Geary's Autumn Ale - D.L. Geary Brewing Company

dsa7783

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Single, short twelve-ounce bottle just copped from Gary's in Madison...
Appearance: Deep-maroon, dark-brown hue with a lofty head that soon receded and deposited a thin film of lacing around the edge of the serving glass...
Smell: Deep malt notes with hints of vanilla...
Taste: Very tasty, flavorful, well-bodied brown ale, really liked the chocolate essence at the end of the tongue... Nice malt-backbone with a creamy feel...
Overall, a well-done brown ale...
Good stuff...

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2008 21:05:49 | More by dsa7783

pabstsmear

New Hampshire

4.55/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I recently went on an autumn beer quest and this
brew is right at the top of my list. It pours a dark brown with a head that lingered through out the drink. The aroma of toasted malt and spices do not cover up the hoppiness on the finish. A perfect blend that should be available all year, but for now I'll settle for a few by the fire pit on cool fall night.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2008 14:33:35 | More by pabstsmear

evanackerman

Minnesota

3.2/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

beer pours a nice brown color with a substantial tan head.

aroma is reminiscent of prune juice, with a bit of malt character.

taste is sweet, overly sweet with a background of raw graiin, bitterness from hops in the finish.

mouthfeel is thin and a bit astringent

overall, beer is not terrible but not very good either, not much in the flavor department, seems unbalanced, mouthfeel too thin in my opinion. there are too many other outstanding autumn brews for me to buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2008 18:56:43 | More by evanackerman

albern

Massachusetts

3.15/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

The labelling on the beer has changed, probably for the better. The beer pours a nice nutty brown with a bit of head and retention around the rim. The aroma is quite complex: I'm detecting ample caramel malts, ringwood yeastiness, some nutmeg, perhaps a bit of butterscotch or toffee flavors.

I was less impressed with the taste. The beer is not much carbonated, and is heavily skewed towards the sweet malts, particularly the caramel. The ringwood yeast is apparent, as is the roasted flavors, the nutmeg spiciness, and some residual tea like hops. This is one brown ale that I can skip. I think there might be some diaceytl in there as well, but the flat maltiness mixed in with some spices in the allspice family, is just too much for my palate. I'm giving this one a miss.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2008 22:30:47 | More by albern

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours medium brown with a fair tan head that disappeared quick.

Smells of toasted grain and some hop leaf.

Tastes of toasted grain, brown bread, some coffee grounds, some burnt sugar and toffee/butter in there, but not alot of sweetness. Has a coarseness that is not unpleasant though. Hops fight thru for some bitterness and leaf qualities, but the leafiness gets hidden by the grain and bread.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, not alot of carbonation. Has a "dirty" finish, meaning that bottom of the cup, weak coffee ground element. Not a smooth beer, but then again, not a negative here.

The toasted flavors with bitter and bread make this a nice style that might take some getting used to. You get saturated by caramel flavored nut browns on the market, and this kinda takes you by surprise. A good surprise. Decent, and worth a try. And you can have a few. Not for everyone.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2008 14:34:42 | More by OtherShoe2

changeup45

Florida

3.38/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pretty good beer. Pours a brown color, medium-bodied, with a small off-white head. Not a strong aroma but a nice amount of spices, malt and a sweetness in the flavor. Some finishing hops to balance it out. A solid beer for the fall season, which is a nice time of the year in the northeast.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2008 16:28:04 | More by changeup45

beerthulhu

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a deep, dark marzen color with a thin light tan head with some reddish hues.

S: creamy caramel, noble hop aroma and some earthy woody notes.

T: The palate is dry with some burnt woodiness, some leaves and some light burnt caramel for flavor. The aftertaste is a grainy with a dry malt grind left on the tongue. A little rough and unpolished. A gritty and grainy textured beer for the fall season.

M: Mouthful is gritty and grainy, leaving a granular malty fade along with some dry citrus grind.

D: A big drinking brown fall fest beer. moderate.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2008 02:51:21 | More by beerthulhu

brdc

Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks cookin420 for this one.

Small capped bottle poured into a tulip, the reddish brown body produces a relatively small tan head that shows good retention and lacing.
Nice aroma, nutty with some caramel layers, malted with some spices, but a bit delicate, you really need to put your nose into the glass.
A little thinner than I would like, it shows mostly malts, caramel and nuts, along with a peppery spiciness that adds to the overall flavor.
Very nice brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2008 02:57:55 | More by brdc

Bowdoinbeerboy

Maine

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance- Pours with no head and it leaves very little tracing. Beer is a transparent amber color.

Smell- Sweet smelling in the nose, fruity notes and just a hint of malt.

Taste- One of the sweeter beers Ive had in awhile, tastes a lot like fairly ripe fruit. Some hints of sugary malt in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel- Fills palate out fairly well.

Drinkability- A very drinkable beer, one of my favorite autumn seasonals.

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2007 03:31:16 | More by Bowdoinbeerboy

Gavage

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: pours a dark copper color with a 1" head. There is some spotty lacing that develops.

Smell: caramel and some fruit sweetness is very light and tough to pull out of the glass.

