Old Town Brown - Natty Greene's Pub & Brewing Co.

mikeg67

New Jersey

2.83/5  rDev -22.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

On tap at The Liberty in Charlotte. Pours dark brown with an off-white head and some lacing. Aroma is of toasted, nutty malt, prunes and plums. Light, smooth, quite thin body. Taste is of some toasted malt and some dark fruit. I’m not impressed with this brew.

Serving type: on-tap

01-01-2012 16:54:19 | More by mikeg67

tdm168

North Carolina

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

On tap at Natty Greene's in Raleigh

Pours a deep, dark brown with a thin lacing of head. The nose has notes of sweet caramel and faint toast. The taste is caramelly, sugary sweetness, faint toast, faint yeast, and there's faint earthy hop bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and lightly carbonated.

This ones a little sweet at times which for me detracts from its drinkability, but overall it's decent brown ale.

Serving type: on-tap

10-30-2011 12:49:58 | More by tdm168

mjmadden

North Carolina

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

Always enjoy drinking beer outside and there is no better place to do it in Greensboro than Natty Greenes. Had the Old Town Brown yesterday (have had it a ton of times, but never reviewed it) afternoon. Pours a really dark shade of brown with some ruby highlights and a tad of off white head. Smell is very malty (mixture of roasted, toasted, and creamy) with a nice nutty aroma mixed into the aroma profile. The taste mirrors the aroma with a nice mixture of roasted, toasted, and creamy malt along with a nice nutty flavor that blends well with the malts. Some very subtle hints of coffee, chocolate, and espresso are also present in the brew. This beer is medium to lighter bodied and a low level of carbonation. This beer is very drinkable and worth giving a try if you're in the area.

Serving type: on-tap

07-04-2011 14:49:09 | More by mjmadden

tjdietz

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served on tap, came to me in a pint glass with about 1.5 fingers of head clinging to the pint glass. Normally Not a big fan of Natty Green's, but gave this one a try for 2 bucks and was glad I took the risk!

A-was dark brown, with ruby highlights when held up to the light.

S-was a little weak, some nuttiness and chocolate/toffee flavors which had me wondering if i overpaid.
T- was spot on for the style, got a good bit of nuttiness accentuated by caramel, toffee and chocolate. Finish was lightly bitter.

M- felt very nice on the palate with a nice creamy texture to it. A little too much carbonation but I'm not one that likes an overcarbonated beer.

Drinkinability was fair, I could easily enjoy a few of these!

Overall very solid offering out of a local brewery and one I'm sure to enjoy over!

Serving type: on-tap

03-04-2011 12:31:35 | More by tjdietz

Thorpe429

Illinois

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

Reviewed from notes. On tap at the brewpub.

Pours a chestnut color with a light tan head and a small amount of lacing. The nose brings some light toasted malt, caramel, and a bit of a nutty characteristic. The taste is pretty tame, with some bread, caramel, toffee, and nuts. Feel is good with adequate carbonation. Nice and smooth. Drinks well enough, but nothing special. Fairly sessionable.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2010 01:00:00 | More by Thorpe429

krausenman

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A-The beer poured a clear dark brown color and was capped with a tan head of foam that quickly changed to a lacey ring.

S-The beer had an aroma of dark roasted malt. It had little to no hop aroma.

T-At first, you can taste the malt sweetness that is followed by the roasted coffe and chocolate type flavors. The beer ends with a bitterness that lasts as you swallow.

M-With a low level of carbonation the beer has a lighter body.

D-Old Town Brown turned out to be an enjoyable brown ale but it lacked character and was punctuated with an abundence of roasted malt flavor that detracted from the overall flavor.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2010 22:21:34 | More by krausenman

mikesgroove

South Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had the chance to try pretty much the entire lineup from Natty Green's and I just do not pass up the opportunity to try these things.

Nice pour here and about what I would expect. Light brown in color with a small off white head on top that faded out quickly and left only light lacing on the glass. Nice aroma of molasses and brown sugar on top of some decent malts. Warming brought out some nice sweet notes as well. Smooth even flavor here. Clean with hints of brown sugar and molasses as well as an herbal bitterness toward the back of the palate. Little light on the body for me but it was still very drinkable.

