Brawler Pugilist Style Ale - Yards Brewing Co.

facundoCNB

New Jersey

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

A - a nice clear amber pour with a good amount of head

S - got a fruit whiff of cherries, grapes and pear, smells like a light barley wine, cinammon, and other spices i can't put a thumb on

T - a little smokey, taste of rye, malty sweet, a hint of chocolate. not getting any of the tastes of fruits in the aroma.. kind of weird but still delicious

M - creamy but watery like a cheap stout (guiness haha) makes it nice and easy to go down, a rich creamy fizzy head finds its way down your throat and makes it all that much more pleasant to drink!

O - this is a pretty awesome beer from a very awesome brewery. really hoping to get to do the bbq cook off there again this summer! hopefully i'll go in with more knowledge of their brews and get to taste this stuff on tap!

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2012 00:04:55 | More by facundoCNB

eeverwine

3.9/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This review goes out to all the people who have never properly experienced a Brawler. This beer is a gem, and I will tell you why.

First things first, this is a session beer. It isn't meant to get you wasted.

This is a very important quality in a micro, because for the most part you get "extreme" brewers (a term I find offensive but which most seem to adhere to), and you're generally stuck with beers that are over 5% ABV. Brawler is 4.2% and we're lucky to have such a flavorful beer that clocks in so low. I know there are several others out there and blah blah blah Stone Levitation blah blah blah. Brawler is made to showcase the malt character that is so lacking in American beers, and does so in a subtle and beautiful manner. It's a beer that allows you to sit back and take punch after punch without sacrificing your sophisticated palate.

BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER. Hopheads, please stop hating on this beer. I get it, you like more hops. I love a variety of different hops in a ton of different beers, but this is NOT A HOPPY BEER. So if you're going to discard it because it lacks in the Cascade department, well, please drink something else. Don't rate it super low because it's not for you.

Now for the ASTMO review.

A:
It pours a bright (bright means crystal clear for you novices), deep ruby. I can't say much more about how pretty the glass I have sitting in front of me is. I'm halfway through, and because I washed this glass myself I have significant lacing. Brawler doesn't do much by way of head retention, but that ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT be a factor in reviewing this beer. It is crafted in the style of the real ales of old, and I challenge you, oh beer advocate, to find many malty old English mild browns that impart serious heads. Nonetheless I'm lacing like crazy. The beer is so bright I could read through this glass if I so chose, and not only that, the color is reminiscent of certain slippers that if I click three times will take me back home. No need for a cab. Actually if you drink Brawler all night you probably won't need a cab anyway.

S:
When I dip my nose in to a Brawler I get Biscuit type malts, maybe Victory, a nutty/bready character. It isn't intensely aromatic, because there isn't much of a hop character. It's a MALT FORWARD beer folks. Ultimately very pleasant though.

T:
The Brawler, taste-wise, imparts the same nut/bread/biscuit character from the aroma profile. It is balanced by a very small amount of English noble hops, which are earthy and maybe a bit woody. For a malt forward beer, thankfully, the Brawler doesn't impart any bitterness from protein tannins, which can taste like cardboard at their most subtle, and like chlorine at their most intense. There isn't any seriously perceivable sweetness to it, it's just all malt. There are slight roasted bits that come through in the middle, but for the most part you can expect intense biscuit flavors.

M:
This beer ebbs just light of creaminess. It isn't very carbonated, but it does have a lightness to it that passes very freely from tongue to throat to belly. I gave the mouthfeel that extra .5 only because on the back of my tongue, right before the aftertaste it finally gives up what most people (including non craft beer fans re:millerlite) are looking for, that carbonated alcohol feeling.

O:
Overall this is one of my favorite six pack purchases. You can drink all six and feel just fine and dandy. It's an excellent primer for craft beer palate development, especially for people who aren't quite ready for serious brown ales, porters and stouts. It breaks down the barrier between light (re:massproduced) american lagers, and more complex craft beer offerings. When you start to allow your taste buds to wrap themselves around the malt character of this beer, you will start to notice that when you drink darker and heavier beers that you can pick out the roasted, biscuit, and pale malt flavors much more readily. Top 10 for me, and especially because you can buy and kill a case with two friends and still have enough of your wits about you to beat their asses at texas hold'em.

