Brown Ale Beers for Delivery or Pickup

Brown ales range from a light amber to dark brown color, and they usually smell like citrus or nuts. Their flavor can contain notes of chocolate, toast, nuts, raisins, or caramel, and they tend to have a medium to high level of bitterness balanced by a strong sweet taste. Brewers aim to make brown ales with a similar amount of malt and hops, which gives them a rich taste and a medium body.

Brown ales were first brewed in England in the 17th century, but the drink lost popularity in the 1800s before brewers revived it in the early 1900s. As this drink came back into favor, different brewing styles emerged, leading to different flavor profiles. The focus of a brown ale has always been the malt, rather than the hops, however.

Brown ales can be separated into English and American styles of brewing. Some also further separate English brown ales into Southern and Northern, but modern English brewing methods are a bit more similar than they used to be, so not everyone makes this distinction today. Individual brewers may differ from these styles, particularly since manufacturers continue to experiment with different flavor profiles and brewing methods.

English brown ales are usually a bit lighter in color than American brown ales, ranging from copper to brown. They're less bitter and tend to be sweeter with flavor notes of toffee, caramel, or nuts. Often, English brown ales have a sweet or dry finish and a lower alcohol level. Traditionally, Southern English brown ales had a darker, sweeter taste, while Northern English brown ales were a bit crisper and lighter.

American brown ales are often darker than English brown ales and usually taste a bit more bitter. They smell like citrus, usually because of the American variety of hops used in the brewing, and taste like chocolate or toast. Most American brown ales incorporate more of the hops than the English style. They have a higher alcohol level than English brown ales, though they still have a relatively low alcohol content compared to other drinks.

If you prefer your brown ales with a bit more emphasis on the taste of the hops, along with the accompanying tendency towards bitterness, look for an American-style brown ale, such as Dogfish Head Craft Brewery's Indian Brown Ale. For something a bit sweeter and lower in alcohol content, look for an English-style brown ale, such as Newcastle brown ale. If you'd like to try something different, consider a brewer that adds a fruit or coffee taste to this traditional drink. 

Think about when you'll be drinking your brown ale as well. If you plan to enjoy a few drinks, consider one with a lower alcohol content, such as an English-style brown ale, although most brown ales are perfect for several rounds of drinks. Look for a session brown ale, which means that the alcohol by volume (ABV) is below 5%. Many manufacturers list the ABV on the packaging of their brown ales, but for others, you may need to check the company's website or reach out to the manufacturer directly.