County Dark Ale - Wellington County Brewery

cratez

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On-tap at the UWO Grad Club in London, Ontario.

A: dark amber body, thin off-white head, decent lacing.
S: light nut aroma, traces of oak, brown sugar, and maple syrup.
T: sweet malt, bread-like nuttiness, caramel, toffee, and grassy hops. The taste is milder than I prefer, but enjoyable nonetheless.
M: clean, smooth, fuller than medium, rich malty finish.
D: good approachable brown ale. The draught is infinitely better than the bottled and canned versions.

Serving type: on-tap

11-30-2008 21:13:45 | More by cratez

yancot

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%

03-06-2013 05:14:30 | More by yancot

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

3.74/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Believe Wellington has brewed this well and offers a good example of the English brown style.

The can pours a luminous dark burgundy colour with an impressive head and good retention, leaving lacing down the sides of the glass. Nutty aroma of roasted malts that also strikes me as very true to the style. The taste is well balanced, with a caramelized malt sweetness that moves to highlight the roasted malts in the body, before a finish that is both bitter and sweet.

Although not my own personal first choice of beer styles, think this would appeal to any fan of the British Brown.

Serving type: can

02-17-2013 22:02:17 | More by hopsolutely

KrisDLSmith

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%

02-16-2013 02:52:07 | More by KrisDLSmith

DaPan

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%

02-14-2013 12:22:15 | More by DaPan

Kremlock

Ontario (Canada)

4.11/5  rDev +13.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Brown in colour with hues of mahogany and orange. Pours a nice 1 inch that then settles to a thin film. Very clear.

S: Coffee, hints of smoke, a bit grainy. Hints of hop aroma is present in the bachground.

T: Grainy, some roasted notes present. Hints of smokiness but not enough to overpower the malty flavours. Some molasses and hop flavours are very low.

M: Low carbonation, light bodied, dry finish.

O: lightly flavoured, malty yet not too sweet. Bitterness properly balanced yet does not overpower the malt. THis is a good session beer.

Serving type: can

01-25-2013 01:48:19 | More by Kremlock

kbrown

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%

12-29-2012 22:26:47 | More by kbrown

ppoitras

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

473ml can purchased as a single from the LCBO booth at the Toronto Royal Winter Fair.

Poured into an imperial pint glass, formed a 1/4" beige head over the clear brown brew. Head is promptly down to an uneven skim, with slow-falling lace. Aroma is nutty and malty, pretty much stereotypical brown in my book.

Taste starts with a peek of sweetness from the nose, light powdered chocolate in the middle, and a lightly tart close. Mouthfeel is smooth, with good drinkability. Nice standard brown.

Serving type: can

11-30-2012 23:48:04 | More by ppoitras

jaz58

Ontario (Canada)

3.73/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A decent brew.

Sadly there was a non existent head. It disapated very quickly.

Clear and effervescent in the glass. A ver ygood coffee / cola colour.

Chocolate, toffee noise with a hint of hops.

Mouthfeel was average.

A nice coffee flavour with a balanced bitters to finish.

Serving type: can

11-14-2012 23:53:42 | More by jaz58

cfalovo97

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -17.4%

11-06-2012 20:45:03 | More by cfalovo97

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.13/5  rDev -13.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Dark hazelnut brown with great clarity. Thin film of an off-white frothy head.

Aroma: Burnt caramel and lots of semisweet malt presence. Some roasted malt notes of chocolate.

Taste: It's watery but there is some flavor. The first half is all caramel and slight molasses malt character and the second half and finish is a little roasty like in the nose. Decently bitter for the style but with an odd soapy water taste near the end.

Mouthfeel: Thin but with a good level of carbonation. Easily drinkable.

Final Thoughts: The further into this one I get, the less there is to like about it. The watery profile overtakes the flavor over time. I've had 3% abv beers with more flavor than this one. It's too bad because it started out very promising.

Serving type: can

09-26-2012 03:33:12 | More by JamesMN

Molson2000

Ontario (Canada)

2/5  rDev -44.9%

09-21-2012 21:47:32 | More by Molson2000

liamt07

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Can from the LCBO, 473ml into a pint glass. Best before May 11, 2012.