So gorgeous in my glass, and only 1/4 left. Sigh.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2012 09:23:14 | More by eeverwine

57md

Pennsylvania

2.85/5  rDev -22.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Pours brown with a dark orange hue. There is less than a finger of head and there is no retention. The nose is a bit tangy and sour. There is some light malty sweetness upfront, but the flavor is thin throughout. There is a dry aftertaste that is also sort of sour, but frankly hard to place exactly. Let's just say that it is not very pleasant.

If you are looking for a low-alcohol craft beer, this ain't it. Try Stone Levitation, as it is far superior.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 21:03:52 | More by 57md

Jayli

Massachusetts

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

Consumed 12/31 at Philly Intl Airport
Poured in to a pint glass

A: This beer pours a deep copper color with some reddish hues to it. A one finger of off white, khaki head that recedes quickly. Minimal lacing left on the glass.

S: Nose is big caramel malts, roast and toast notes, and a hint of nuttiness.

T: Taste starts with a predominant sweet caramel malt flavoring. Bready, yeast notes come through and fill out the middle. Finish has a nutty, toasty note and the sweet caramel and candied notes come in.

M: Lighter bodied, medium carbonation, light and crisp feel.

O: Goes down ok, somewhat tasty, not filling, not much of a kick, ok representation of style. Not a beer that I would seek out, however a decent beer to sit with for a while.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2012 14:33:21 | More by Jayli

ummswimmin

New Jersey

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

I picked up this bottle to work on reviewing every style on BA. I normally don't go toward any style with "mild" in the name due to coming up in the Stone legacy. But, this was a pretty good mild beer.

I used a pint glass for the Brawler. The beer is dark brown with a light head.

It smells like a clean english ale. There is even a decent amount f malt.

The flavor has more of the malt and some pretty decent nuttiness.

The Brawler is nice & light; very easy to drink.

I would say that this is a good example of a sessionable beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-15-2012 01:42:07 | More by ummswimmin

mynie

Indiana

3.43/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I really wish brewers would put the actual style of their beer somewhere on the bottle, instead of trying to be cute.

Aside from that, this is totally solid. A little bland, maybe, but that's kinda intentional.

Nice, deep brown pour. Smells of biscuits, caramel, and fruit esters. Tastes exactly the same, but you get a tiny hit of British hops near the end. The hops combine with an earthy finish to make the beer quite well balanced.

This is a very well brewed example of a style I never much cared for, which makes it sort of hard to review. On the one hand, it's bland. On the other hand, that blandess is not only intentional but expertly crafted.

Serving type: bottle

01-14-2012 20:08:37 | More by mynie

microbrewlover

Pennsylvania

3.15/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This brew pours with a copper color and a large head which takes several minuets to dissapate. Lacing remains in the glass even when the beer is gone.

This beer hits the nose with what can best be described as a very fruity smell however I can not determine which fruits are in there; (apples and pears, maybe)?

The brew tastes very fruity with a hint of bitterness. There is also a malt taste. It goes down smoothly with a hint of bitterness in the aftertaste and a tiny bit of alchohol.

All in all a good beer for a late spring or summer night. A little too fruity for winter.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2012 22:36:30 | More by microbrewlover

JohnFatAss

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I really like this beer.

Pretty to look at, good flavor, easy to drink, and a fairly low ABV.

It has a nice roasted malt flavor that is not too over powering with low bitterness.

This beer will go great with most meals, or you can easily pound down a few while watching the game.

This one will find a regular spot in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2012 02:20:55 | More by JohnFatAss

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

P- Barley's hop stop

A- a dark bronze color with red hihglites. A decent lacing with minimal head that disspiates rather quickly.

S- toasted malts and raisin/fig tones.

T- the figs/raisin really comes out in the taste. more caramel malts as well.

M- a carbonated prune juice type of feel. Medium bodied which isnt too surprising.

O- not a bad brew. The smell was a lil hard to figure out at first. The flavor was light but the mouthfeel was decent.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2011 00:08:39 | More by Dodo2step

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a brown 12 oz. bottle. Has a bronze color with a 1 inch head. Smell is of malts, some nuts. Taste is malts up front, some breadiness, very lightly hopped, a bit on the mild side. Feels light in the mouth and overall is a pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-26-2011 04:51:05 | More by tone77

CowsCanBark

Pennsylvania

4.43/5  rDev +21%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into pint glass.

