
American Brown Ale
Ale
American Brown Ale beer, inspired by the English-style Brown Ales and Porters, originated a long time ago by US home brewers. The brew color as the name suggests is brown, but can range from a deep copper tone, to a very dark brown. The flavors and aromas of American Brown Ales consist of toasty, nutty notes of caramel and chocolate that stem from the malt used in the brew. The toasty notes are balanced by earthy citrusy flavors from hops featured in the background.
The basic American Brown Ale description includes characteristics such as moderate in hops, malt, and roast in efforts to not be confused with, or break into the categories of other beer styles. The beer has a medium-high carbonation and the ABV tends to range from 4-9%.
Brown Ale beer ingredients consist of hops, malt, water, and yeast, but the use of American hops is what sets the American Brown Ale apart from the rest, since they are bolder with more of a bite. Based on the general style guidelines, most people believe they understand what a basic American Brown Ale will taste like, but many Americans today are doings lots of experimenting, leaving more customers unexpectedly surprised.
These brews are best served in pint glasses, most often the Nonic pint glass, which has a narrow base and wider mouth with a defined bulge right near the top of the glass. This glass is perfect for serving the beer with its roughly one-inch foam head. American Brown Ale food pairing includes grilled meats like pork and steak, as well as grilled vegetables, and hardy smoked Gouda cheese.
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