Brooklyn Brown Ale - Brooklyn Brewery

MistahBeah

Massachusetts

3.04/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Rich brown. Translucent. Bubbly. Not much head or retention though. Amber highlights

Aroma: Bready malts. Some chocolate. Toastiness

Taste: Subdued chocolate with some coffee bitterness. Water. Some breadiness. Not very complex. Tastes watered down

Mouthfeel: Slick coffee. Not much carbonation. Watery

Overall: Average. Maybe slightly above par. A nice medium bodied beer but not much else. Not a bad anytime beer but far from special

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2013 02:19:40 | More by MistahBeah

rhoadsrage

Illinois

4.13/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

(Served in an American pint glass)
A- This beer pours a dense brown body with a glowing garnet base and a sticky deep beige head that last and last with a some microbubbles gliding up the side of the glass.

S- The faint chocolate malt has some dark Munich malt notes and a dry toffee hint in the finish that grows a bit as it opens.

T- The nice soft well-blended chocolate malt with deep toasted malt and a hint of roasted malt lead to a nice tartness in the finish that stays pretty light.

M- The medium mouthfeel has a slight slippery texture and a gentle fizz note in the finish.

O- This is a tasty session beer with nice fresh flavors that are distinct but work really well together. Rich flavor but easier to drink that a stout. I would love to try this on cask as I thing it would really bring out the wonderful depth.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 19:32:45 | More by rhoadsrage

mactrail

California

3.79/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Golden brown in the glass. Rather nicely sudsy mouthfeel. Pleasant aroma of roasted malt. Lots of nutty, browned barley. Some dark burnt malt lurks in the background along with a reclusive bitter touch. Slightly sweet with a hint of tartness.

A hint of pecans and slightly buttery. Slight hoppiness in the aftertaste gives an interesting edge. Quite rich and lively, especially for a Brown Ale. Thoroughly quaffable. A 12-oz bottle from the mixed 12-pack bought in Lubbock, Texas.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 03:30:41 | More by mactrail

IrishKevin

Massachusetts

3.29/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Pored from bottle into tulip glass. One finger of head didn't last long.

smell: picked up some caramel, not much else.

Taste: nice thick mouthfeel, sugary malts and caramel flavors come through.
Finishes with DRY with a bit of hop bitterness.

Overall: I wanted to like this more, because I love Brooklyn Brewey, but it was just ok.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2013 21:43:32 | More by IrishKevin

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.75/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

355ml Bottle from Peckham's, Glasgow (£2.17):
Chestnut brown, a half centimetre bubbly, tan head that holds well. Minor lacing on the sides.

Hoppy at the start but the anticipated, earthy malts aroma wasn't far behind. There is some caramel and a sweet smelling, brown sugar like aroma that follows this, along with some toasted malts. The smell is quite a rich one and there is evidence of some chocolate towards the end.

Some sweetness and a good helping of malts coming through along with some earthy, toasted flavours and a hint of hops. There is some coffee here as well though and some of the chocolate from the nose too.

Medium bodied and quite well carbonated with a rich, creamy mouthfeel that is very smooth and goes down well.

Went down very easily and I would say that, along with mouthfeel were the beers biggest selling points. A beautiful, creamy and well carbonated feel with some hint earthy caramel and toasted malts coming through in both the taste and smell.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 09:49:06 | More by flyingpig

SouljaSaia17

Massachusetts

4.86/5  rDev +32.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

A: This beer pours a very deep and dark amber/ mahogany color with a thin but really creamy, off white film that just blankets the top. Very nice looking beer!

S: Aroma is of roasted malt and barley with signatures of coffee and vanilla. There is a small presence of hops at the end.

T: I get an initial coffee flavor that is followed by vanilla and oak. Roasted malts come through in the middle of the tongue, finishes with dry hops and yeast.

M: Initial pour had lots of carbonation but settles down as the beer warms. Rich, creamy and smooth ultimately defines this dark bodied beer.

O: This Brown ale is a lot darker and thicker than most other brown ales I have had. The creamy and smooth texture combined with the balance of flavor really makes this a complete Brown Ale. I got this in a mix-a-six, but would by a 6 pack all by its self. One of the best Brown Ales I have had thus far!

Serving type: bottle

04-23-2013 03:15:20 | More by SouljaSaia17

thierrynantes

France

4/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Beer bottle (33 cl.) purchased from Chez Clem, and tasted in 2013.

