Wynona's Big Brown Ale by Voodoo Brewing Company

“Wynona’s got herself a big brown beaver and she shows it off to all her friends.”

Beer #168 sounds like an ode to Primus and their song Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver which I quoted above.  Wynona’s Big Brown Ale by Voodoo Brewing Company (Meadville, Pennsylvania) is an American Brown Ale with an ABV of 7.3%.  Indeed, according to the bottle the brewers at Voodoo were inspired by the Primus song and brewed a beer in honor of it.  I love the label on this with women (Wynona I assume) mounted on a big brown beaver riding it…cool!

This Brown Ale was indeed a very dark brown which was nice but it didn’t have any head which isn’t so nice.  I need to learn how to pour a beer…I think my lack of skills impacts the head quite a bit.  There were some nice roasted and nut like aromas coming from the glass.  It had a nice semi sweet flavor with hints of coffee and chocolate.  There was a bit of bitterness here mostly towards the end of the sip and lingering on in the aftertaste. The mouthfeel was a bit on the thin side with a bunch of carbonation.  It was very easy to drink the bomber.

This beer was solid.  It was pretty tasty and smelled good.  I wouldn’t hesitate in picking this up again.  And what better way to finish this off than to quote Primus one more time.

“Wynona loved her big brown beaver and she stroked him all the time.”

Rating: B

While in Napa last week, the second beer I was talked into was Grand Teton Brewing Co.’s Bitch Creek ESB.  It’s an American Brown Ale and the first beer I’ve had from an Idaho brewery.  I asked the bartender for a nutty brown ale and she really delivered.  I love that I’m in an area where the bartenders really know their beers (and have good beers to know about).

  It poured a dark hazy brown with a tan head and some decent lacing on the glass.  It smelled strongly nutty with some malt.  The taste was mostly nuts and caramel with a slight fruitiness.  It was a nice, smooth, moderately carbonated drink.  I really enjoyed it, and not just for the clever name.  This is going on my list of go-to beers.

A 16 0z glass prevented me from getting Moose Drool all over my hands when pouring the heady brew

Time to enjoy. The flavors in Moose Drool match the aroma, and then add a little something extra. The sweet and malty notes in the nose are balanced to perfection by the crisp and bitter Kent Goldings, Liberty and Willamette hops. The roasted scent is now enhanced by the tiniest hint of coffee. About enough of a coffee taste to make you agree if someone suggests it’s there, or forget it if someone says it’s not. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, but not too heavy. There is a slightly nutty aftertaste that lingers just long enough for you to say “Hmm… nutty? Yeah, but I should probably try it again to be sure.”

For a less verbose review and where to find the stuff in Tucson, click here.

Humboldt Brown by Nectar Ales

A ho-hum, day brings me to beer #148, Humboldt Brown by Nectar Ales from Paso Robles, California.  This interesting American Brown Ale is brewed with hemp.  It has an ABV of 5.7%.  Hemp as you may or may not know is the soft fibers that comes from plants in the Cannabis family.  Cannabis…interesting. Another interesting note is that hemp contains less than 0.3% THC.  THC is the stuff in marijuana that makes one wacky.  Alcohol and THC…okie dokie now.

It had a nice brown color with a very nice tan head.  The aroma was very floral and clean (don’t ask me to describe clean…that was just the first thing I thought of on taking a whiff) would be the best way to describe it.  There was a bit of a semi sweet roasted malty thing going on in the taste.  It also had an iced tea like flavor…odd.  I could only assume that was the hemp.  It had a nutty aftertaste that lingered on for quite some time.  It was pretty light in the body with a nice amount of carbonation to tickle the tongue.  Easy drinking was this brew…5.7% ABV you say…I couldn’t find it.

Alas…an average beer at best for this ho-hum day.  I guess the hemp would be the thing that lures one into trying this, it did for me…along with the cool bottle cap which depicted three hummingbirds.  Onwards to #149.

Rating: C

Palo Santo Marron by Dogfish Head

Happy Easter to any who celebrate today!  And a beautiful Spring day it is…good enough to break out a lawn chair and drink this brew in the great outdoors of my front yard.

Why look who made an appearance into beer #147′s photo, the Easter Bunny. Cute little fellow…no?  Palo Santo Marron by Dogfish Head is an American Brown Ale with a killer ABV of 12%.  It is aged in Palo Santo wood barrels from Paraguay…I have no idea what that is…but sounds interesting to me.