Taste: caramel, mild roasted malts, and a hint of earthiness make up a simple but enjoyable brew.

Mouthfeel: lightly crisp at the start and smooth towards the finish. Medium bodied. Aftertaste is short and is mostly caramel laden.

Drinkability: nice autumn beer when the weather gets a bit cooler. Definite session ale as several were quaffed after this review while doing some yardwork.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2007 21:11:33 | More by Gavage

WesWes

New York

3.2/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The beer pours a translucent brown color with a 1/4" offwhite head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is decent. It has a creamy crystal and roasted malt scent along with a bit of Ringwood yeast fruitiness. The taste is average. It has a very bitter taste that screams of roasted malts and hops. It has a faint crystal malt sweetness as well. The mouthfeel is decent. It is a medium bodied beer with adequate carbonation. This is an average brown ale. It's too bitter for my liking. The malt bill doesn't impress me either.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2007 20:10:47 | More by WesWes

jwc215

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours reddish amber with a thin off-white head that becomes a patch.

The smell is of caramel and with a spiciness in the back.

The taste is of carmelized malt with some floral, spicy, earthy bitterness balancing it out. A touch of buttery diacetyl mixes in. Sweetness turns dry in the finish.

Lighter side of medium-bodied with a lingering spiciness appropriate for the autumn season.

A standard brown ale with a touch of warming spice. Worth checking out for the season.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2007 14:16:40 | More by jwc215

BeerLover48Fan

New Jersey

4.95/5  rDev +32.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Got a six pack of this brew and was pleasantly surprised. The brew poured to a dark brown color with amber highlights. It had a good sized tan head that had good retention and left a fair amount of lacing. Malt comes across with an excellent roasted scent mixed with a slight sweetness that highlights caramel, toffee and maybe a bit of cocoa. The taste is amazingly smooth; the flavors highlight the malt that was identified earlier. The caramel and what I think is chocolate really go well together. Some hop at the end but for me the malt flavors really set this beer off. I do not do justice to it with my description but I really like the flavors. The brew is extremely easy drinking and I wish that this would be available year around, I know I would get it if it were.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2007 02:52:05 | More by BeerLover48Fan

billybob

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

pours a medium brown color with a one finger light tan head that fades quickly to just a ring on the glass with some lacing. light aromas of fruit and spice and caramel. taste, fresh coffee, caramel, with hints of fruit. mouthfeel light with a slight after taste. a nicely balanced brown ale. would buy again.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2007 18:51:10 | More by billybob

guinness33

New Jersey

3.18/5  rDev -15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a decent looking murky brown colour with hints of ruby throughout. Head is essentially non-existent save for a thin lacing.

The aroma is of dark berries, caramel malt, a bit of wood and perhaps a touch of chocolate as well.

Flavour is more rugged than the aroma would lead on. Chocolate comes through much more here along with an earthy malt flavour. Sweetness from caramel is in the back at best and berry flavours are muted and at the finish of each sip.

This was an okay brown ale. Nothing special about it yet nothing terribly wrong with it either. Eh.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2007 02:52:25 | More by guinness33

Stimack

New York

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Got a six pack of this brew and was pleasantly surprised. The brew poured to a dark brown color with amber highlights. It had a good sized tan head that had good retention and left a fair amount of lacing. Malt comes across with an excellent roasted scent mixed with a slight sweetness that highlights caramel, toffee and maybe a bit of cocoa. The taste is amazingly smooth; the flavors highlight the malt that was identified earlier. The caramel and what I think is chocolate really go well together. Some hop at the end but for me the malt flavors really set this beer off. I do not do justice to it with my description but I really like the flavors. The brew is extremely easy drinking and I wish that this would be available year around, I know I would get it.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2007 18:37:46 | More by Stimack

CharlieMopps

Virginia

4.3/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A: Pours a transparent garnet hue topped by nearly two fingers of small-bubbled head.

S: The malt sweetness comes across with an assertive and tempting aroma, while there is also a considerable caramel tinge to this. Hops are somewhat minimal in the nose.

T: That sweet malt base with caramel flows smoothly over the palate, and just as it passes the middle of the tongue, a bittering hop presence slips in quite unnoticed. This exemplifies an easy transition, and it works well. Finish is a bit of waning caramel and the bitterness from the hops clinging shortly and fading. A slight toasted malt character comes through as the beer warms.

M: Creamy mouthfeel, the texture is smooth and complements the rolling and fluid segues of flavor.