Appearance : deep brown color, with tan foamy head.
Smell : roasted malt aromas.
Taste & mouthfeel : malty, caramel and coffee flavors, with a slight bitter aftertaste.
Drinkability : a good beer in the American Brown Ale style.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 19:09:08 | More by thierrynantes

doktorhops

Australia

3.23/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Quite impressed with the Brooklyn India Pale Ale and it's remarkable restraint for an American IPA. So it was with much enthusiasm that I purchased the Brown Ale for review, cursing the tariffs that make Aussie imported beer drinkers pay prices that would make American drinkers have coronaries, along the way.

Poured from a 355ml bottle into a nonic pint.

A: Deep, but clear, topsoil coloured body with a 0.5cm khaki head. Very much a brown ale in a literal sense.

S: A nice hit of toffee malt comes to fore, with some sugar plum sweetness in the middle and an earthy hop note to finish. It certainly makes for a salivating aroma.

T: Flavour is dry, drier than the Sahara. There is a toasted malt base with a minimal dark fruit sugar centre, nuttiness towards the end, and a long dry finish. It's a bit one dimensional in that respect actually.

M: Mid to light body with medium carbonation.

D: Maybe I've missed something but I believe there could definitely be more flavours at play with this brew and I can't help but feel that Brooklyn (yes, the entire borough) has understated this beer overall by not bringing out more sweetness and hop bitterness, at least have two flavours wresting for control of my taste buds dammit. If you want a damn dry brew then this is your man... or woman (if we're assigning genders to beers let's be PC about it).

Food match: Dry turkey would be a mistake, apart from that though anything is fair game(meat).

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 09:22:52 | More by doktorhops

tviz33

New York

3.78/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

12 oz bottle poured in to a tulip.

A- Pours a dark brown body with almost two fingers of frothy light tan head.

S- Initially, it's quite hoppy, but after a few more whiffs I notice some molasses and roasted nuts.

T- The taste follows the nose quite consistently. There's a lot going on here with caramel, nuttiness, just a little chocolate, and of course a nice hop presence. The only thing off about this is a subtle sourness. It gets better as it warms.

M- The mouthfeel is crisp and refreshing, yet creamy. Makes it very sessionable.

O- Nothing out of the ordinary, but pretty tasty. I could definitely session this.

Serving type: bottle

04-15-2013 01:07:09 | More by tviz33

gr0g

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is, well, brown of course, with good clarity. A two-finger head with pretty good retention, some spotty lacing. Straightforward aroma that features caramel and toffee. Bright floral character from the American hops used.

Caramel malt dominates on the palate too, then hops pick up and linger for a bit up til the dry, bitter finish. Slight undertone of coffee. Mouthfeel is slick and nicely carbonated, though the bubbles are a bit harsh.

Brooklyn Brown (bottled) is a solid brown ale that never "wows" you, but it's a good representation of an American brown available in a sixer at a good price. It's likely that this is even better in draft form as opposed to the contract-brewed bottled version, as I've found that this has been the case with other Brooklyn Brewery offerings.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 02:38:08 | More by gr0g

fx20736

New York

3.94/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75

poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, served at cellar temp.

beautiful chestnut brown with a thick khaki head, perfunctory lacing.

aroma: rich, nutty toasted malt with just a hint of roast, some chocolate with some alcohol esters.

mouthfeel: very good, if just short of great, soft and silky.

taste: malty but not sweet with substantial coffee flavor.

notes: decent but not very exciting. a little sweetness would have helped this beer a lot.

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2013 23:57:46 | More by fx20736

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.89/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Dark brown body with some chestnut highlights towards the bottom of the glass. Big foamy tan head that leaves some lacing around the edges of the glass.

S- Roasted malt, faint hazelnut aroma, some earthy hops, caramel.

T- The malts are up front, but the big surprise is the amount of hops that come through. Big bitter notes with some pine from the middle to the end.

M- Medium bodied, medium carbonation, crisp and drinkable.

O- Solid brown ale. A good choice if you are looking for a hoppy brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 00:21:24 | More by stephenjmoore

Jetulio

Spain

4.14/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

355 ml bottle poured into a Pint glass
Appearance... brown dark beer with head colour beige of 1 fingers
Aroma... coffee, chocolate, hops. Fresh and not too strong smell with a big touch of malty aroma
Taste... chocolate and nuts, sweetness appears soon lasting all the time but in a good balance with a bitter touch,
Mouthfeel... medium/strong body and medium/soft carbonation
Overall... a very nice ale, bitterness is present in a light style with a predominance of malty taste, refreshing beer too.

