Bells Best Brown Ale

Brewed by Bells Brewery
Style: Brown Ale
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Shaker

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Most people know this one for the fact that there’s an owl on the label and that it’s a winter seasonal, the opposite of Oberon (Solson, to those of us who remember), Bell’s top selling summer wheat. Best Brown is an "Amer-English" brown ale with a full and balanced body. It pours relatively heavy, bright-brown in color, with a nice, white chocolate head that lingers a bit on the glass. Served properly between 45°-55°, it opens with a maple, brown-sugary nose and sweet maltiness that rolls into a full mouthfeel. As it goes down, there’s a slight hoppy bite on the finish to balance and clean up the lingering sweetness. The balance is exceptional. It goes well with spicy foods, although it can get a little filling with a large meal. As a session beer, it can also get a bit sweet over time, although serving it a bit colder can help. While Best Brown is, for some reason, not as popular as the Winter White or Two Hearted over the winter monthsand not even in the ballpark of Oberon, in terms of sales--it remains one of Bell’s finest and most consistent offerings and is one of my personal favorites among their lineup.

A: Malty. A bit of roastiness in there. some nuttiness. Rather light. A: Hazy lighter brown with perfect creamy light tan head. T: A bit light on the flavor but it is complimented well but the heavy mouthfeel. As with the smell, a slight nuttiness, some maltiness. Some creaminess. P: This sits with way more body than I expected. A very creamy mouthfeel. Sits quite heavy which isn’t a bad thing. Lost a point due to some dull aggressive bitterness. O: This is a great beer. The mouthfeel is really what brings this one together. The flavors a light but it the creamy texture compliments they well.

Dark brown color. Sediments of a well crafted beer floated around in the bottle and amused my eyes as it poured into the glass. Nuts, caramel malt, dark roasted malts, contributed to a very dry and oily package. I enjoyed this beer quite a bit, A lot of character.

Smooth, easy drinking brown. Pours good, looks good, and tastes good.

Bell’s Brown ale is always a favorite of mine that I look forward too each year it’s released. With that being said this years Best Brown was a bit disappointing. Pours dark brown, head small, white, OK. Flavor with a bit thin this year with some chocolate and Munich character. Seems too be missing that special something that Bell’ usually delivers. Hops are present but lacking for the style. Probably will go unnoticed to the unsophisticated palate. Not bad. $9.99 6/pk at Hops & Vines. www.hopsandvines.net

Slight mixture of red and brown colouring, depending on the light around youl, generally pleasing to the eye. Mild bitterness, distinct taste of bread for some strange reason, but still pleasing.

12oz. bottle, pours dark reddish brown, aroma is caramel, malty, nutty, rich, taste is full, firm, resonating roasted malt and caramel, lovely big brown, really enjoyed this one.

They call it best brown ale for a reason. Well balanced hop and malt characters provide a very drinkable brown ale. Pours brown with small head, diminishing. Slight tastes of chocolate and caramel finished with nice hop flavour.

I’m a fan of all Bells beers, this may be my personal 3rd favorite behind Oberon and 2 Hearted

Reddish brown color. Malty aroma. Shorter head. Silky smooth malt with carmel flavors. Very drinkable and a good one to have next to the fire this time of year.