Brawler Pugilist Style Ale - Yards Brewing Co.

mjw06

Pennsylvania

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

You can't argue much with Yards on the description and marketing. This indeed is a prototypical session ale; from the taste, to the feel, to the finish. First time I had this beer was on-tap and it was given to me as a "brown ale." I though it to be distinct though and learned more about it when I bought it in a case.

A nice sized, very tight head that has some reasonable retention and leaves a little wet lace on the glass. Medium transparent brown. Pleasant in the nose, sweet and dry. Get some stale, toasted bread on the palate with some caramel and nougat. A faint hoppiness is felt on the mildly dry finish with a little residual sour malt on the back of the tongue and roof of the mouth.

This is a great beer. Session indeed. I'd like to go all night with the homies and a case of this.

Serving type: bottle

08-10-2011 03:18:45 | More by mjw06

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

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

Amber colored and clear, small amount of short lived head left decent lacing.

Smelled and tasted quite caramel malty, with light coffee and chocolate undertones, and a bit of toffee too. There's a bit of fruitiness, with a little bit of dark but mostly light fruits coming to mind.

The body is very light and pretty well carbonated, and leaves a slightly slick feel, along with a caramel malty aftertaste.

Overall it's a nice light, easy to drink beer creation. I'd like this one along with dinner or as a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2011 14:14:56 | More by AlCaponeJunior

bum732

Maryland

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

S: Toasty, slightly caramel malt, vienna like. Slight herbal hop component as well.

L: Clear reddish brown, off white head that dissipates.

T: Dark toffee malt with an herbal tea-like, slightly tannic bitterness. Medium low bitterness yields some toasty, slight sweet notes. Finishes herbal tea like dry. Fairly clean.

M: Medium light body, medium low carbonation.

Solid, light with good flavors. Definitely need to let this warm. Even for 4.2%, it was a little thin in the body.

Serving type: bottle

08-04-2011 01:36:05 | More by bum732

MrOH

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

From a mixed case (first beer distributor purchase since I left Pittsburgh in 2003!), my first review as a Philly resident.

Clear brown with an orange tint. Single finger head that dissappears in no time.

Cocoa powder, cookies, some fruity esters, slight vinous quality.

Smooth, cocoa, toast, slight vine fruit, biscuit, tiny hop bite at the finish.

Smooth, medium bodied, low carbonation as per the style.

Yeah, I could drink quite a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2011 00:50:42 | More by MrOH

Naugros

New Jersey

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

Brown in color with a thinness showing at the edges. It boasts a well-structured, cream-colored head. The smell is of nutty malts and spicy British hops...probably Goldings. Accurate smell for the style and the taste is spot on as well. It has a little bit of sweetness with some nutty characteristics (walnuts) that carry on into the aftertaste along with a moderate hop presence ...again the spice of British hops. At the tail end of the aftertaste, after the beer has warmed a bit, there's a fruity note. Below medium in body and very easy to drink. Not a bad beer at all...not a great one, but not bad...and I rarely give credit to anything from Philadelphia.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2011 23:05:36 | More by Naugros

matty

Pennsylvania

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

Dark brown colored beer with a rapidly fading head.Aroma is toasted malts.Taste is bread,butter and various malts.Overall a decent beer that is thin and relatively smooth.Seems like a beer best for the warmer months.I would recommend to try at least once.I'd probably buy again.

Serving type: bottle

07-19-2011 12:41:08 | More by matty

allforbetterbeer

Colorado

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

Picked this up as a "take-out" at Fireworks Pizza in Washington D.C. Poured into a stange glass.

Pours with three fingers of off-white head that quickly falls but retains a good layer for quite some time. Body is clear and is a enticing shade of smoked ruby-copper.

Smells of toasted complex malts, mostly on the lighter side of the spectrum but with a little representation on the darker areas. The hops are mild but complex, and smell to be English or simillar.

Hmm... the flavor is somewhat masked by a very high level of carbonation. However what I taste is slight notes of burnt sugar, toasty pale malts, chocolate malts, and some light airy hops.

The mouthfeel is much more carbonated than I would prefer or what I would expect. I know this style is usually low on carbonation if it is trying to mimic the traditional style in which this beer would have been served in England. Otherwise it is light and a little thin.

