a tad dry with some grain notes.

Notes: A very tasty and well-executed American brown ale. If you're a brown ale fan, this is a must. Malty, balanced, tamed hop character and a wonderful aroma.

Many thanks to Arctic Liquors for the sample.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2002 22:20:31 | More by Todd