Another dark beer was this…dark brown…almost black.  There was a tan ring around the top that could be considered the head.  Wow…heavy malts from the nose along with molasses.  Strangely for the high alcohol content, there was no indicator of it in the nose.  The taste was again heavy dark roared malts, caramel, a bit of vanilla (stronger as it warmed up), sort of sweet (almost to the point of being sickening), and a smoky presence (must be from the Palo Santo wood).  It had a nice warming sensation from the high alcohol content.  It was a bit on the heavy side coating the mouth and tongue.  It was a sipper for me for sure partly because of the high alcohol but mostly from the peculiar sweetness that doesn’t always sit too well with me (similar to how barleywines affect me).

Not a bad brew…just not one of my favorites from Dogfish.  It was quite enjoyable to drink this outside today on this very beautiful relaxing day.

Rating: B

Red Brick 16th Anniversary by Red Brick Brewing Company

Travel day today so I have to get this done quick and early…like 8 am early.  The things one does for his craft.

Beer #131 is Red Brick 16th Anniversary by Red Brick Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia).  It is an American Brown Ale with an ABV of 11%.

It poured a dark brown with no head whatsoever.  The nose is mostly chocolate and a touch of alcohol.  Taste is slightly sweet with caramel malts and chocolate.  It had a medium body and was lower on carbonation.  This was a sipper for sure as the alcohol content made itself known.

This was a nice beer but I’m not really sure I got anything from it being aged in bourbon barrels.  Odd…maybe it is just too early, after all, it is 8:37 am as I type this.  Still a good beer and the best American Brown Ale I have had yet.

It was a good week of beer down here in Florida…only 2 clunkers out of 8.  A=2, B+=3, B=1, D=2…average of 3.35…not too shabby at all.

Rating: B+

Maple Nut Brown Ale by Tommyknocker Brewery

Today is a great day…it is the beginning of Spring.  Old Man Winter can kiss my ass, time for some warmer temperatures, flowers, rain, sunshine, trees budding and so forth and so on.

Beer #112 is Maple Nut Brown Ale by Tommyknocker Brewery.  Tommyknocker Brewery hails from Idaho Springs, Colorado.  This particular beer is a American Brown Ale with an ABV of 4.5%.  An interesting note from the label, Tommyknockers were mischievous elves who slipped into Cornish mining camps in the 1800′s.  What that has to do with maple syrup, which this beer is brewed with, I don’t have the foggiest.

I broke out my Conway Scenic Railroad pint glass for the pour.  Brown was the color of this brew with no head what so ever.  Sure enough, it smelled like maple syrup.  There was a nutty malty aspect to the aroma also.  I took a sip and I got a nice roasted nutty taste with some really nice maple syrup flavors.  You would think with the maple syrup it would be really sweet but that wasn’t the case, it really complemented the roasted malts and made for a very pleasing brew.  It was a medium bodied drink with a decent amount of carbonation.  With the low ABV and the nice flavors, it was super easy to drink.

I like maple syrup, especially on pancakes with butter…yum.  I liked this beer too.

Rating: B

ABV: 4.5%

Style: American Brown Ale

Trivia: According to the Tommyknocker website, “A delicate amount of Maple syrup is added to each barrel of our award-winning Maple Nut Brown Ale to impart roasted sweetness. This addition balances the nut flavor produced by  chocolate malts used in the brewhouse, producing a drinkable dark amber ale with a relatively low alcohol content. 1996 Great American Beer Festival Bronze Medal.  1999 NABA Silver Medal.  2000 World Beer Cup Gold Medal.  2002 GABF Bronze Medal.  2002 NABA Silver Medal.  2003 GABF Bronze Medal. 2006 GABF Bronze Medal.”

Random: I’ve never seen this brewery in NJ before. After some research, it seems like this is a new brewery to come to NJ. I hope it’s good because the beer store has a lot of different brews from this place.

The brew poured with a barely there white head with no lacing left on my pint glass. The body was a hazy golden brown with moderate visible carbonation. The nose has definite caramel malts with a slight hint of maple that was mentioned in the name of the beer. The taste has moderate carbonation with definite sweetness and malt. The maple was very subtle, which isn’t what I expected. I was hoping for a little more maple apparent on the taste. This is a beer that has lower alcohol than I typically drink and it was pretty thing. The finish was quick and unremarkable. This wasn’t a fabulous brew, but it would be a good session beer, although I wouldn’t rush back to have it any time soon.

