I like trying new beers. When I hit the local liquor store I'm more likely to pick up a six of something I've never heard of rather than go with an old favorite. It isn't that I think there is anything wrong with the beers I already like, I'm just always open to having "new" favorites. When I peruse the shelves and see nothing interesting then it is always nice to "fall back" on a trusty old friend.
Well, it's my turn to bring the booze for the weekly wargaming night, so I hit the store this afternoon. In addition to the brew I picked out for this evening (Old Peculiar) I also picked up something new (to me at least.) Colonial Pub Pints come in four packs of draught cans, which I've grown to like immensely thanks to Boddington's and (especially) Belhaven's. I picked up their Brown Ale and headed home for a tasting.
When you open it, the first aroma that hits you is reminiscent of home brew...that's not entirely a good or bad thing...but it pours easily, with just the right amount of carbonation, by American standards at least. The color is just right for a Brown Ale, and after it is in the glass you can detect hints of toasted malt and caramel in the nose.
So far so good. In fact, I really got my hopes up. The packaging has prose playing up the English origins of the ale style and I thought for a brief moment that the brewers (from Minnesota) had actually made an English style Brown Ale.
No such luck. When you drink it you are hit by their very aggressive hopping. I know this isn't uncommon among American Style Brown Ales, but its all wrong for something selling itself as British inspired. It simply is too close in flavor to a Pale Ale for my tastes. If you want to make something that hoppy, why not stick with Pale Ale, so maybe an Extra Special Bitters? The beauty of a nice English Brown Ale is the toasty, nutty quality of the malt, where the hops add only a hint of bite.
Putting my disappointment side for the moment, I have to admit this is a pretty nice beer if you like American Brown. Despite the home brew smell at the outset, there is nothing of that in the finish. The only aftertaste is a slightly bitter hoppiness, that is actually quite pleasant. The ale holds up nicely as it warms as well. It actually mellows a little bit as it warms to a more English like serving temp.
I entitled this "A Lack of Conviction" because I fear the brewers had actually wanted to make an English style beer, but decided they didn't want to go against American expectations. Its a shame because the American habit of hopping every beer to within an inch of its life is getting kinda old. As is, this is a good beer and worth a pour. But it misses being a great beer by a very small margin.
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