Overall a nice little sessionable brown ale, little light on the body but pretty big on the flavor. Would not mind going after this one again one day, but dont know if I would seek it out.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2009 22:50:29 | More by mikesgroove

Onenote81

North Carolina

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

Had this on tap at the First Street Draught House in town. I've had this in bottle form, but this is a first on tap. Came out a dark brown with ruby edges and a good 1-inch tan head on top. Retention was fair, but there was tons of sticky lacing on the glass edge. Smells like molasses, brown sugar, toasted bread, and roasted nuts.

The mouth was creamy and smooth with a touch of carbonation on the tongue. The brown sugar that I found in the scent is also in the flavor. This is a pleasantly sweet, roasty Brown Ale. Bitterness is low. Plenty of malty goodness in this beer. I much preferred this beer on tap. Recommend.

Serving type: on-tap

08-11-2009 17:20:26 | More by Onenote81

PatrickJR

North Carolina

3.65/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Had this on-tap at a Ruby Tuesday in High Point, served in a pint glass.

A - Deep brown, with some light shining through on the edges. Half inch or so of foam never really goes away, with some moderate lacing.

S - Not much to smell. Faint caramel and buttery aromas.

T - Quick chocolately burst leads into a deep caramel flavor that dries out somewhat mid palate. A creamy, buttery flavor kicks in late palate along with just a touch of earthy, slightly floral hops. Finishes fairly clean with minimal bitterness.

M - Very smooth and medium bodied, moderate carbonation.

D - A great beer with food, though not too sure I'd session this for a night. A little more off balance than other offerings from Natty Greenes.

Serving type: on-tap

08-13-2008 05:56:19 | More by PatrickJR

Durge

Connecticut

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

This one has a heavy dark brown, mahogany, nearly opaque appearance. It shows a thin tan head and some lacing. I note subtle whiskey oak and raisin scents. It is fairly aqueous with tingly carbonation and a pleasant charcoal raisin flavor. Some winelike qualities. Nutty and fairly drinkable. A bit like some stouts, more so than the popular brown ales.

Serving type: on-tap

05-03-2008 03:04:27 | More by Durge

cbleary

North Carolina

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

This is a good american brown ale. It poured nicely with a deep brown color and a humble head. It had a pleasing moderate hop bitterness which gave way into a nutty malt finish. It's a bit less sweet than a lot of brown ales I have had, but this isn't a bad thing. It was quite drinkable and satisfying.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2008 18:12:21 | More by cbleary

JBStith

North Carolina

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

Natty Greene's Old Town Brown was a descent example of an American brown, but I've had better.

A: Good medium brown color with a bit of haze. Moderate head, retention, and lacing.

S: Nutty and malty with slight hops. Very dry smell.

T: Similar to taste. Nutty, dry flavor with decent hops and bittering. Not a very strong malt backbone which mad is taste a bit thin and unbalanced.

M: Again, a bit thin for a brown ale, but not bad.

D: Drinkability was good. Not too heavy to have a few.

Overall, a descent American Brown Ale. I have several better versions of this style, but this one is not bad. I would have this again on occasion, but Natty's Amber is similar, but better choice.

Serving type: on-tap

06-21-2006 14:34:30 | More by JBStith

oberon

North Carolina

3.93/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a meium brown but with a few lighter notes near the bottem of the pint glass with pretty thin head,aroma is lightly sweet of chocolat a touch of nuttiness.Taste is very smooth lightly sweet but not overdone I picked up even a little caramel, no earthiness or nutty tones seemed to be more a northern England style brown then a nut brown.Very quaffable for the the style in my opinion a solid brown in my opinion.

Serving type: on-tap

08-07-2004 13:03:07 | More by oberon

BeerDocT

Georgia

4.04/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

-Appearance 3.5: Poured out a deep and dark brown with a slight C02-powered head that quickly faded. Completely opaque, this baby almost looks like a stout!

-Smell 4.0: HUGE bouquet on this beer, which is great. Deep, roasted caramel malts predominate and make me think of a Scotch ale. I also smell some smokiness in here.

