what is/was THE standard for brown ale?

Not necessarily a great brown ale, but what is the brown ale you think many are fashioned after and has somewhat set the standard for a brown ale? Thanks.

DFH Palo Santo Marron! After that, it's all down hill.

Santo Marron or even DFH Indian Brown, thats my go to

I'm still partial to Samuel Smith's Nut Brown. A hoppy Brown? Dogfish Head Indian Brown. If I went and checked my reviews, I'm sure there would be others.

No way is it anything DFH. Those are great beers but definitely not 'the standard' of brown ales. For Americans I'd point to Smuttynose. English - definitely Sam Smith Nut Brown Ale. No question.

Surly Bender and Dark horse Boffo

I'm gonna go with Hoya and say Smuttynose Old Brown Dog.

Yeah - I have to agree those are the best I've had. Since I can't get those locally I'm going Bell's Best Brown.

Well said.

The standard has to be Sam Smith's Nut Brown Ale. It is a pure unadulterated brown ale.

Funny, that's what I'm drinking that spawned this question...its a great beer but it doesn't taste like any brown sled I've had. Are nut browns and brown ales different?

For me it was Newcastle, because it was the 90's.

I wouldnt use this as a classic example of a brown ale. While it is fantastic, it is also oak aged and because of this doesnt make it more of a standard for that style. Having said that, in conjunction with bjcp guidelines and the recent styles classes I have taken... I would go with big sky moose drool.

Rogues Hazelnut Brown Ale for me.

I'd say Avery's Ellie's Brown Ale is pretty solid and a good representative of the American style.

Actually, it's Palo Santo wood aged. I understand it's not the standard. Plenty of killer Brown ales out there that are more traditional than any DFH brown. This is just the best of the best of brown ales imho!

THE standard is Samuel Smith Nut Brown

American Brown Ales I'd go w/ DFH IBA & Sierra Nevada Tumbler.

Sam Smith Nut Brown for an English traditional but I adore Pretty Things St. Botolph's Town.

I have always enjoyed New Glarus' Fat Squirrel.

I'm sure this is not going to be a popular opinion but the Brown Ale I judge other against is Abita Turbodog. It's very accessible in my part of the country, is fairly sessionable, and is extremely tasty, well balanced, and drinkable. I've had plenty that are better but it is my measuring stick. I tend to think of a brown ale as an easy drinking beer and one that is a great gateway beer for future craft drinkers. Turbodog is that in spades.

Pretty Things' St. Botolph's Town, whichever side of the Atlantic you're on.

My feelings exactly!!!

Gotta throw Moose Drool in there, too.

But, yeah, Samuel Smith's has probably had more influence.

Everyone is afraid to say it but I bet their first brown was Newcastle, it is big beer that was craft beer, before craft beer. That being said, I'll drink a CCB Maduro all day, any day

Agree with those who say Smuttynose Old Brown Dog.

DFH will never be the "standard" of any style, and I think they prefer it that way...

I gotta say:
Best Brown
Hazelnut Nectar
Bender

Any of those are what I think of when I hear "Brown ale".

Downtown Brown
SN Tumbler

Wychwood Hobgoblin. One of my first craft beers and still one of my all time favorites.

Moose Drool was awesome!....before it started getting distributed everywhere...since then its just not the same.

Right on. I love DFH Indian Brown, but it's too hoppy to be a standard Brown (in my opinion). Sam Smith brown on the other hand is what I would say is the quintessential brown.

I'd say Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale is the best traditional example of the style. But Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar is easily my favorite example of the style and one of my favorite beers ever. Also, Mt. Carmel Nut Brown Ale is probably the best unknown brown that's bottled, it's so good..

Id have to say my standard choice brown ales would have to be real ale brewhouse brown, santa fe nut brown, dogfish palo santo. I dont mind a hazelnut nectar from rogue every now and then either. I have yet to find a brown ale that really blew me away.

Samuel Smith, Moose Drool, SN Tumbler. All great browns. But none have been immortalized like Newcastle, in the great Humble Pie song "30 Days in the Hole".

Newcastle was one of my first stepping stones in to craft beer years ago and I'm grateful for it. Sam smiths was my next step and have always judged other Browns based on it. Just recently had alesmith nut brown and loved it. Give it a try if you get a chance.

Mann's Brown Ale. It's the original.

Oskars Blue "The Deuce" is really good. Its a coulab beer but can't remember with who right now.

for everyone citing samuel smith, keep in mind that many (perhaps even most) UK beeradvocates do NOT consider them exemplary of british brewing. it's only the facts that they have been imported to the USA for a long time and that they were one of the few "small" or "craft" breweries who even did export to the USA, which grew their reputation amongst non-UK drinkers.

But it comes in 500ml bottles and hence is not true to style. A proper brown ale should come in returnable brown half-pint bottles, well scuffed.

Abita tends to get the short straw, and I wish it wasn't so. It is also very accessible to me here in NY, and Turbodog is a very consistent, easily obtainable beer, and it is very inexpensive as well. It isn't the best brown out there, but it is by no means a bad one, and you can't go wrong with it. And it is one of the best for the money.