Name: Indian Brown Ale
Brewed By: Dogfish Head
Brewed In: Milton, DE
Type: Brown Ale
ABV: 7.2%
What they say: “Forget about the car companies, this is the original hybrid, a cross between a Scotch Ale, an India Pale Ale, and an American Brown. Our Indian Brown Ale is well-hopped and malty at the same time (magical). The beer has characteristics of each style that inspired it; the color of an American Brown, the caramel notes of a Scotch Ale, and the hopping regiment of an India Pale Ale. We dry-hop the Indian Brown Ale in a similar fashion as our 60 Minute IPA and 90 Minute IPAs. This beer is brewed with Aromatic barley and organic brown sugar.”
Website: Very nice site. Everything is laid out well; clicking on “The Brews” brings you to the entire list. Each beer can then be clicked on for even more information. Easy to navigate, and best of all: no Enter Your Age splash nonsense!
Why this one, Show?: I bought a six-pack of Indian Brown with which to make a loaf of beer bread. Since that only takes one bottle, I had five more to review from. Somehow, but not surprisingly, this is the last bottle.
First Thoughts:
Head: Pours up thick, and very off-white.
Nose: Woody, caramel, chicory.
Color: So brown it’s black.
Presentation (5): Dogfish Head’s labels for their year-round selections are nearly the same: the logo and beer name at the top, against a background of barley, with a short paragraph of info. At the bottom is the ABV. Consistent in brand recognition, but it’s not going to catch your eye over something flashier. 3
Originality (5): Brown ale. Not too much else you can say. The Dogfish twist is put on this one, but the style is a classic. 2
Body (10): This is a big beer. The only thing that keeps this beer from being a stout is the taste—it’s heavy, thick, and fulfilling but lacks the bittersweet coffee/chocolate flavors indicative of stouts. Brown ales should be full-bodied, and this does not disappoint. 9
Taste (10): This is where this brown breaks out from the normal. There’s a sweet start of molasses, which seamlessly moves into a nice dry, woody finish. Being a Dogfish Head offering, there is a good amount of hops put into this, but the malt and the brown sugar offset it and prevent this beer from tasting like a bitter twig. 9
Efficiency (10): While this beer clocks in at a very nice 7.2% ABV, the boldness of the body may prevent most snobs from making an evening out of this one. Padding your night with a few of these would go a long way, and the sweetness makes it a good go-to for beer snobs and newcomers alike. 8
Versatility (10): This is not something you’re going to want to consume six of in a night, no matter how much of a snob you think you are. The big body and bold flavors just do not make for mass consumption. This beer also finds a nice home in recipes, as well as a nice pairing with foods with big tastes—smoked BBQ, roasted spiced meats, and hearty sandwiches. 7
Final Score: 38 – Really Good Beer
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I think this is a great beer, myself, but I don’t see much wrong with any Dogfish Head beer I’ve ever tried….excellent. Good review as well. I like how you administer points and have the various categories you have
The Beer Snob