-Taste 4.25: Front is slightly sweet and features a very nice caramel/barley taste. Middle is dry, but there is still a pleasant, deep barley flavor. Finish is understated and pleasing with more barley and deep, dark, caramel grains. There is a slight hoppiness here, but it is of a very low alpha level. Aftertaste is long and features syrupy remembrances of maple syrup, caramel sauce and King's syrup. Nice.

-Mouthfeel 3.5: Mouthfeel is definitely a contribution to the enjoyment of this particular brew. Carbonation is a bit over-stated, but this may be because the bottle I have is so old; there may have been a second fermentation in the bottle in addition to the CO2.

-Overall 4.0: Excellent brown ale. I am mystified as to why Natty Greene moved this one out of their 12-pack in favor of other beers, but there you go. This is one you should not pass up if you ever see it. Light, smooth but with a depth of flavor that you would not expect. Would be an excellent session beer. Recommended.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 03:38:05 | More by BeerDocT

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle poured into a nonic.
4.7% ABV, no date.

Thanks to Onenote81 for the N.C. gift pack :)

A - A moderately aggressive pour fills the pint with an effervescent dark ruby mahogany-colored beer and a quickly fleeting inch of khaki foam. Lace is absent from the pint and only a thin ring of bubbles remains.

S - The beer's aromatic, yeasty quality disappears with the head, leaving it tough-to-smell, but a swirl brings back some scents of booze-soaked wood and plum which is interesting considering it's low ABV. Slight cardboard undertones poke out around roasted malt, which imparts bittersweet chocolate and cocoa nuances though the majority of the malt is a pale base with caramel hints. Very earthy in nature.

T - Malty and straightforward, Old Town Brown has a simple base with a nice addition of roasted malt for a pinch of dark chocolate and coffee nuance to it. Subtle woody earth notes combine with dark fruit yeast esters well on the finish.

M - Highly effervescent, abundant carbonation is a bit distracting from the rest of the beer. The mouthfeel is otherwise smooth and medium bodied with a light dry and mildly acrid bitter finish.

O - Kind of all over the board, Natty Greene's Old Town Brown manages to keep a couple things consistent; detrimental high carbonation and moderate earthiness. The roasted malt works well though this beer, adding nice nuances, but the rest of it could use a little work.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2012 21:58:16 | More by BeerFMAndy

Dope

Massachusetts

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

A: Pours a nice dark brown with a big fluffy light brown head. Fades somewhat fast, leaving decent lacework behind.

S: Toasty crackers and a little bit of nuts. A hint of brown sugar.

T: More toasted cracker and lots of it. Mild nuttiness and just a hint of toffee and cocoa in the finish. Pretty simple but smooth and almost creamy brown ale.

M: Borderline watery, it is only 4.5% ABV after all. Not bad for the low ABV to be honest.

O: A simple and very light brown ale. Tasty enough, especially for only 4.5%. Very drinkable, balanced and smooth.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2012 03:19:32 | More by Dope

Luigi

North Carolina

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours out a rich dark brown with some ruby highlights. Light tan one finger head that does retain throughout the life of the ale. There is was a bit of sticky lacing on the glass.

The aroma is rather light but still matches the profile of this style. Carmel malt, roasted malt, a bit of sweetness from the combination of the malt and alcohol.

The flavor has a rich caramel and brown sugar taste. Now this taste was not over powering, it was just enough to match the hops. Hop flavor is mild, but does have a bit a bitterness to balance out this ale.

Medium bodied and mildly carbonated

This brown ale sticks to the style and is a great session beer. I think Natty Green's pub has done great job at brewing a traditional English Brown ale.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 19:38:16 | More by Luigi

zeledonia

Minnesota

3.65/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours very deep brown, clear and slightly red at the edges, with about 1/2 finger of medium tan head. Head fades fast, but leaves some nice gobs of lacing.

Smell is pleasantly sweet. Brown sugar is the dominant aroma. Unfortunately, I don't get much beyond that. Rather simple. A touch of dark fruit on the edges, but that's about it. The smell also fades really quickly. After the first sip or two, I can't pick it up.