Concluison: I had high hopes for this beer as I have never tried a sample of this style, however I have brewed ales that I consider to be English Mild ales (or as close as I can guess) and I love the overall idea of a session ale. My hopes were not met, and I will continue to search for more examples of this style.

Serving type: bottle

07-11-2011 03:30:42 | More by allforbetterbeer

JerzDevl2000

New Jersey

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

Picked this up last week at the Buy Rite in Jersey City, along with the other Yards beers that I tried. I had never had an English Dark Mild Ale before and obviously, don't get a chance to try one every day. Sure enough, this was the textbook definition of the style and had I bought more than one bottle of this, I certainly would have had it last night as well!

Nice pour to this with a brilliant brown hue that was ruby red around the edges. The head was quite frothy and long-lasting but the lacing wasn't really visible at all as I made my way through my session. The taste was quite roasted and it almost reminded me of a lighter version of a Brown Ale. There was caramel, bread, and a strong malt presence and even though there was little carbonation to be seen in the glass, it could be detected as I swished this around in my mouth. No spice to be detected here and no stickiness either, just a solid beer that went down pretty easily.

Alcohol? If you're looking for it, move along. You won't taste it and you'd probably have to down a six-pack of this to feel it. This is about as easygoing as a style gets without feeling watered-down or mass-marketed. On a cool summer night like the ones we've had lately, it would be tough to find a better beer to enjoy with the windows open. Since this isn't complex by any means, just about any lover of suds owes it to him or herself to give this a shot. This can appeal to quite a large audience!

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2011 17:15:42 | More by JerzDevl2000

UconnHusky

Connecticut

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a reddish mahogany color with Decent head and minimal white lacing.

S: Hints of sweet malts, honey and caramel...somewhat unique in a way I can't describe.

T: Caramel and brown sugar with more sweetness than expected.

M: No bitterness at all, very low carbonation and thin.

O: A decent low ABV beer that I can see myself drinking again for the right occasion.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2011 19:09:49 | More by UconnHusky

ckollias

Maryland

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

Enjoyed this 12oz bottle out of a large snifter glass.

A: Brown almost brandy in color with mild amber highlights and a white one-finger head that quickly dissipates into a white wispy lace.

S: Toasted malt aromas fill the nostrils. Hints of caramel and fruitiness in the background.

T: Taste is a little sweet with caramel, toffee, and lighter milk chocolate. Easy on the palate – nice and blended and not too strong.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation

O: I was pleasantly surprised by this beer. I love a English dark that is put together right. This is a nice session beer @ 4.20%

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2011 01:50:15 | More by ckollias

jsprain1

Minnesota

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

A- More or less medium brown, with some reddish highlights. The head has just a bit of color to it. Retention is decent, and it leaves a couple notes of lacing.
S- Smell is a bit sweet, with some honey and caramel coming through. Just a bit of a toasted bread aroma.
T- Caramel is the dominant flavor, with just a bit of toasted malty notes coming through as well. At times there are flashes of like a nutty character. A bit of mineral character in the finish.
M- Decently full bodied. Carbonation is low and it's a bit sticky.
O- An enjoyable easy drinking beer. Would love to see more breweries brew a simple, drinkable, flavorful ale at abvs this low. But alas, that is not the custom of the times.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2011 17:27:52 | More by jsprain1

drizzam

Wisconsin

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

A - Pours a clear brown in color, with heavy ruby highlights when held up to the light. Nice one finger off-white head with average retention. Some spotty lacing, but not a huge amount.

S - Some muted sweet maltiness. Not a lot going on here.

T & M - The flavor kicks the aromas arse, even for a mild style. Sweet caramel malt with a rather bready or biscuit like character. There also seems to be a mild fruit component lingering around in the background...seems like apples to me, yes, I'm fairly certain that's apples I'm tasting. Thin bodied and crisp. I certainly wouldn't expect an English mild to have a full bodied mouthfeel.

D - the drinkability factor on this one is through the roof! This is a session beer all day long. If it was carried in this area I would always have a sixer of this in my fridge for daily quaffing. A good session brew.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 03:52:10 | More by drizzam

bamojr

Virginia

3.6/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep brownish red with a very light tan head. dissipates with no lacing quite quickly. Sweet malty smell, not much else going on in the nose. Nice sweet malty flavor, perhaps some hickory smoke in there and some brown sugar. Almost has a hickory smoked bacon quality to it. A pinch of bitter rounds it off nicely with the sweet flavors. This is my first beer from Yard's and its not too shabby at all.