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 20:30:22 | More by Jetulio

phiberoptik

Ohio

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

Pours a root beer brown, deep color with hints of light coming through. Frothy, three fingered head that hangs around a while. 3-4 sips in and the lacing remains.

Malty, earthy aromas. Toffee, hazelnut, faint hops, vague coffee aromas, and brown sugar.

Smooth flavors. Sweet but with lots of roasted notes of grain, nuts, and coffee. Remnants of some hop flavor across the middle with little to no bitterness in the finish.

Slick, mouth coating, great carbonation. Frothy in the mouth.

Very easy to drink and one that could be enjoyed in multiples. Nothing about this screams amazing, but nothing screams red flag either. A good example of an approachable, enjoyable brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 02:39:18 | More by phiberoptik

ryandelaney

Indiana

2.95/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

I usually love a good brown ale. I like most of what BBC puts out, but their brown ale left me a poor taste in my mouth. It poured very well. Good dark brown to dark amber color. The nose was of good aroma. It smelled like a brown ale should. Good malt qualities, but the mouthfeel was not there at all. Now I tried it from a bottle served in a pint glass so I will would try it again off a tap (if I could find it in indiana), but until then I would not suggest this for a bottle purchase. Get it on tap otherwise go with something else.

Serving type: bottle

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

leaddog

Alberta (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Appearance- Pours a dark chestnut brown with two fingers of frothy cream head.

Smell- caramalts, nuttiness, vanilla, slight leafy hops

Taste- Starts off with the roasted malts, grains, and slight nuttiness. Not as sweet as the aroma suggests. Finishes with a light bitterness.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.

Overall- A tasty American Brown Ale from Brooklyn. I liked that it wasn't nut or caramel heavy as other American Brown Ales can be. It could use a tad more sweetness but otherwise the flavours are pretty well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2013 04:25:42 | More by leaddog

justintcoons

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a tulip pint glass.
Best by June 2012 (6 months out of date) :(

Appearance
Mahogany with red highlights. Has 2 fingers of off-white head that dissipates slowly leaving behind some nice lacing. Excellent clarity with low carbonation.

Nose
Light nutty aromas. Some caramel, brown sugar and hazel nut.

Taste
Extremely light on flavor. Light nuttiness, some caramel and brown sugar. There does seem to be a hint of hazel nut and even some peanut butter.

Mouthfeel
Medium bodied, crisp, clean and slightly creamy.

Overall
Brooklyn really needs to amp up this offering or just discontinue it altogether. They could probably market it as an English Dark Mild and have better results.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 01:11:41 | More by justintcoons

ColdWaffles

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a standard pint.

I've always been a pretty big fan of this beer as something to just kind of kick back and enjoy a single serving with a nice meal. Take that as you will.

Appearance: Deep, dark brown ale with a creamy, tannish head. The head will lace the glass, and a small amount of it sticks around for most of a bottle.

Smell: Malty smell. You may pick up a toffee-esque smell too. Not particularly strong. Smells kinda how it tastes, if that makes sense. Which leads us to...

Taste: This is a malty, toasty, nutty beer. It doesn't taste like coffee, but it would be a solid replacement for a cup of coffee with a meal. It's not a very strong beer, and its flavors are a little more subtle. For what its trying to do, it is fantastic.

Mouthfeel: Hits it on the head here too. Creamy, not too heavy and with a reasonable amount of carbonation that helps make this a really easy drinker.

This is probably the least offensive beer one could imagine, and there is absolutely no problem with that. Not for people looking to be adventurous, but a solid, enjoyable beer. Since I'm writing this around Christmas time, I can't help but recommend it in holiday settings.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2012 21:21:10 | More by ColdWaffles

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, best before March 2013. Pours crystal clear reddish brown color with a nice 1-2 finger dense khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty foamy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of chocolate, caramel, biscuit, toasted malt, roast, light coffee, toffee, herbal, and light dark fruits. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity. Taste of chocolate, caramel, biscuit, toasted malt, nuttiness, toffee, roast, light coffee, and light herbal spiciness. Slight herbal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of chocolate, caramel, biscuit, toffee, toast, nuttiness, and light herbal on the finish for a bit. Very nice flavor balance, complexity, and robustness; zero cloying flavors after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a very creamy and lightly slick mouthfeel that is very nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with pretty much zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very nice brown ale! Nicely robust and full of balanced flavors; and very smooth to drink. Really enjoyed this one.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 06:10:52 | More by superspak

