Try?
Any serious beer drinker will easily be able to rattle
off the first few craft beers he became acquainted with. For domestic brews,
he’ll likely mention Anchor, Sierra Nevada, and Samuel Adams. Imports apt to
be named will include Bass, Guinness, Beck’s, and of course, Newcastle Brown
Ale.
Newcastle Brown is the largest selling bottled beer in England, and is a
major brand here in the United States as well. Brewed in
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England, “Newkie Brown” as it is sometimes known was
introduced in 1927. Oddly enough, the brewer who formulated it went by the
name of Jim Porter. The beer quickly caught on and has steadily gained in
popularity over the years.
Newcastle Brown ale pours to a light brown, almost cola-like color with a
pock-marked foamy head and a soft malty nose. The palate is smooth and
nutty, slightly sweet, with a light cracker-like malt character and a hint
of chocolate. The hops are just barely perceptible in the finish. This is a
wonderfully delicate beer, and a classic English brown ale. Though not as
assertive as American brown ale, which is a maltier, hoppier brew, Newcastle
should be appreciated for it’s subtle delicacy. It’s easy to throw loads of
hops and malt at a beer and make it a big one. A far truer test of the
brewer’s art is to produce a drinkable, subtly flavored delight the likes of
this one.
Packaged in clear glass, there’s a trace of skunkiness evident in Newcastle,
but just a trace. A beer becomes “skunked” when certain wavelengths of light
interact with alpha acids in hops to produce the same chemical that a skunk
produces, hence the smell and flavor. Being a lightly hopped beer, Newcastle
is less prone to skunking than Heineken for example.
This
is a special treat on draft, and I see it in more and more locations in
that form. Obviously, skunking is not a problem, and the beer is smoother
and a little more chocolaty this way. Here in Rome, Georgia my local Applebees seems to sell a good deal of Newcastle Brown on tap and I always
get a fresh pint.
Try Newcastle Brown with Duck in orange sauce for a very special treat. It’s
also great with pecan pie.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