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 00:41:56 | More by bamojr

Philabeerphia

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A quick pour yields a translucently mahogany-colored body with about a finger of tawny, large bubbled cap. That dark malt really gives the appearance of body and braun on this fighter.

Smells of baking chocolate, a grassy tobacco and a roundish bready cracker. Pretty straight, pretty true. Doesn't arc or evolve but is subtly satisfying. This carries directly onto the tongue. Dry through and through, with a slight crackle sensation for the carbonation. Sometimes ashen, other times a brighter shade of malty tobacco and shortbread. Again, the experience doesn't exactly 'arc' or evolve from the front of the mouth to the back, but it doesn't need to. This is a sessionable quaffer.

There's a terrific amount of body considering the low ABV. And the carbonation does it's job well to keep the beer moving quickly and refreshing at all times. Overall this is a very easy drinking beer - the kind of beer that is easy to enjoy without much thought or effort, but is still rewarding with a variety of simple flavors.

Serving type: bottle

06-10-2011 22:47:23 | More by Philabeerphia

Tartarus

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A&S: Pours translucent brown with a reddish tint and a healthy amount of tan colored head that diminishes rather quickly. Smell is primarily of roasted malts.

T&M: Taste is light malts with a little bit of sweetness and hops. Very mild in taste, but good and drinkable. Mouthfeel has a bit of carbonation and goes down dry.

O: Very drinkable, pretty low ABV, nothing very special about it but there is nothing bad about it. I could see myself getting another six pack sometime and enjoying them as a session beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2011 04:11:59 | More by Tartarus

Eriktheipaman

Virginia

4.15/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

Poured a dark brown with tan head that fades quickly.

The smell is faint but of a slight roast and a very little scent of hops.

The taste is subtle but on the on the roasty malty side of things. There is a nice little hop kick but nothing over the top.

There's not much special about this beer but that's what makes it so damn great. There are not enough solid session beers here in the U.S. so a brew like this is a true gem!

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2011 20:20:24 | More by Eriktheipaman

JednoPivoProsim

Maryland

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

Poured from a 12 fl oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: Poured a dark amber body with a thin head that recedes quickly.

Smell: The aroma hit me mid-pour. Strong roasted malt aroma of chocolate and burnt coffee straight out of the gate.

Taste: Roasted malt flavor almost bordering on a stout. The flavor comes off a little too thin, however, and does not last long on the palate.

Mouthfeel: Too thin and watery for my taste. I guess that's what you get with such a light/low ABV offering.

Overall: I could see this as a sessionable thirst quencher for people who prefer dark beers, but overall, I'm not very impressed.

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2011 20:59:39 | More by JednoPivoProsim

InebriatedJoker

Ohio

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

Poured from 12 oz bottle - No best by date visible.

A: Poured from bottle into pint glass,clear light amber with one and a half finger head that quickly dissipated into a thin lace, not much carbonation.

S: light malts with light hop hints.

T: Light malts with slight hop hints, small fruit tastes as well.

O: Overall a very easy to drink beer with a light body, almost carbonation free,decent taste with a dry aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2011 19:08:50 | More by InebriatedJoker

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Pours a dark reddish brown color with a small off white foam head. No real lacing.

S: Not much hitting the nose, some mild caramel, bread and coffee.

T: Starts and finishes the same. Some mild hints of sweet caramel and bread are prevalent but it is a little weak. It never gets more potent.

M: A light bodied beer that is almost a little too watery.

O: The beer has potential, just needs some more flavor. I like what is there already, just give it more malt and this would be really tasty.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2011 18:00:55 | More by IronCitySteve

ForkAndSpoonOp

Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A co-worker suggested this one to me recently. It was a slow day in the office, and one can only check Facebook so many times every hour, so we began chatting. I mentioned that I was taking my first tentative steps into the dark catacombs of the beer world, and I wasn't really enjoying the outrageously hoppy beers my girlfriend kept foisting on me. Being the decent person he is, he only busted my balls for about ten minutes, then rattled off a few bottles that he thought I might enjoy. He was exactly right about this Yards Brawler.