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

a good beer, but thats about it, servicable but nothing stand out. the pour is a clear copper to bronze color with a short white head. the nose is plenty of european malts, caramel, pale, and something a little darker. not much hops, but a little sweetness and some earthy tones. flavor is quite good, very wintery, with the sweet form the malt taking center stage in front of a mild english hop backing. not sure what the alcohol is, but i can taste it a little, especially in the finish. still a drinkable brew though, with great carbonation and only just a medium body. i think i like this because its a bock without all the sugar, and not as heavy as some of the spring bocks, its perfect for the season. not the star of the winter 12er, but a beer i will happily consume again.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 23:36:33 | More by StonedTrippin

Guden

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Medium brown with a small off-white head that fades leaving no lacing.

S- Semi-sweet chocolate smell dominates with some caramel/toffee and bit of fresh baked cookies.

T- Again the semi-sweet chocolate character comes through up front with a crsip biscuit and cookie middle and a finish of bitter hops and chocolate.

M- Nice medium body with a medium high carbonation that makes it feel pleasantly foamy and not harsh.

O- A really good beer. I've had mixed feelings on the Brooklyn beers I've had in the past but this one is quite tasty. Very chocolaty in character, almost to the extent of Young's Chocolate Stout.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 21:17:48 | More by Guden

SerendipitousTaster

1.98/5  rDev -45.9%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

I am new to this forum and wish that I could post reviews privately as it is not my intention to influence or inform others but to remind myself. I am not a beer tasting expert and do not know the proper etiquette or vocabulary.

This said, I found the Brooklyn Brown Ale to be pretty in the glass when poured. The color is rich and the head sturdy. I was disappointed though by the thinner than expected and less full bodied flavor overwhelmed by what seemed to be too much carbonation for this brown ale. The ale left only a slight bitter aftertaste on the palate but a less than satisfying overall taste and experience.

I will not purchase in quantity but would drink if offered or even order as the first beer in a steak or barbeque restaurant if better options are not available.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 23:21:30 | More by SerendipitousTaster

tobelerone

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Nice looking chestnut brown brew with good clarity, a big fluffy white head that has solid retention. Bubbles look a bit soapy; lacing is patchy,clinging to the sides of the glass here and there. Mildly toasty aroma with hints of nuts, cocoa powder, and coffee.

Flavor has a nutty, toasty malt character with coffee and cocoa notes and a very restrained hop presence. Dry finish without much bitterness. The flavors are fairly subtle and don't have much staying power in the palate, but they are pleasant enough.

Medium to slightly light body for a brown with carbonation I found to be a bit overly assertive.

This is a beer with some appealing flavors but for my money could use the volume turned up a bit and the carbonation dialed back. A smoother, creamier mouthfeel would aid this one greatly.

Serving type: bottle

10-22-2012 11:20:39 | More by tobelerone

BEERMILER12

Maine

3.98/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

BB FEB 2013

A: Pours a mahogany/ruby red color with 2 fingers worth of tan head

S: Some light roasted malts along with coffee and nuts are at the forefront, with some notes of fruit and chocolate as well

T: Follows the nose. Decently roasty. Fruits are more up front, along with the nuts and coffee. Chocolate is more towards the back again. Hops come through towards the back with the chocolate

M: Medium-full bodied with moderate carbonation

O: A really nice brown ale with complexity and full flavor. Easy to drink and very accessible. Nicely done

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2012 18:12:03 | More by BEERMILER12

dougbassett

Pennsylvania

3.13/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Very odd beer from a usually reliable brewery. I think it looks fantastic, just like a brown ale should -- a very dark mahogany brown with a creamy head that lingers. Unfortunately the nose is just routine: some cherries, some chocolate reminiscent of very rich sweet milk chocolate, a whisper of hops. The flavors are even more restrained than the nose -- chocolate malt and some hops, mainly, with a very light cherry finish. This beer is interesting in that I think the problem lies in a criteria I usually blow past when I do one of these things -- the mouthfeel. I think the beer is so disappointingly light because I think the mouthfeel is too light, like most brown ales it does better with a heavier mouthfeel (to support the stronger flavors). Not Brooklyn's best.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 17:24:44 | More by dougbassett