Top 10 English Brown Ales Brewed in North America
This Top Ten English Brown Ales list is from the results of the U.S. Open Beer Championship, Great American Beer Festival, and World Beer Cup. English brown ale ranges from deep copper to brown in color. They have a medium body and a dry to sweet maltiness with very little hop flavor or aroma Roast malt tones may sometimes contribute to the flavor and aroma profile. ABV: 4.20% – 6.00%. IBU: 15-25
1. Bandit Brown – City Star Brewing – Colorado
2. Southern Pecan – Lazy Magnolia Brewing – Mississippi
3. Alfred Brown – Peticolas Brewing – Texas
4. Sierra Blanca Nut Brown Ale – Sierra Blanca Brewing – New Mexico
5. Bandit Brown – City Star Brewing – Colorado
6. Bricktop Brown – Perrin Brewing – Michigan
7. Good Grief Brown – Pizza Port Carlsbad – california
8. Sweet Jose – Lonerider Brewing – North Carolina
9. Bell’s Best Brown – Bell’s Brewery – Michigan
10. Fat Squirrel Ale – New Glarus Brewing Company – Wisconsin
History of the English Brown Ale Style
Origins in Early English Brewing (Pre-18th Century)
The origins of English Brown Ale are tied to the early history of British brewing, which dates back to at least the medieval period. Before the 18th century, most beer in England was brewed locally, often in homes or small taverns, using rudimentary equipment and locally available ingredients. These beers were typically dark, smoky, and malty due to the use of wood-fired kilns and barley malt dried over open flames. The term “brown ale” wasn’t explicitly used, but beers of this general character—dark, malty, and moderately strong—were common and referred to by various names like “ale” or “beer.”
Malt and Water: Early brown ales were made with brown malt, a type of malt kilned to a darker color, imparting nutty, toasty, and sometimes smoky flavors. Water quality varied by region, influencing beer character—London’s hard water, for instance, accentuated malt flavors.
No Formal Style: Brewing was not standardized, and “brown ale” was more a description of color and malt profile than a distinct style. These beers were often consumed fresh and varied widely in strength and flavor.
The 18th Century: Brown Ale and the Rise of Porter
By the early 18th century, advances in brewing technology and the growth of commercial breweries in London and other cities began to shape beer styles more distinctly. Brown ale, as a loosely defined category, was overshadowed by the rise of porter, a dark, robust beer that became immensely popular among London’s working class, particularly porters (hence the name).
Brown Malt Dominance: Brown malt remained the backbone of many beers, including early porters and what we might retroactively call brown ales. These beers were typically moderate in alcohol (4-6% ABV) and had a rich, malty profile with notes of caramel, toast, and sometimes a slight smokiness.
Regional Variations: In northern England, particularly in areas like Newcastle and Yorkshire, brewers produced beers that were lighter and less smoky than London’s porters but still relied on brown malt. These beers laid the groundwork for the modern Northern English Brown Ale.
The 19th Century: Industrialization and Style Divergence
The Industrial Revolution brought significant changes to brewing, including the invention of pale malt (made possible by coke-fired kilns) and the rise of large-scale commercial breweries. These developments led to a divergence in brown ale styles and a decline in the prominence of brown malt-based beers.
Northern vs. Southern Styles:
Northern Brown Ale: In northern England, particularly in Newcastle and the Midlands, brown ales remained popular. These beers were typically drier, nuttier, and less sweet than their southern counterparts, with a focus on balance and drinkability. Breweries like Newcastle and Samuel Smith’s began producing beers that would later be recognized as archetypes of the Northern English Brown Ale.
Southern Brown Ale: In southern England, especially London, brown ales evolved into sweeter, lower-alcohol beers (often 3-4% ABV). These were sometimes blended with mild ales and were marketed as approachable, sessionable drinks for the working class. Mann’s Original Brown Ale, first brewed in the late 19th century, is a surviving example of this style.
Decline of Brown Malt: The widespread adoption of pale malt and the popularity of pale ales and bitters reduced the use of brown malt. Brown ales became a niche style, overshadowed by porters, stouts, and the emerging India Pale Ale (IPA).
The Early 20th Century: Decline and Survival
By the early 20th century, brown ale was struggling to maintain its place in a market dominated by pale ales, bitters, and stouts. The two world wars further strained British brewing, as rationing limited ingredients and forced brewers to produce lower-alcohol beers.
Northern Resilience: Northern brown ales, such as Newcastle Brown Ale (first brewed in 1927), gained a loyal following. Newcastle Brown Ale, with its distinctive nutty, slightly fruity profile and moderate strength (4.7% ABV), became an iconic example of the style and helped cement the Northern Brown Ale as a distinct category.
Southern Decline: Southern brown ales, often sweeter and lighter, were increasingly lumped in with mild ales. Many breweries phased them out in favor of more popular styles, though Mann’s Brown Ale continued to be produced as a niche product.
Cultural Shifts: Brown ale was seen as old-fashioned compared to the lighter, hoppier beers gaining popularity. Its association with working-class pubs limited its appeal in an era of changing tastes.
The Late 20th Century: Revival and Craft Beer
The revival of English Brown Ale began in the 1970s and 1980s, driven by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) in the UK and the emerging craft beer movement in the United States. These movements emphasized traditional brewing methods and regional styles, bringing renewed attention to brown ale.
CAMRA and Traditional Ales: CAMRA’s advocacy for cask-conditioned ales helped revive interest in Northern English Brown Ales. Breweries like Samuel Smith’s and Theakston’s produced classic examples, emphasizing nutty, malty flavors and cask conditioning.
American Craft Beer Influence: In the US, craft brewers embraced brown ale as a versatile, approachable style. However, American Brown Ales often diverged from their English counterparts, incorporating more hops and roasted malts for a bolder, more robust flavor. This led to a clear distinction between the malt-forward, restrained English Brown Ale and the hoppier, more aggressive American Brown Ale.
Global Recognition: By the 1990s, English Brown Ale was recognized as a distinct style in beer competitions and style guidelines, such as those published by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). The BJCP formalized the split between Northern and Southern English Brown Ales, highlighting their differences in sweetness, strength, and flavor profile.
The 21st Century: Modern English Brown Ale
Today, English Brown Ale remains a respected but somewhat niche style, appreciated for its balance, drinkability, and historical significance. It is brewed by both traditional British breweries and craft brewers worldwide, though it is less common than IPAs or stouts in the modern craft beer scene.
Northern English Brown Ale:
Characteristics: Medium-bodied, with a nutty, biscuity malt profile, moderate bitterness (20-30 IBUs), and a dry to slightly sweet finish. Alcohol typically ranges from 4.2-5.4% ABV.
Examples: Newcastle Brown Ale, Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, Elland 1872 Porter (though technically a porter, it shares traits with Northern Brown Ales).
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