We began with a 12 oz. bottle, poured into the only proper glassware I had on hand, a 20 oz. mug. Not as imposing looking as I'd hoped, but 'tis enough,'twill serve. Poured a stunning ruby red color. I was careful to pour gently, as I tend to have the SPED kid strength from time to time; resulted in a half-finger head that dissipated fairly quickly, leaving a rather tenacious if light lacing.

The huge headspace meant plenty of room to jam my beak into the glass, at least. My palate's not terribly trained, but I got a wonderful smell of honey, apricots, and freshly-baked bread, with a touch of pear in there, too. My brother walked into the kitchen at this point and insulted me for a couple minutes, saying I looked like a retarded dog trying to drink out of a vase. I love my life sometimes.

First sip was caramel and those apricots again. Sweet without being cloying, with just a hint of bitterness attempting to balance things out. Carbonation was fairly high, which I'm usually not crazy about, but I think it works here. This beer is definitely on the thinner side. A small burp came up, tasting faintly of Bazooka bubble gum. I have no idea. Must be some kind of cross-contamination.

After I finished my notes, I took another Brawler out to the hammock, and then looked at how filthy the hammock was and decided to sit on the back porch instead. Highly sessionable, great for a cookout, a poker game, or watching the Flyers or Eagles dash your hopes against the pavement once again. Overall, a refreshing and insanely drinkable beer, accessible to newbies, but with enough flavor to keep veterans interested. I have no idea how typical this beer is of its style, but it's fast becoming a favorite of mine on its own merits.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 14:15:18 | More by ForkAndSpoonOp

chodinheaven

Maryland

3.03/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Deep ruby color with a small white head and some lacing. Smells of burnt wood or coffee maybe and dark roasted malts with some chocolate undertones.

Very light body, but on the creamy side of things, and the taste packs less of a wallop than the smell indicated it would. Almost a little watery. The dark roasted malts that come through on the nose are almost missing and are instead replaced by some lighter, sweeter malts. Too light for what I was expecting from a very solid nose. Very light and drinkable, however, if that's what one is looking for. I probably wouldn't try this one again though.

Probably would benefit from some more hops to balance it all out and maybe a bit more alcohol to give it more character.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 04:35:42 | More by chodinheaven

mummbearsfan

Pennsylvania

4.78/5  rDev +30.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Overall the taste of this particular beer from the other brands of Yards beer I found to be the smoothest tasting beer.

Looking at the dark caramel tones you think this beer is heavy but it actually is quite refreshing.

From a food pairing stand point, I recommend this beer with any kinds of foods. I've had it with with sandwiches and it didn't downgrade the taste at all.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2011 00:10:33 | More by mummbearsfan

stewart124

Ohio

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Brown in color with some golden hues. White head.

Some caramel and vanilla in the nose. Bready aromas.

Taste is biscuity/bready. Light caramel notes with some british yeast esters that are a bit on the fruity side. Apple and pear come to mind. Less attenuation and some buttery notes. Hops are subtle but add a nice balance and earthy note.

This bridges the gap of brown ale to mild. Tasty but nothing really stands out. Nice to see an American example.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2011 02:05:05 | More by stewart124

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

2.13/5  rDev -41.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Pours a hazy amber to brown in color, with an off white head. In the aroma, a small roast and hint of coffee. In the taste, a hint of coffee and roast, a caramel sweetness, and a bit watery. A small bite and lighter bodied mouthfeel, with a small dry caramle in the aftertaste. Good flavors, just a mild though, hence it being thin.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2011 12:17:05 | More by OWSLEY069

WoodBrew

Illinois

2.9/5  rDev -20.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

The bar keep at Tulunes in Johnstown recommended that I try Yards Brawler Ale....which to me was a clone of Bass Pale Ale. There is nothing exciting about this beer. The color was amber with zero head. There was no scent. The taste was as mentioned above...alot like Bass Pale Ale. This beer is certainly better than budlite!!! The mouthfeel is fine could certainly Session. COmpared to other beers it just doesnt have enough going on to keep me coming back.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2011 00:48:12 | More by WoodBrew