Serve in a nonic pint at 8-11 °C
What it tastes like
American brown ale grew out of the US homebrew scene in the 1980s, when brewers took the English brown ale and gave it the treatment they gave everything: more malt, more hops, more of each. It stays drinkable, though. Think of it as the space between an American pale ale and a porter.
The base is caramel and chocolate malt, which gives toffee, cocoa, toasted nuts and a touch of light roast without the coffee bitterness of a stout. On top sit American hops, usually citrusy or piney varieties such as Cascade or Centennial, both in the aroma and in a firm, dry bitterness. The best examples keep malt and hops in balance so neither shouts. Clean American ale yeast keeps the fruitiness low, which lets the chocolate and hop notes stand clear. It finishes drier than its English cousin, and a little more bitter.
Style profile
- Look
- Light brown to dark brown, clear, with a tan, creamy head of good staying power.
- Aroma and flavour
- Caramel, cocoa and toasted nuts with light roast, plus citrus or pine from American hops. Low fruitiness.
- Mouthfeel
- Medium body, moderate carbonation, and a drier, firmly bitter finish than English brown ale.
- Ingredients
- Pale ale malt with caramel and chocolate malts, American hops such as Cascade, Centennial or Chinook, and a clean American ale yeast.
In India
American brown ale is uncommon on Indian taps, which is a pity, because it sits well with our food. Its hops cope with chilli and its cocoa malt suits tandoor smoke. It is also a sensible beer for a brewpub with limited cooling, since it ferments as a normal ale at 18 to 20 °C. If your local spot pours a brown ale, ask whether it is hopped the American way. Monsoon evenings, when stout feels too heavy, suit it best.
At the Indian table
Food pairings contributed by Anuradha Rao
- Tandoori chickenChar from the tandoor meets the roasted malt, and the hop bitterness cuts the yoghurt marinade.
- Mushroom and walnut galoutiEarthy mushrooms and nuts echo the toasted, nutty malt.
- Andhra Guntur chilli chickenFirm bitterness and malt sweetness stand up to the dry chilli heat.
- Chocolate barfiCocoa in the beer meets cocoa in the sweet, and the hops keep it from turning cloying.
Brewed in India
Rare in India so far. Some brewpubs pour a brown ale as a seasonal, so ask whether it is hopped the American way.