D: This is an ale that retains a unique flavor profile and composition amongst the typical fall seasonals. Not only that, but it's quite sessionable as these transitions are key, and it's beautifully balanced. Smooth texture which fits the character of the flavor.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2007 20:20:17 | More by CharlieMopps

riversider76

New York

3.68/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a deep amber brown,with a thin tan head. Some retention,and a good lacing.Smell is of carmel malts,with a roasted edge.Body is medium,with carbionation. Taste is of brown sugar,and spice,with a sweet fizzy finish.Not your typical Autumn Ale,but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2007 23:45:33 | More by riversider76

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a deep reddish-brown color with moderate tannish head. Modest retention and slight lacing.
Smell is significant for roasted malt, caramel and toffee.
Taste is strong for roasted malt anf caramel. Some dark fruit notes are also present.
A light nhop bitterness prrsents itself at the finish, and balances the malt nicely.
A very-easy to drink beer. It was finished before the review.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2007 23:09:46 | More by tgbljb

FLAbeergutinMASS

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A style that you dont find too often. Pours a very deep brown, very appropriatley labeled bottle, in fact, all Autumn ales should be as such. Virtually no head, very little carbonation. As the name suggests, it's Autunm-ie, brown, with deep reddish hues. At 5.8%, a great session beer. Goes down easily. Seasonals are so good. Is it bad to wish they were available all year?!?!?!?

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2007 02:34:54 | More by FLAbeergutinMASS

BuckSpin

Maine

3.8/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Presentation: 12oz bottle in a Shaker pint glass

Poured smooth & clean with a faint and constant sizzle. Nicely hopped nose, citric with orange and lite grapefruit, distant sweetness with brown sugar, and I swear the aroma of cool evening air drifting thru pine. As it warms it grows softer but retains all the aforementioned qualities in milder form, perhaps a bit sweeter with some fruit. Head was almost 2 fingers of very tight, compact, subtly sculpted latte colored foam with great retention, only settling to a finger's worth with nice lacing in rings. What can best be described as a rhubarb inspired, ruddy port hue resides beneath it with a stead parade of aquarium-esque bubbles rising haphazardly thru it. It is a very pretty beer.

Crisp, clean, nicely hopped but not overly so, it has a very nice bittersweet, burnt caramel quality. Smooth on the tongue, its not very dry, which helps to accentuate the sweet malts and lets the subtle hops shine. I'm enjoying the way the bittering hops keep the malted sweetness grounded and act as a counterweight.

Growing drier & sharper on the palate, the hops continue to peak & shine as the overall mouthfeel, while peaking, grows very even & balanced as if all coming together at a common convergence. An added benefit is the faint warming of the mouth from the IBUs, even if they are low. The finish is still noticeably hopped, clean, leaving a faint bittersweet film of an aftertaste, slightly chalked but altogether nice.

A very interesting Autumn Ale and one of the hoppier English Browns I can remember trying. This isn't to say this is a Brown IPA but this style doesn't usually have hops this noticeable. Its a nice change, and this would be a Brown that should appeal to hopheads and a nice change-up for maltheads. Can see this going great with aged cheddar, beef, root veggies, any sandwich on good bread with cheese. Anyone looking for a change of pace or just a nice, easy to drink beer that should appeal to hop & malt lovers alike should definitely seek this out before the winds of November blow it away for another year.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2007 23:20:48 | More by BuckSpin

SaCkErZ9

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours from the 12oz bottle a deep brownish/mahogony color with a nice, tight, white head. Aromas are lacking but mostly consist of slight spices and nutty malts. Nutty in the flavor as well. Think walnuts mixed with some pumpkin pie spice. A nice beer overall. Certianly plenty drinkable in the autumn months. Not sure I will seek this out again but I was pleases with the results.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2007 19:17:56 | More by SaCkErZ9

scarletfire79

New Hampshire

3.38/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

deep brown with an off white head. you can smell slight caramel and almost an spice kind of like a winter warmer. the taste is slight caramel, fairly balanced but it reminds me more of an autumn pale ale than an english brown ale. all in all decent but lacking distinct flavor. would grab again if nothing else was available.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2007 15:04:30 | More by scarletfire79

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.05/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Geary's- Autumn Ale

Appearance- Ruby reddish brown with a thick frothy head. Quick dissipation.
Smell- Caramel/ brown sugar malt.
Taste- Sweet brown sugar with a caramel malt backbone.
Mouthfeel- Sweet up front but becoming acidic in the end.

Overall- Not bad but the finish/ aftertaste is slighty metallic. Clean this up just a bit.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2007 20:23:43 | More by NJpadreFan

taez555

Massachusetts

4.2/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This beer poured a dark reddish amber body with a small white head.

Smell is of dark bread, some caramel, mild hints of dark chocolate or coffee.

Medium bodied and smooth. Dark brown bread, molasses, dark chocolate, lots of dark caramel, dark roasted malts with a mild sweetness. Hop bitterness is nicely balanced in the background with only a mild hint of a anise and earth hop flavor.

Simple yet full of flavor. A really nice brown autumn ale. Another fantastic session beer from geary's

Re-reviewed from notes, tasted 12/05/07

This beer poured a clear brown body with touches of ruby-brown and a small white head.

Nose was a mix of caramel, sweet breads, white sugar, strawberries, ripe fruits and candy. A very sweet octoberfest type smell and with earth and touches of granite. Very nice.

Taste was medium bodied, dark brown bread and a caramel mix. Dark toasted malt yet very clean. A big overall bitterness. Very earthy and has a strong stone/granite taste and bitterness. Very doughy.

An excellent, maybe even one of the best examples of an American "autumn", or american ale style octoberfest. It almost borders on a brown ale. A great beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2006 02:12:40 | More by taez555