Appearance: Pours a clear cherry-brown with a one-finger tan head. Nice lacing left on the glass as I drink.

Smell: Very malty, toasty, with a nice spicy smell.

Taste: Nice sweet malts, very roasty tasting, almost a coffee flavor. A tiny bit of bitterness in the finish, as well as a taste that kind of reminds me of prunes, which is a good thing.

Mouthfeel: Creamy and medium bodied, light carbonation. Not crisp but certainly refreshing and certainly not a sipper!

Overall: Probably one of my favorite's from Yards, roasty and delicious.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2011 03:23:38 | More by CowsCanBark

BeerLover99

New Jersey

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

A: copper/amber shiny,

S: nutty, caramel, malt, mild fig/raisin, earthy

T: nutty, caramel, malt, dry raisin/fig crisp finish

M: light body, dry crisp

O: Never tried this style before,
but I really like it. Very nice
session style. Great gateway
brew.

VERY GOOD, WORTH TRYING!

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2011 22:17:47 | More by BeerLover99

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.22/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

medium brown color, with a small tannish head that fades quickly and leaves a light, dark tea color in the glass.

aroma is as earthy as it can get. deep malty nose, hints of leather, oak, nice touches of roasty malts and earthy grains. really just wonderfully balanced and smooth, nothing heavy here at all and this carries over perfectly into the flavor which was nothing short of stellar. smooth, creamy and tea like flavors dominate with hints of oak, earthy and muted hops and a deep resonated earthy grain

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 23:42:20 | More by mikesgroove

output01x

Ohio

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. capped bottle (No Date) into a pint glass.

A moderate pour yields a 1/2-finger off-white head that fades within a minute to a nearly nonexistant dusting and thin foam ring. The body is a perfectly clear reddish copper brown with very few carbonation bubbles.

The sugary sweet caramelized malts give off notes of baked bread, buttery rolls, and toffee. The nose also has an earthy, spicy quality. It isn't the most aromatic, but it certainly is enjoyable.

Dark, sweet, yet gentle malts have notes of caramel, toffee, and iced tea. As the beer is swallowed, the peppery, earthy qualities come out. Like the nose, the flavors are not the most powerful, but subtle and just right.

Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation, this is one sessionable beer at only 4.2%. The body is just full enough to allow the flavors to come out without losing drinkability or becoming syrupy. The carbonation is not overly noticeable, which is good as too much carbonation would certainly detract from the subtle flavors.

Serving type: bottle

11-14-2011 04:14:42 | More by output01x

WorldWideStout

Maryland

3.95/5  rDev +7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Recently, I have been getting tired of tasting alcohol in my beers. I am a maltmaven, so going to hopbombs wasn't going to work. When I saw the description of this at a Total Wine, it sounded like it might be just what I was looking for.

A: Nice copper body with an ample, three-finger dirty white head that dissipates after two or three minutes, not leaving much lacing.

S: Light biscuit notes, a touch of dark fruit.

T: The same, but I get a bit of the yeast used as well, which compliments the other flavors. Not particularly sweet or bitter, and not much of an aftertaste.

M: Light but creamy.

O: I don't know this style too well, as I generally gravitate to beers that kick you in the face with flavor, but I enjoyed this brew. Had plenty of flavor, nothing offensive, and I could definitely have three or four in a night. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2011 02:48:15 | More by WorldWideStout

tigg924

Massachusetts

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

Appearance: 3/4 inch head, dark brown in color, clear, high carbonation

Smell: meadow, bark, and caramel malt—a very outdoorsy smell

Taste: pale malt, toffee, meadow, and a small touch of tea and chocolate

Mouthfeel: high carbonation, sweet start with a light bitter end/aftertaste, light bodied

Overall: A wonderful, sessionable beer that is very English in character. Nice and malty but the hops do just enough to balance this one out. I will look for this one again when I am in the Philly area.

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2011 16:25:24 | More by tigg924

klkatz

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

smell is not impressive.... lager like... corn smell.

appearance is a lot clearer than the feel... it feels heavy almost syrupy like an american lager - feels thick... looks thin... good brownish, almost red color...

the taste is good... malty... sweet...

sits well in your mouth.. tasty enough to go few rounds.... thus the name.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 23:54:30 | More by klkatz

jdhilt

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev -3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a two finger off-white head that fades quickly to a thin layer leaving some lace. Nice deep amber color. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied. Sweet grass nose and flavor is same plus some sweet malt. $7.00 for a 12oz bottle at Sheraton Society Hill Hotel Philadelphia, PA.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 22:13:54 | More by jdhilt

BigMike

Pennsylvania

2.5/5  rDev -31.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Looks like watered down iced tea. A thin off white colored head tops it off. Half a finger that is gone quickly. Not much lace.

