Newcastle Brown Ale

Brewed by Dunston (S&N, Heineken)
Style: Brown Ale
Gateshead,, England

Clear brown, moderate head with poor retention. Faintly caramel and dusty aroma. Fairly bland palate: caramel malt with a very dry finish. Noticably watery. I used to drink a lot of this years ago in university, but it really is fairly unremarkable.

Sweet, chewy, & nutty goodness. Almost sounds like a breakfast cereal commercial, but it’s true. A flavorful brown ale that flows smooth. It takes the hops some time, but eventually they come out (almost as if they have to build up a presence in your mouth, before releasing their aroma). Yes, Billb, accessibility is a beautiful thing. I miss those establishments called ’liquor stores,’ back in the West. Here in the Southeast we have ABC (The Government’s Alc. Bev. Control) stores for liquor and grocery stores for Beer (it’s not fun waiting in line, behind a cartful of groceries, to buy a 12 pack).

Clear cherry color with a creamy white head. Aroma of nuts and dark malt. Thin body with light hints of nuts.

A bit weird to be supping this studiously from a glass, but here goes. As red as Rowntree’s raspberry jelly, and a subtle hint of strawberry in the nose. Delicately nutty caramel malt with a restrained parting bitterness. Clean, crisp and refreshing. A far tastier brew than I gave it credit for in my student days, when I drank it entirely because it was cheap, manly to be seen with (I imagined), and easy to shout at the barman.

Draught: Lightly sweet aroma of malts, caramel, sugar, and nuts. Poured amber/brown in color with a small, off-white head that diminished quickly. Very slightly sparkling. Flavor of cream, malts, caramel and nuts. Medium body. Sticky texture. Soft to average carbonation. Strange, bubblegum/nut finish. Overall, drinkable, but why bother?

(Draught) Pours warm straight brown and leaves lacing. Not so aromatic. Straightforward, a bit bland but decent and approachable and easy to find.

A storied beer with aunique history. Unfortunately, it is rather bland

While not skunked, I was suspicious that the dusty aromas and flavors(coming through over the light malts) were products of the clear bottle. I enjoyed this years ago when I was not yet a snobbish beer drinker, but now it is thin, lacks complexity, and lacks interest.