Brown ales are sadly not a very hyped type of beer & this is surprising given the fact that it is quite a versatile style, going from sweet to dry & from malty to hoppy. In England they’re divided into 2 categories, the Northern version & the Southern one. In the North, it tends to be paler & stronger as well as more bitter, while in the South, it’s commonly darker with a sweeter profile. However, it must not be mistaken for London Brown Ales or American Brown Ales. I personally love these malty & thirst-quenching beers. This post is dedicated to deliver information on what you should expect from a typical British Brown ale. It can serve for brewers as well as consumers. As for all other articles about styles, I’ve taken the guidelines of the most serious references available & put them together to create a large description of what is this specific beer style. This allows me to be more inclusive rather than too precise.
Vital Statistics
ABV
British Brown Ales often lie in the range of 4.2%-6.0% ABV which is slightly higher than most English styles.
SRM
As their name mention it, they’re mostly brown but can vary between 12-22 SRM, which means medium amber to brown.
OG/FG
The Original Gravity (OG) of British Brown Ales usually reside between 1.040-1.050 while the final gravity is between 1.008-1.014.
IBU
Not really bitter, this style of beer has a very low to low IBU falling somewhere between 12-30.
Style Characteristics
Appearance
British Brown Ales tend to have a deep amber to brown colour & are clear most of the time. The effervescence is noticeable with modest bubbles rising at a moderate pace. The head is usually low to medium with a nice pale beige to tan tone.
Aroma
Malts in this style are reminiscent of toffee, nuts, biscuits & toasts with light chocolate & heavy caramel notes. The hops confer a herbaceous, floral & earthy bouquet, a classic offering from the English variety. The yeast may give mild fruity aromas from the esters, as well as faint diacetyl if present. When the esters are mixed with the specialty malts it can develop a scent reminiscent of raisins, dates, figs, blackberries, currants & other dried fruits. In short, British Brown ales are often heavy on the cereals, low on the hops & have a very low to low yeast character. Diacetyl should be faint & the fruitiness should never dominate.
Flavour
Varying amounts of caramel character are common in this style of beer as well as nutty, toasted, biscuits, toffee or light chocolate notes. The hops remain in the background only giving a faint floral & earthy touch. The yeast may produce low to moderate fruity esters creating subtle flavours similar to berries & dried fruits. Some diacetyl may also be present although if so, must be barely noticeable. Again British Brown Ales should be heavy on the malts with supportive but never dominant hops & on the palate possibly have more flavour from the yeast.
Molecules
Some of the most common causes or molecules are listed here next to the aroma & flavour generally found in British Brown Ales, although many more can be the reason or the origin of a certain odour.
Mouthfeel
British Brown Ales usually have a medium body with a low to moderately high carbonation. In my experience, they tend to be on the sweeter side, but some fine examples are pretty dry. In England, it will largely depend on where your beer comes from. The hop bitterness should be quite low. The finish length varies from short to medium.
Overall Impression
A generally low to moderate ABV, malty British ale with a caramel, chocolate & toasted nuts character that doesn’t go too much into roasty, coffee or dark chocolate flavours. They can come with various levels of sweetness depending on the brewer or where you are in England, if that’s the case. English hops are a traditional ingredient lending some earthy & floral notes without being too dominant nor bitter. English yeast is also what is generally used in order to maintain the flavour profile.
Common Ingredients
Common Hops: English Hops in general, Kent Goldings
Common Malts: Pale Ale, British Mild, Caramel, Special Roast, Victory, Crystal, Pale Chocolate
Yeast: Ale
Common Examples
Canada: Sons Of Hector - Breton Brewing Co.; Coppersmith Brown Ale - Common Crown Brewing Co.; Earnscliffe - Dominion City Brewing Co.; Swordfish - Microbrasserie Le Naufrageur
USA: Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale - Tröegs Brewing Company; Nut Brown Ale - Goose Island Beer Co.; Nut Brown Ale - AleSmith Brewing Company
South America: Gato Malo - Volcano Brewing
UK: Nut Brown Ale - Samuel Smith Old Brewery; Brick Field Brown - The Five Points Brewing Company; Stokey Brown - Pressure Drop Brewing; Newcastle Brown Ale – Heineken
Europe: Brown Ale - Jacobsen; Brown Ale - Jaws Brewery; La Niña Barbuda - Barcelona Beer Company
Japan: GBF Endless Brown Ale - Nide Beer
Asia: *I know very few examples available for this specific style at the moment in this region.*
Australia: Brown - Mornington Peninsula Brewery; Brown Ale - New England Brewing Co.
History
The English Brown Ale we know today is a pretty modern construction in comparison to other British styles. It originates in Great Britain in the 18th century although not long after its beginnings, it got more expensive to produce because of the difference in barley prices. Darker malts were put aside while the paler ones took the lead. The style only had a renaissance around 1900 and was brewed at a considerably higher ABV than most traditional British Ales. Depending on where you were in England you would generally get slightly distinct interpretations of this beer. The Northern part was usually drier and in the South it’s a sweeter version that was offered & it is still possible to observe these disparities. Nowadays, Modern British Brown Ales are being brewed in multiple countries with the same exceptional quality you would find in its original land.