Taste has a little more variety, but lacks that one strong character. A mishmash of malty flavors, with nothing really standing out. A bit nutty (hazelnut), a faint hit of grassy hops. Finishes rather dry.

Mouthfeel: medium-bodied, good lightly tingling carbonation. And that dry finish again. I like it.

A well-rounded, straightforward brown ale. There's nothing really remarkable about it, but somehow it's all working together quite well. Nice, easy-drinking, reasonably tasty, and sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

02-15-2012 04:10:49 | More by zeledonia

Cyberkedi

Georgia

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

Pours a barely translucent warm chocolaty brown with a fairly thick and rather persistend light tan head. Malty aroma has an overtone of molasses and hints of miso and caramel. Satisfying malty flavor has caramel and molasses notes and a woody hop undertone with just a bit of bitterness. Texture has average fizziness and average body. Though nothing special, it still merits at least a try.

Serving type: bottle

01-27-2012 03:31:33 | More by Cyberkedi

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz.

Pours a dark opaque brown, minimal light passes through and only around the edges. Medium thick tan head, dissipates to a film and retains there.

Smells of rich caramel, coffee, roasted nuts and toasty breadiness.

Taste is of toasted buttered bread, nutty bitterness, and mild tart acidity.

Body is medium, carbonation is pretty subtle and light, mostly on the tip of the tongue and in the back of the mouth.

Overall a pretty decent brown ale, nothing to turn your nose up at, but I've had better in the style. Still, glad that I had the opportunity to get some of this and will enjoy it, and I would have it again. The taste is a bit on the bland side.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 17:31:38 | More by Cylinsier

daliandragon

North Carolina

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

Autumn is coming and with it the return of dark beer to my beer fridge...yay. This understated brown ale pours a dark cola color with a head that withers to nothing almost instantly. The nose is more impressive with chocolate and vanilla and plenty of deep roasted malt. Smells creamy and tempting.

The flavor is robust malts throughout with some very late bittering. Mouthfeel is thin and could stand less carbonation. A little more body would give this greater character. The flavor is there but texture and carbonation put this back a notch back from where it should be.

Drinkable brown but not quite living up to it's potential.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 02:08:18 | More by daliandragon

DeltaGolfSierra

Tennessee

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance is a very dark brown with a full tan head. The head fades very quickly however, with no lacing. Scents of chocolate and caramel are nice and strong. The taste is composed of chocolate, nut, and dark fruit flavors. Definitely malt-forward. The thin mouthfeel detracted from the experience.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 06:45:26 | More by DeltaGolfSierra

wedge

North Carolina

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

Dark chestnut brown under a nice, creamy tan head. Creamy, nutty aroma...more toasty than roasty with a solid dose of toffee, brown sugar, and chocolate. Smooth caramel and bittersweet chocolate malt flavor. Nuts, dark bread, and a light raisin sweetness. Just a whiff of hops. Smooth, lightly drying medium body. Nice local brown ale! Not sure why I overlook this so often, but it hits the spot when wanting something malty and sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

05-19-2011 03:33:07 | More by wedge

devilben02

North Carolina

3.63/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4

Pours from the bottle with a deep, ruby-tinted brown color beneath a big, billowy, sticky tan head. The aroma features a wonderful caramel sweetness, but also a bit of toasted nuts that give an indication of some substance beneath the sweetness. The flavor doesn't quite deliver on the suggestions of the aroma, but there is still a pleasant combination of light, sweet caramel, a little coffee and milk, and a bit of earthiness. Unfortunately, the fine, prickly carbonation does not complement the smooth, sweet flavors, and it even distracts and drowns out the flavor to some extent.

Overall, this beer makes a great first impression, and if not for the texture, I would want to have another right away. Even so, this is still a nice brown ale that I will likely come back to.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 13:47:27 | More by devilben02

dmbdusty41

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

From bottle, to glass = great head, lingering head, nice brown head, after it finally setles, leaves great lacing. It's a really dark brown, however lighter on the pallet than I was expecting from the color. However it can start to sit a little heavy on the gullet. If a beer is even good at room temp. it's a good beer and Old Town Brown is a good beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2011 22:03:28 | More by dmbdusty41