Brown ale & dark beers

As the name suggests, dark beer is brown or dark in color. Brown Ale, like many beers, has its origin in England. Let’s paint a perfect picture: you are in an English pub listening to live music while enjoying a dark beer. Sounds perfect right? Read more and learn everything about brown ale and dark beers! Cheers!

The origin of brown ale and dark beers

As Dutchies we speak of brown or dark beers. In England and America they would order a 'Brown Ale'. This beer originated in England as early as the 17th century. Unfortunately, this type of beer almost completely vanished in 1800. It was not until the 19th century that this type of beer returned. Brown beer gets its beautiful brown color through the use of brown malts and varies from dark amber to deep brown. It is a light beer with a low bitterness. The alcohol percentages are between 3% and 6%.

What is the flavor of brown ale and dark beers?

Back in the days, dark beers were brewed with only brown malt. Today this is slightly different. The base is a pale malt to which dark malts are added. Brown ales and dark beers therefore have a sweet and malty taste. You can recognize flavors such as nuts and chocolate. These flavors make dark craft beer so recognizable. The sweet taste is unique and cannot be compared to other craft beers.

Different kinds of brown ales

Meanwhile, numerous breweries from various regions have developed their own variations on brown ale or dark beers. Each sort has different characteristics. We distinguish five varieties:

English Brown Ale

English Brown Ale is amber to light brown and was first brewed in the North of England. This variation is stronger and drier than brown ale drunk in the South. Overall you will taste nuts, but you will also experience notes of coffee and chocolate. 

American Brown Ale

The American version of brown beer can be recognized by the addition of more hops. Often American brown beers are in general drier and hoppier compared to other dark beers. You will discover flavors like roasted malt and caramel. A golden combination if you will ask us! 

Quadrupel

The Quadrupel is a relatively young beer type and has a high alcohol percentage (around 10%). It is a true winter craft beer with a dark color. This dark beer has a low hoppyness and you will primarily taste malty flavors. Do you appreciate a bold and rich flavor? Then you should definitely try Quadrupel. This is the one for dark beer lovers.

Barely wine

The name is a bit misleading, but we promise you that Barely wine is beer! Due to the high alcohol percentage between 8% and 14%, one can say it comes close to wine instead of beer. The aroma can be described as bright and fruity. The main differences of this type of beer can be found in the sweet and bitter varieties.

Barrel Aged

Nowadays, brown beers are also increasingly aged in old wooden barrels. These are called the 'Barreled Aged' craft beers. These wooden barrels often contained other types of drinks. Rum for example, or port.

Fancy a brown ale or dark beer?

We can imagine that after all this information you are more than ready to enjoy a dark beer! At Beer Republic you will find an impressive line up of brown and dark beers from all over the world! Our craft beers are easy to order in our webshop. So it is time to add some extra craft beers to your Untappd account! It's just a few clicks away!