Messiah Bold by Shmaltz Brewing Company (He'Brew)

What a gorgeous day it was here in NJ.  It was around 68 degrees and sunny and with the house invaded by painters, I figured why not enjoy a beer outside, soaking up the sun, and reading about home brewing.

Beer #82 is Messiah Bold by Shmaltz Brewing Company (He’Brew).  I love how they mention that He’Brew is the Chosen Beer.  Messiah Bold is brewed in the style of an American Brown Ale.  It has an ABV of 5.6%.

Messiah Bold poured a dark brown with a thin white head.  The aroma was heavy on the roasted malts and little of anything else.  I took a sip, I thought to myself…hmmm…where is the taste?  It was more like water than beer  but as it warmed up a very light nutty flavor began to emerge along with bread like flavors.  I could not detect any hops in the smell or the taste.  Mouthfeel was really light, again, like water.  There was an ever so light carbonation to this beer.  It was quite easy to drink…but one was good enough for me.

This was dissappointing.  It did get slightly better as it warmed up (enough to drag it up from fail territory) but  to me it was like drinking brown slightly malt flavored water.  I think that will be the end of my drinking of beers from Shmaltz…for me, they are not the Chosen Beer.

Rating: D

ABV: 5.6%

Style: American Brown Ale

Trivia: According to the Brooklyn website, “Northern English brown ales tend to be strong and dry, while southern English brown ales are milder and sweeter. Brooklyn Brown Ale combines the best of those classic styles and then adds an American accent in the form of a firm hop character and roasty palate. A blend of six malts, some of them roasted, give this beer its deep russet-brown color and complex malt flavor, fruity, smooth and rich, with a caramel, chocolate and coffee background. Generous late hopping brings forward a nice hop aroma to complete the picture. Brooklyn Brown Ale is full-flavored but retains a smoothness and easy drinkability that has made it one of the most popular dark beers in the Northeast.”

Random: I really want to go to the Brooklyn Brewery…and yes, Chris, this is a hint. A very direct hint.

The brew poured a slightly off white, two finger head that dissipated relatively quickly and left no lacing on the glass. The body a nice dark brown color with moderate visible carbonation. On the nose, I got a lot of nutty notes and some nice sweet caramel malts. On the taste, the first thing I got was some serious carbonation. This was followed up by the nutty notes that I found in the nose with a hint of sweet caramel malt and some brown sugar or maple. The finish is really quick with the same nuttiness. There is just not a lot going on with this beer, but the simplicity really works for it. It makes it an easy session beer, especially for the colder months. I would have it again, but it’s nothing spectacular.

ABV: 5.5%

Style: American Brown Ale

Trivia: According to the Abita website, “Christmas is coming early this week for some Louisiana fishermen.  More than 250 fishermen will receive a check from the Friends of the Fishermen Fund. The fund was created in July and has raised more than $127,000 for Louisiana Fishermen.  For the initial distribution, 257 fishermen will each receive $500.  Corporate and Individual donors were a part of this outpouring of support for Louisiana fishermen following the Gulf Oil Spill.  Friends of Louisiana fishermen include, Abita Beer; Rouses Markets and their customers; Hurricane Harley Davidson; Casa Argentina Social Club of New Orleans;  Sammy Kershaw’s Protect Our Coastline, New Orleans restaurants; artist Michael Israel; South Florida Foodies, SUGARCANE raw bar grill; the Miami International Wine Fair; and individual donors.”

Random: I really like the shape of Abita’s bottles. I prefer short, squat bottles to longnecks.

This brew poured with a one finger off white head that dissipated quickly, leaving no lacing to speak of on the glass. The body is a cloudy chestnut-brown color. On the nose, I got a lot of nuttiness and maltiness going on. It also had another scent, almost an unpleasant sweetness. Hmm, this is odd. On the taste, it’s not what I expected at all. It has some caramel malt and nuttiness, but it’s very watery. Medium carbonation also comes through on the brew. This brew was definitely underflavored, at least for me. The finish had nothing on it. I’m usually a big fan of Abita brews, but this is just not a pleasant brew for me. It’s also not what I would expect out of a Christmas beer. Definitely would not have this one again.

