Newcastle Brown Ale (England - Dunston)

Newcastle Brown Ale (England - Dunston) 4.7%

Mildly malty and moderately bitter, this brown is very drinkable and refreshing which probably explains why it finds its way (in draft form) into pubs and bars all over the world.

It is a dark reddish brown in a glass, well carbonated, fairly sweet and tastes a little like caramel. A mix of nuttiness from the malt and barely green hops flavour give this ale a few wooden tones.

All in all a good beer; not a heavily malty brown that could be intimidating to those more accumstomed to beers that are gold and fizzy. This beer is definitely easy to drink and to enjoy for people with a wide variety of tastes. For those looking for a beer that sticks to your ribs and leaves tiger stripes on your glass, you're better off with a thicker brown or a porter.

Wellington County Dark Ale (Canada - Ontario - Guelph)

Wellington County Dark Ale (Canada - Ontario - Guelph) 5.0%

A red hued brown colour in a glass; a quite fading head with limited lacing. It has a musty earthy aroma, that reminded me of clay, with roast and wood tones as well. Delicious milk chocolate and fresh brown bread, molasses and just the perfect touch of hops and bitterness to finish. A slightly smoky, roasty and moderately bitter finish with a pleasant biscuit aftertaste. Quite a light mouthfeel making it sessionable and pub-appropriate. I'd suggest serving it around 6 or 7 degree Celsius to allow the flavours to really stand on their own. Wellington County Dark Ale is brewed to be an English Brown Ale and I'd have to say they do a very nice job.