Advertised hemp oil influence may be nominal, but bountiful mocha nuttiness makes up for it in spades. Maple-sugared peanut-clustered hazelnut-cola sweetness counters pine nut bittering to chewy caramel-roasted center. Resin-hopped chocolate-seeded coffee-caffeinated punctuation and sour prune-plum nuance add depth. Creamy to the core, yet crisply clean-watered and neat – like Guinness Stout with a walnut ice cream scoop.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: NECTAR ALES, PASO ROBLES, CA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: STEVENS POINT BREWERY, STEVENS POINT, WI.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Lacking the brawny brashness, but not the steely metallic pungency, of its ‘burly’ descriptive, this coarsely phenol brown ale gets mired in sour nuttiness. Grain-burnt peanut-shelled walnut char coats resinous hop astringency, overwhelming chalky mocha malting. Bitter rough-edged nutty finish falters.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: CASCADE LAKES BREW. CO., REDMOND, OR.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Generous perfume-y hop spicing embeds nutty pinewood bitterness and dried fig-date souring of medium-bodied deep amber brown ale. Grain-roasted macadamia, hazelnut, and peanut oil nuances suffice, bringing further depth to brown-sugared raw-honeyed mocha malting.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: SHIPYARD BREW. CO., PORTLAND, ME.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Inviting thin-headed brown-hazed ‘smooth dark ale’ brings expressive nuttiness to roasted caramel malting. Hop-oiled peanut-shelled walnut bittering counters meandering mocha-macadamia sweetness. Ashy peat recess and metallic twinge obstruct nebulous vanilla-sarsaparilla spell.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: TRADE ROUTE BREW. CO., SEATTLE, WA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Aromatic Southeast Asian pandan leaf uplifts sensuous spice-hopped cocoa and chocolate nibs illusions as well as candied hazelnut-pecan-almond roast. A bit phenol by timid cardboard-y palm sugar finish, but delicate gingerbread nuance and botanical heather lilt tingle backend nicely.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: THE BRUERY, PLACENTIA, CA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Terrific bottle-conditioned autumnal Belgian knockoff works oaken cherry aromatics into sour raisin-prune-plum ripeness and maple-sapped molasses sweetness, leaving funky candi-sugared Belgian yeast in its wake. Boozy alcohol whir picks up strength as tertiary hard cider, pumpkin pie crusting, and buttered pecan illusions surmount dark-spiced hop sharpness.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: SOUTHAMPTON PUBLICK HOUSE, SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Ambiguous ‘Dusseldorf- style brown ale’ places musty raw-honeyed rye malting above dry black tea/ orange pekoe bittering and harsh nut-grained slipstream, losing caramelized whir in a hurry. Indistinct medium-full-bodied altbier derivative just never catches fire.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: CIGAR CITY BREW. CO., TAMPA, FL.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Nicking aggressive roasted nut coarseness from brewers’ similarly-styled Bolita brand, dense hop-enriched malt-smoked ‘Oatmeal Rye India-Style Brown Ale’ retains creamy chocolate-y cocoa bean richness above murky pine-sapped rye bottom. Dry port, burgundy, and fig illusions waver through sharp nuttiness.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: SHMALTZ BREW. CO., SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Viscous 12th anniversary ale utilizes one dozen hops and malts to anchor concealed 12% alcohol luster. Syrupy sweet brown chocolate malting and maple-sapped molasses-dipped toffee fudging receive cinnamon-toasted hop-spiced raisin-prune souring. Oaken vanilla subsidy pervades lilting bourbon, barleywine, cherry wine, and dark rum warmth. Boozy brown ale makes superb dessert treat.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BRASSERIE VAL DE SAMBRE, BELGIUM
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
Deliciously provocative digestif boasts insinuating burgundy aroma, head-on carbonation, candied yeast tongue, and buttery caramel quotient. Bubbly champagne-like fizz surrounds melon-raisin adjuncts while roasted barleymalts belie subtle black cherry coughdrop finish of the most uncommonly complex brown ale on the market.
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: BRASSERIE DE L'ABBAYE DU VAL-DIEU, AUBEL, BELGIUM
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None
- Author: John Fortunato
- Brewery: ABITA BREW. CO., ABITA SPRINGS, LA.
- Category: Beers A-Z
- Comments: None