Rogue HazelNut Brown Nectar (aka Bald Guy Brown) pours a hazy brown and develops a one finger foamy tan head. Retention was noticeably short and lacing was absent.

The aroma is dominated by hazelnut and general “nutiness”. I pick up on a mild chocolate smell and a bit of brown sugar which is likely the sweetness from the malts coming through. It is not a very complex nose but it is well balanced.

The taste echoes the aroma and is also dominated by hazelnut with an understated chocolate flavor. The beer is very sweet (maybe too sweet for some tastes?). The taste is great but the sheer power of the hazelnut is distracting and makes isolating other flavors difficult. I found as the beer warmed slightly that the hazelnut became less overpowering. At this point the beer was revealed to have a definite quality brown ale base.

The mouthfeel is creamy but with high carbonation. When holding the beer in the mouth longer to pick up on the flavors you get a pretty tingly tongue.

This was a fairly one-dimensional beer albeit a very enjoyable one.

Rating:

Hop Karma Brown IPA by Terrapin Beer Company

Another day with the sniffles and harsh cough brings me to Beer #38.  Let me introduce you to Hop Karma Brown IPA, an American Brown Ale, by Terrapin Beer Company.  Sounds like a hopped up version of a brown ale, not one of my favorites.  The ABV comes in at 6%.

Alas, the review will be for another day as everything I eat and drink has very little taste…including this beer.

I do feel better times are coming as I think the cold is starting to let up.

There is a huge right up about this beer and its unique name at the Tyranena website.

Rocky’s Revenge pours an expectable brown color with noticeable amber highlights. Head is an eggshell white and it hangs around for a minute or two.

I was surprised to find that the nose on this beer was really muted, which is odd for a bourbon barrel aged beer.  I did however pick up mild chocolate and peanut smells. No bourbon to be found.

The taste is a different story. Roasted chocolate notes are at the front of the taste, with bourbon taking over the rear. Unlike some beers that use barrel aging, the bourbon flavors mixed quite nicely with the chocolate, creating a delicious flavor. However, I wish there was more roastiness/nuttiness.

Mouthfeel is medium and slightly sticky.  A syrupy sweetness comes through as the beer warms. Rocky’s Revenge leaves a good taste in your mouth.

This is a tasty beer.  Not one to drink all night, but a perfect sipper beer. A bourbon barrel aged beer that doesn’t overpower with the alcohol flavors, Rocky’s Revenge is my first Tyranena beer, but I hope it’s not my last.

Overall: 8 out of 10

As a BROWN ALE: 7 out of 10

FOR FANS OF: Dogfish Head PALO SANTO MARRON, Surly BENDER, Sierra Nevada TUMBLER

11/29/2010: I’ve seen this beer on the shelves for years, but never got around to trying it. To be honest Rogue overall seems to be a bit overrated to me, although I will say their regular chocolate stout is a pretty damn good beer. Other than that I won’t go out of my way for much of their beer.

The nose is without a doubt very nutty, possibly the nuttiest of any brown ale I have ever smelled. Surprisingly the dominant flavor is a nice roasted malt, followed by a good nutty flavor. To be honest I would not have guess it to be hazelnut if I hadn’t known that was the secret ingredient. Also a bit of chocolate and tobacco like flavors in the mix. Hazelnut nectar actually ends up being a bit on the bitter end of the brown ale scale. Medium mouthfeel but a bit syrupy. Overall a pretty decent beer, a bit better than I expected.

Picture of the day: This kid is handicapable.

Sweet, slightly roasty aroma with a hint of chocolate. Color’s a pleasing dark red brown. Mouthfeel is well-carbonated. Taste is roasty. Aftertaste is surprisingly bitter and crisp for the style, but not unwelcome, and has a faint wood smoke to it. A little too smokey and roasty for me, veering into porter/stout territory, but overall not a bad beer. 5.8% ABV.

Comments: This is an attractive copper brown ale with a thick head, but I was a disappointed by the taste.  It was weak and flat with a few hints of chocolate.  I expect something heartier from a beer of this type.  Oddly enough, I’ve tried this beer before from a bottle, and I liked it a lot better.

Related Beers:

• 6.9 – Long Trail Belgian White
• 6.9 – Long Trail Blackberry Wheat
• 6.9 – Long Trail Double Bag Ale