First new year round offering in four years, 2015’s supposedly profane brown ale loads “obscenely malted hoppiness” atop dark-roasted nuttiness, black tea herbage and light floral citrus perk. Dry walnut, sweet pecan and honey-glazed hazelnut illusions inundate black patent malt setting. But its charred hop bittering seems understated despite obscene gesture.

Abundant pecan pie sweetness gets loaded atop maple-sugared hazelnut, honeyed praline, toasted almond, white chocolate, coconut shavings and butternut illusions, leaving an intense and unique impression. Candied pecan glaze picks up latent cinnamon-spiced pumpkin puree respite, mild cream soda impression and light almondine glitz. Nearly perfect as a slightly unconventional dessert treat (but picked up slightest diacetyl buttering on second tasting).

Established in Lexington, Kentucky as a whiskey distillery in 1776, James E. Pepper decided to brew rye whiskey-barreled brown ale ’round 2014 at Sterling, Virginia’s Beltway Brewing. Oak-aged rye permanence spreads atop smoky chocolate malts, dried fruiting and nutty nuances. Oaken vanilla phenols retain a dry respite contrasting buttered pecan, maple molasses, praline, toffee and caramel subsidies. Delicate raisin-prune-fig snips and light burgundy-bourbon hints embrace whiskeyed mocha finish.

Penetrative dark-roasted barley malting and toasted hop crisping elevate cocoa-dried black chocolate affluence that contrasts fresh-brewed coffee bittering. Mild nut-charred rye breading works its way into molasses-sugared mocha finish.

On tap at Shepherd & Knucklehead, sweet bourbon-honeyed brown ale expands stylish horizons. Made in oak bourbon barrels, its brown chocolate continuance picks up dark cocoa, molasses, vanilla, toasted coconut and toffee illusions. Nutty tobacco roast found at recess, but advertised ginger influence seems nebulous.

On tap at Aidan’s, impenetrable autumn ’14 seasonal never clearly defines ‘brown ale’ status since stylish mocha nuttiness plays possum. Instead, minor molasses-like Vermont maple syrup adjunct barely affects latent dark-roasted chocolate malting and leafy hop oiling. Timid brown-sugared spicing and barren nuttiness lost in a wave of carbolic fluff.

Insufficient canned brown ale suffers a tad from a certain phenol hop aridity that interferes with the dark-roasted caramel creaming, toffee-candied brown chocolate sweetness and wavered coffee midst. Mild molasses milking seeps thru thin Graham Cracker spine.

Fabulous medium-bodied brown ale relies on toasted coconut uprising, milky black chocolate follow-up and creamy caramel malted sweetness. Subtle ashen hop char  embitters mighty mocha mesh. Beneath prominent chocolate-fudged coconut resilience lies sugared almond, vanilla, cola and hazelnut whimsicality. A perfectly sweet dessert.

Enticing “ancho brownie ale” (loosely defined as a porter or strong ale) brings lightly roasted chili pepper burn to massive mocha malting and sedate nuttiness. Bittersweet black chocolate, dried cocoa and cacao nibs perfectly juxtapose heavenly jalapeno heat. Cola, hazelnut and salted nut illusions shuffle below the surface next to lesser molasses cookie, bourbon and cinnamon snips.

Efficient canned brown ale brings dark-roasted walnut and creamy hazelnut to rangy mocha contingent. Black chocolate, sugared coffee, cocoa powder and peanut buttered nougat illusions reinforced by burnt caramel sweetness.

Naturally nuttier than brewers’ Ultrahighfrequency, draping dark-roasted chocolate malts across maple-glazed walnut, pecan and hazelnut illusions. Smoky mocha assertiveness gains prominence after the first few sips. Piney citrus hop bittering deepens over time.

Though its brown ale styling may be a misnomer, pleasantly crystalline holiday seasonal (2014) wisely keeps it simple. Toasted almond, roasted chestnut and walnut-shelled pecan nuttiness fleetingly affects delicately wintry nutmeg-cinnamon spicing and red-fruited caramel malting. Subtle cherry, grape, peach and apple illusions forge forth above ashen nuttiness and soft spruce salience. Delicate hop zip adds mild finishing astringency.