Alexander Keiths Nova Scotia Style Brown Ale

Brewed by Oland Brewery (AB-InBev)
Style: Brown Ale
Halifax, Canada

Serve in Dimpled mug, Shaker

send corrections   |   shelftag   |   edit barcodes   |   update pic

December 24th, 2011 - I can’t remember the circumstances that brought me bottle-to-mouth with Alexander Keith’s Nova Scotia Brown Ale, but the occasion must not have been especially special. A clear and dark beer with the muted and quiet aroma of milk chocolate and malt, it doesn’t stand out in either appearance or smell. The flavor is certainly sweet, but shallow, and has a bit of that overripe apple sweetness that I associate with unengaging beers, and this beer definitely counts as unengaging. Still, if you’re looking for a sugary kick after a meal, or better yet during it, then this might be an appropriate option. I’ll stick with more reliably good beers like Blue Moon when and where available.

From notes: Poured clear nut brown with a 1-finger tan head. Mild caramel aroma. Medium body, just a touch thin. Nutty and caramel malt flavors. Not much going on here.

12 oz bottle. Poured a dark amber color with a small head of foam. Smells slightly nutty with hints of coffee and dark chocolate. The taste is mild and sweet with light caramel notes. Medium to light in body with ample carbonation.

I’m not exactly sure what a Nova Scotia "style" brown ale is suppose to be, nor am I familiar with many Canadian craft breweries but all in all, this was one horrifically unbalanced beer. Right out of the bottle it appeared welcoming and brown with amber highlights and a nice inch of off-white foam. There was however a distinct medicinal aroma that was quite herby, a bit grassy with some notes of hay. No distinct hop aroma and no roasted aromas, yet a sweet powdered sugariness was very apparent. It tasted like it smelled, overly sweet with adjunct sweetness, tastes of either malto-dextrin or lactose sugar in its sweetness. Very little to no bitterness was present to balance the overwhelming sweet flavor. Other expected flavors for the style of a brown ale were either covered up or missing. ZERO hop aroma and flavor were present. I personally brew with Cascade hops all the time and could not pick up even a trace of it in this beer. The sweetness is definitely artificial and leaves a slickness on the tongue (diacetyl?). I paid $7 for a bottle of this and dumped 80% of it. yup, that bad.

"Bottle into chilled pilsner glass. dark brown w/ tan head...creamy/sweet with a bitter caramel/toffee effect....nutty, but another one that drinks like a cola...fairly decent, but feels mass produced " I agree with all of this..... It’s like a real root-beer to me........

Bottle. Brown pour with thin off white head. Very sweet aroma, caramel, honey and cinnamon. Very sweet flavour, more caramel and honey. No hop in the aroma and very little in the finish. I would not call this balanced.

Bottle at Sander’s place in NYC. Pours clear brown with a soft, foamy head. Dark sugar, caramel and toast in the nose. Pretty sweet flavor, caramel sugar, sweet bread, faint leaves. Medium bodied with light to average carbonation. Sweet, almost syrupy finish, more caramel, sweet toast, mild ripe fruits, and faint brown sugar. The sweetness is a bit cloying but the beer’s still drinkable.

Bottle into chilled pilsner glass. dark brown w/ tan head...creamy/sweet with a bitter caramel/toffee effect....nutty, but another one that drinks like a cola...fairly decent, but feels mass produced

Aroma is a sweet pale malt. Taste is slightly nutty with some sweet caramel malt. Overall pretty unimpressive.

Pour from a 12 oz bottle. Clear brown brew with small head. Smoll of malts, a little toasted malt, maybe a int of herbal hops. Taste is a little sweet at the start progressing to a substantially sweet finish. Malt, honey, and in the finsih caramel and toffee. Nice nuttiness throughout. Palat is thin to medium but sticky at the end. Interesting brew but one that just does not come together for me.