American Brown Ale
Apperance
The beer is a rich caramel brown. The darkness of the beer made it slightly difficult to tell the clarity, but I'd say it was mostly clear with slight haze. There was very little head after a somewhat aggressive pour and the head dissipated very quickly. A little bit of lacing was evident as I progressed through the glass, but not much. Exactly the way an American Brown should be.
Aroma
After first popping the cap, there is a slight American hop aroma. This is mostly covered up by the malty aroma which is pretty toasty and a little bit chocolaty. The hop scent dissipates very quickly and the toasty aroma persists throughout the glass.
Mouthfeel
The carbonation is a little high for my tastes, but falls in pretty well with the style. This brew could use just a little more body to round out the feel. I'm not sure what I'd add, but the great flavor of the beer would benefit from a slightly fuller body.
Flavor
Overall flavor of this beer is malty with a subtle hint of American hops. I think the balance between malt and hops is spot on for this style. I've had a few American Browns where the brewer wanted to emphasize the "American" part and overdo the hop aroma and flavor. This beer had a very nice balance between the two. I'd say the malty taste favored a nutty/toasty flavor with a bit of chocolate malt in there. Maybe only an ounce or two though, nothing overpowering. The beer finishes with a little alcohol warmth, especially as the temperature rises.
Adherence to Style
I'd say this was a very good match to the style. The American hops, the carbonation, the toastyness all match up to the guidelines. I can't think of anything with this brew that misses as far as style goes.
Overall Impression
I definitely enjoyed this beer, although I'll admit that I am looking forward to the Belgians as they are more my style. Personally, I would drop the carbonation a bit, maybe 1 or 2 psi. I think that might make the flavor stand out a bit more and might effect how I perceived the mouthfeel. The recipe is a very drinkable, enjoyable brown. Well done.
Cheers,