Foothills Barrel Aged India Brown Ale

Brewed by Foothills Brewing
Style: Brown Ale
Winston-Salem, North Carolina USA

Serve in Dimpled mug

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Name: India Brown Ale, BA
Date: August 28, 2010
Mode: Draft
Source: Brewfest, Great NC
Appearance: cloudy brown, creamy beige head, solid lace
Aroma: sweet chocolate aroma, light bourbon and vanilla
Flavor: sweet chocolate flavor, nice touch of bourbon, hops are still present and meld nicely with the oak, plenty of balancing bitterness, light barrel tartness

Name: India Brown Ale, BA
Date: September 15, 2011
Mode: pint house asheville
Score: 3.4 to 3.7
Appearance: opaque dark brown, creamy tan head, drippy lace
Aroma: aroma is a melody of citrus hops, bourbon, and chocolate
Flavor: chocolate and bourbon flavor, just a trace of the hops

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 16/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *** /4

Strong alcohol aroma and balanced and dry mouthfeel with an amber red appearance and easy drinking finish. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bitter, brown, and boozy as all get out, this beer is all over the place, yet remains steady enough to make for a tasty pint. The pour is slack and uninspiring, but a head eventually blurbles up, reaching a nice tan color. Smells malty and brown yet drenched in whisky. Tastes the same, with a lingering hop finish that is coupled with a boozed-out heat. The Pappy is on full display in this brew, almost too much so, overwhelming the beer in the middle before the hops straighten things out. Needs taming to calm the burn, but age might destroy the authoritarian hoppy streak.

Not positive where I sampled this, but I’m pretty certain it was at the Floyd Fandango 2011. Near clear brown amber pour with good tan head. Smells fantastic! Like faint oak, vanilla, and faded hops. In the flavor, the hops become spicier, but with a perfect balance of wood. Not overly oaky, but definitely supports the base flavors. A little dying on the palate from the oak. A truly great beer.

On tap. Pours with a clearish brown hued body with a tan head. Aromas of bourbon, malty, lightly spicy and a bit biscuity. Bourbon aromas are smooth and elegant. Flavors are of bourbon, marzipan, molasses, vanilla, a bit earthy and nutty. A bit thin with medium to slightly lively bubbles. Tasty. No hops left.

Bottle acquired via Charleston Beer Exchange. Aroma of cocoa powder, Nestlé Quik, brownie mix, vanilla, brown sugar and toffee. Lots of chocolate, pudding, vanilla bean, and you get the Pappy influence which is AWESOME!!! Medium mouthfeel...really quite good.

(Draught) Pours a dark brown body with a medium beige head. Aroma of caramel, vanilla, bourbon, toffee, and coconut. Flavor of bourbon, caramel, roasted malt, chocolate, and vanilla.

sample at GABF on 10/1/11. murky brown pour with a big tan head. big bourbon, oak, vanilla nose with sweet malts. bourbon, oak, chocolate and roasted malt body. sweet vanilla, oak and bourbon finish.

Served on draft at Mellow Mushroom in Charlottesville, VA on 3/30/11. 200th North Carolina Rating! Pours a deep slightly hazy copper color with a large dense creamy brown head. Good head retention and lacing. Aroma of chocolate, nutty notes, citrus hops and mild bourbon notes in the finish. The taste is bourbon, mild chocolate nuts and a bitter hop finish. Smooth and well balanced. Medium bodied. Quite a good beer.

I do not like India Browns. They usually cancel out the good qualities of both browns and IPAs for me, but this was an exception. Strong sweet aroma of bourbon and hops. The base tasted nutty and sweet and the bourbon presence was strong without being hot or harsh. Wonderful hop flavor on the end without the harsh bitterness I tend to see in this style. Great beer.