S: Some caramel and lightly roasted maltiness. Also a weird spice/metallic/sour aroma too.

T: The taste starts off with a light caramel flavor and goes down hill from there. Like the nose revealed. There's a metallic sourness thats not very pleasant.

M: Not much mouth presence. Watery and slightly over carbonated.

Overall: Not a very memorable brew from Yard's. I got this in a variety case and it was a struggle to finish 6 of these.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 23:12:35 | More by BigMike

david18

New York

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

This is the ubiquitous beer on the Jersey Shore where I spent the last week in august. In general this beer packs a lot of interesting flavor especially for something as low in alcohol as this, much like a british mild.

Appearance is a dark brown, with a brown head. Not very frothy but enough carbonation throughout.

Smell is very malty. Sweet with carmel hints and dark fruit.

Flavor is also very malty and full. Carmel in the flavor as well with a lot of body.

Overall a very easy to drink beer with a lot going on.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 18:36:54 | More by david18

Chriscrundwell12

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a 3 Floyds pint glass.

A- Dark brown, burnt orange color, 3 finger frothy head that dissipates to a nice ring around the glass, nice lacing and retention.
S- Dark malts, slight roasted aroma, slight toffee, earthy notes, some spice.
T- Interesting taste, rather bland subtle beer, dark malts, breadiness, slight roasted flavor, some spice, it’s definitely easy drinking but not a lot going on.
M- Light mouth feel, decent carbonation, thin body, clean finish.
O- It’s definitely a session beer at 4% abv, not a lot going on, pretty bland taste, for a mild it does have a decent amount of flavor though, it does what it’s meant to do.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 03:18:16 | More by Chriscrundwell12

Boppar

New Hampshire

4.05/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Back in the good ole days when there was a drinkability category, this would have gotten a 5.

A: Deep reddish brown with two fingers of foamy off-white head.

S: Sweet malts, toffee, fresh bread. Rich earth and moss.

T: It tastes the way it smells, which is a very good thing.

M: The mouthfeel is slick, foamy, and medium-bodied.

O: This is a very good session beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 00:05:11 | More by Boppar

tjkinate

Texas

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got a bottle of this as an extra from a recent trade!

A: The beer displayed a deep amber core with slighter lighter edges and was topped with a small, but fluffy off white head. No lacing to speak of here.

S: Sweet nose of carmel malts and to my surprise I was able to detect some bitterness from the hops.

T: Overall, a fairly subtle beer comprised of semi sweet malts, and grains with the slightest hint of a bitter aftertaste.

M: Heavier than one would think, strong carbonation that tingles the tongue and throat.

O: An enjoyable experience and a pretty solid session beer from Yards Brewing.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 00:08:30 | More by tjkinate

avaldivia

California

3.73/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Received in trade from Centennial.

A: Clear, dark reddish hues. Nice head, but with little retention. Great lacing however.

S: Caramel malt with a hint of a roasted coffee flavor. No real hops that I can detect.

T: The roasted coffee flavor is much more prominent in he taste than in the nose. The caramel malt is noted on the end.

M: Light to medium bodied. Good carbonation. Finishes a bit dry.

O: I enjoy this. It is a great session ale. I would have no problem seasoning this.

Serving type: bottle

08-21-2011 18:39:46 | More by avaldivia

bobhits

Kentucky

2.35/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Pours reddish brown with a touch of haze. There isn’t much head here. The body has a lot of bubbles coming up so at least it is lively.
A touch of sweet fruity notes, some grain, but nothing really is standing out here.
Sweet, lightly hopped, fruity, and yet watery flavors are extremely subtle but still rather tasty. I don’t get refreshing out of this one, but more interesting without being exciting.
A rather light body and easy to drink. Without a doubt a classic pub beer, not a session beer as this is over 4% (you’re welcome Ding).
I only have the one bottle, but I’m not overly excited about it.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 23:21:05 | More by bobhits