How to Serve
Glass
I always prefer snifters, tulips, thistles or other bowl-shaped glasses, because of the way it concentrates the aromas. I’m also a fan of the Teku with its frame similar to wine. In most cases there is a precise vessel designed to hold a specific liquid and commonly seen with traditional British-style beers is a Nonic pint which is great for a British Brown Ale.
Temperature
British Brown Ale should be served at around 10-12 °C (50-54 °F) in order to appreciate the flavours to their full extent.
Pairings
Vegetables
Most root veggies will pair wonderfully with a British Brown Ale because their earthy profile complements nicely the English hops. When cooked, they often develop nuances of caramel with a hint of nuttiness and these flavours resonate amazingly with the malts. Squashes can accomplish a similar role and they will even bring along a subtle sweetness. Furthermore, there are plenty of mushrooms that share the same nut aromas when cooked such as Enoki, King Oyster, Shimeji & Morels. Bell peppers, eggplant & asparagus on the grill are also good pairings. Although not really vegetables, no need to say that pretty much every grain & seed will complement the beer in a pleasant way.
Suggestion: Portobello Burger with honey mustard, watercress, tomato & pumpkin seeds on a sesame bun along with Sweet Potato & Acorn Squash Fries and Roasted Carrots sprinkled with rosemary & thyme.
Meats
The roasty character of the British Brown Ale pairs wonderfully with meats & fishes. The caramel flavour found in the beer may also combine well with a BBQ sauce. The herbaceous English hops will enhance most of the herbs used in meat preparation such as Rosemary, Thyme & Oregano. The British Brown Ale tends to go better with pork, poultry, lamb & veal.
Suggestion: Rosemary, garlic & chives sausages grilled on a barbecue with a side dish of honey-glazed roasted parsnips & Enoki mushrooms.
Cheese
British Brown Ales tend to complement nutty cheeses & the carbonation present in beer will serve as a palate cleanser. The hops & the malty sweetness will also enhance the experience of eating funkier cheeses such as a Stilton or other blue types.
Suggestions: Aged Gouda, Young Comte, Cheddar, Stilton, Cheschire.
Breakfast
If a brunch shows up, a low ABV British Brown Ale is a wonderful alternative to the classic Mimosa or Irish Coffee. Almost everything you could find in a Breakfast goes well with this style, from pancakes & waffles to bread, croissants & muffins, as well as eggs, coffee & syrups. Even condiments such as jam, peanut butter & hazelnut spread are a safe bet when drinking this beer.
Suggestions: Whole wheat pancakes with maple syrup, walnuts & dried cranberries along with a latte.
Dessert
Nuts, caramel sauce, dried fruits, biscuits, coffee & chocolate. These are the most common flavours in this style of the British Brown Ale, so pairing them with a dessert isn’t the hardest thing to do. However keep in mind that decadent & rich cloyingly sweet treats might overwhelm the beer.
Suggestions: Rocky Mountain Fudge, Crème brûlée, Poached Pears, Pecan Pie, Tiramisu or Baklava are all great options.
Seasons/Occasion
They are a perfectly good choice year-round & in all occasions although I must admit having a preference for them in the colder months especially at Fall. The warming sensation procured by this beverage complements rainy autumn days.
Suggestions: Fall, Winter; By The Fireplace, At the Cottage, For Christmas, Rainy Days
Exploration for the Curious Mind
In this section you will find some suggestions to expand your range of flavours with some beverages sharing similarities with British Brown Ales. From another perspective, if you've never tried this style of beer but find many things you already enjoy in these suggestions, maybe you should give it a shot.
Beers
Doppelbock, Mild, Dubbel, Munich Dunkel, American Brown Ale, London Brown Ale, Scotch Ale
Spirits
Try some whiskey if you usually like British Brown Ales. High-rye Bourbons may really surprise you as there are a lot of overlaps in flavour profile between these two. If you would prefer a Scotch, a Speyside like Aberlour 12 is pretty similar also sharing aromas of cake fruits & toffee.
Wine
Most fortified wines will share some aromas with the British Brown Ale. Some of my best recommendations would be between these: Tawny or Vintage Port for the dried fruits, spiciness & nuttiness; Amontillado or Oloroso Sherry for the renown nuts & dried fruits of the Sherry; Commandaria because it possesses similar flavours such as caramel & spices and it’s quite uncommon; a Bual Colheita Madeira because of the caramel, dried fruits, nuts & baking spice notes of the grape. For something lighter, Grenache Noire, Malbec & Teroldego are all varieties to look out for especially in colder climates like the Old World.
The Reference
Floral Hop Aroma in Beer Val E. Peacock, Max L. Deinzer,* Sam T. Likens, Gail B. Nickerson, and Lois A. McGill
The Beer Bible Jeff Alworth
Photo by Amy Parkes
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