Bluegrass Brewing Company Nut Brown Ale

Today I come to you with a review of a beer I paid entirely too much for. Not that it’s an expensive beer….I think the place I bought it just has an overblown idea of the value of their products. The shop sold singles for $2.50 each, but you could mix and match a 6-pack for $12.50. I would have thought a prepackaged 6-pack would have been a normal price, but it was not to be. Needless to say, I won’t be returning there.

 Anyway, on to the beer. Bluegrass Brewing Company, as the name implies, is in the state of Kentucky, Louisville to be exact. According to their Web site, they are the largest microbrewery in Kentucky. I’ve been wanting to try their brews for some time and just finally got my chance.

According to the bottle, BBC’s Nut Brown Ale is an English-style brown ale. Here is some information on this beer from BBC’s underwhelming Web site:

Description: Brewed with a blend of six different malts to give a medium-full body and a nutty after taste.

Malts used - Special Pale, Munich, Aromatic, Biscuit, Caramnunich, and Chocolate

Hops used - UK Challenger and Willamette

Food Pairing - Chocolate desserts, Beef dishes, mildly spicy dishes

Here’s what I thought…

The Pour
This beer pours to a nice auburn brown color. Light can pass through relatively easily, showcasing the beautiful red undertones in the color. There is a respectable head with minimal lacing on the glass.

The Nose
There are definite coffee, chocolate and smoky nutty notes present in the nose. I wasn’t expecting the chocolate as I hadn’t looked into what kinds of malts they used. The smell is quite mouthwatering.

The Taste
This beer has a great mouthfeel. The beer is smooth and medium to full-bodied. Roasted malt and coffee flavors stand out from the beginning. This is a very smooth and easy drinking brew and a terrific example of how a nut brown ale should be done.  Midway through a bottle you notice your mouth is coated with nutty, coffee, chocolatey joy!

Overall
Overall, this is a great tasting nut brown ale! The nose and the taste combine in perfect harmony to deliver great flavors throughout. Very smooth and drinkable and great in any season.

Recommended: Without question!
Price: $12.50 for a 6-pack (should be cheaper for you…check the price 1st!)
ABV: Unknown

Big River Grille Sweet Magnolia American Brown Ale

I’ve had this beer before, many times, but decided to enjoy it again and post a review of it. Big River Grille is a chain restaurant/brewery that began in Chattanooga, TN. Here is a little about them from their Web site:

Throughout the 19th century, the great riverboats of the Mississippi and Tennessee Rivers brought the freshest and finest goods from our nation’s heartland to cities along its banks. Big River Grille & Brewing Works was born out of a passion for fresh, hand crafted beer and premium, made from scratch regional cuisine. Our original location in Chattanooga, Tennessee is located in a historic trolley barn, just steps away from Ross’s Landing. Along the Tennessee River, in days gone by, it was here that fresh grains and produce were offloaded for use by local merchants including mills, markets and of course - breweries. At Big River Grille & Brewing Works, the riverboat’s heritage is echoed in our award-winning lagers and ales and innovative menu. Our onsite brewery, extraordinary regional cuisine, and warm and friendly service deliver a fun and deliciously entertaining experience you will enjoy.

The Sweet Magnolia American Brown Ale is, according to Big River Grille:

Medium-bodied, brown in color with a floral hop aroma created by Mt. Hood hops. Crystal and Chocolate malts from the UK render a sweet, malty flavor. Gold medal in the 1998 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado.

Here’s what I think…

The Pour
I was brought a glass on tap, with very little standing head. It’s a rich dark brown color, with just a hint of light shining through. After a sip, there was some nice lacing down the glass that didn’t last very long.

The Nose
The nose is quite malty and sweet. There is a definite nuttiness and caramel present in the aroma, and hints of green apple come through as the beer warms.

The Taste
This beer is a crisp, medium-bodied ale. It is lightly carbonated, and the nuttiness and caramel carry through from the nose to the taste. There is definitely a sweet maltiness to the brew, though hoppy undertones are present and make this a crisp brew. There are also smoky undertones to the beer. As the beer warmed, I could taste the crisp green apple present in the nose after it warmed. Very interesting to taste that in the beer. The green apple helped contribute to its depth of taste.

In Summary
This is an excellent American brown ale. I don’t have much else to say about it. It’s just a great brown ale.

Recommended: Definitely
Price: $3.75 for a pint glass
ABV: 5.2%

Blackstone Brewery Nut Brown Ale

I’ve had this brew many times, but since Socialretard wanted me to do some local brews, I thought I’d review Blackstone’s Nut Brown Ale.

I cracked the bottle open and immediately poured it into my lager glass. (My pints were dirty). I didn’t pour as well as I usually do, so the head was minimal at best, with very little lacing.

The beer poured a dark brown color with ruby undertones where the light made it through the beer near the narrower parts of the glass. There was a definite hint of nuttiness on the nose, and I prepared to drink.

The carbonation was relatively light. So, unfortunately, was the nutty taste. There were hints of nuttiness, but they weren’t as pronounced as I would have liked. The mouthfeel was fairly light and soft.

I don’t really have too much to say about this one because the complexity is not really there. This seems to be something brewed to appeal to the Bud, Coors and Miller crowds, as an intro into microbrewing and nut brown ales. It’s what you could call a PC nut brown ale. It really doesn’t want to offend anyone with its character.

Recommended: As a starter nut brown, perhaps
Price: I paid $1.49 for one 12 oz. bottle
ABV: Unknown