Dark mahogany in colour with some brown highlights. Beige head and a fairly thick collar and film retains. Nose of toasty dark breads, some roasted nuts and a bit of chocolate. Taste has some dark malts, a bit more bready, some lightly charred notes (smoked and/or woody). Hints to some chocolate. Not too bitter and a bit drying. Fairly neutral finish in terms of flavour, but there's a slight metallic note. Lower medium carbonation and a decent mouthfeel. A nice brown ale, and something I could revisit. Again, I think this could be quite lovely off a hand-pull cask.

Serving type: can

04-06-2012 21:45:17 | More by liamt07

traumaqueen

3/5  rDev -17.4%

04-06-2012 03:37:19 | More by traumaqueen

MattPS

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%

03-03-2012 23:20:48 | More by MattPS

ThinkAgain

Ontario (Canada)

3/5  rDev -17.4%

01-26-2012 21:56:13 | More by ThinkAgain

beerhunter13

Ontario (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -3.6%

01-14-2012 11:41:04 | More by beerhunter13

oldp0rt

Quebec (Canada)

1.5/5  rDev -58.7%

01-09-2012 00:52:38 | More by oldp0rt

scott451

Ontario (Canada)

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

Poured into a pint glass. A clear dark ruby with a two finger tan head that soon diminished to a thin layer. Some minor lacing.

Sweet caramel smells with some toasty notes. Burnt toast stands out in the taste. Tapering off to a sweetish mild hop finish.

Fairly low carbonation. Medium body. Not bad overall. A rather unique flavour profile. Just not anything to write home about.

Serving type: can

01-06-2012 03:22:04 | More by scott451

bigox420

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev +10.2%

11-28-2011 07:21:49 | More by bigox420

EskimoDave

British Columbia (Canada)

4/5  rDev +10.2%

11-28-2011 07:01:30 | More by EskimoDave

RedAleMan

Ontario (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%

11-21-2011 01:18:12 | More by RedAleMan

spinrsx

Ontario (Canada)

3.08/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

473ml Can

Appearance - The beer pours a light brown colour with a small fizzy beige coloured head. I can't see much carbonation due the darkness of the beer and there is some faint lacing on the sides of the glass. The head lasted for maybe 2 minutes before it was gone.

Smell - Chocolate, malts, roasted nuts, dark fruits

Taste & Mouth - The beer has an average amount of carbonation and I can taste chocolate mixed with malts and and a bit of a smokiness. There are also some notes of dark fruits and a slight metallic taste. There were times where I could taste cola as well.. The beer finishes with a chocolatey malty aftertaste.

Overall – This beer just didn't do it for me. The taste wasn't great and it seemed thin and watery at times. I would not buy this beer again, there are way too many better beers in this style available to me.

Serving type: can

09-09-2011 18:58:00 | More by spinrsx

Stocean1

Ontario (Canada)

3.53/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - poured a solid two finger head that slowly faded to a nice thick collar - decent patchy lacing - dark chestnut colour

S - dark malt and fruit

T - dark malt and fruit with chocolate notes, some biscuit, nicely balanced

M - light to medium bodied with good carbonation - bitter on the back end with some metallic notes

O - a solid brown ale that is sessionable and I will grab it again I am sure

Serving type: can

08-09-2011 03:50:12 | More by Stocean1

thehyperduck

Ontario (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -5.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a deep brown, opaque cola colour. A thin, half-finger tan head lasts about thirty seconds and after that there's nothing but a thin cap and collar left. I probably served this colder than intended so the smell is pretty muted; roasted grains, caramel and dark fruits. The odour sweetens and intensifies as it warms.

Taste is decent without being very notable; some sweet caramel/toffee and biscuit malts at the start, baker's chocolate and dark fruits, with some dry hop bitterness in the finish that doesn't really linger. A little sweeter and thicker as it warms, but overall this is one of the more bitter/drier EBAs I've had in recent memory. That isn't a problem, but the whole thing does seem a bit watery. Average carbonation, maybe a little high for my liking, and thin-to-medium bodied.

This stuff tastes ok and is plenty drinkable but there's not much to the flavour. The mouthfeel reminds me of Newcastle, which is not exactly a glowing endorsement either. Like a less-sweet Big Rock Trad. I'd say give it a try, but don't expect anything more than a drinkable EBA.

Serving type: can

07-28-2011 16:28:22 | More by thehyperduck