Newcastle Brown Ale sucks

Okay, no I'm not going to say that.

But I do think whoever decided to ship a beer across the Atlantic in a clear bottle is a moron. Seriously, if I wanted skunky beer I'd put mine out in the sunlight for 10 minutes. If I was your average Joe when it came to beer, I'd probably never want to try the stuff again.

All because of the improper storage. I can definitely see the potential in it though, and I hope to try the draft version (if there is one here in the States).

Dude, I'll say it becuase I just bought a 22 of it last night to compare with my own Brown Ale. Newcastle Brown Ale sucks! The biggest problem was the skunkiness as you say...horrible. And does anyone else think the beer smells like red ants? MY Brown Ale on the other hand smells like chocolate covered raisins, and tastes like liquid gold!

I used to like it about 30 years ago. I didn't drink it for a long time.......I had one a short while back and it truly truly sucked. It wasn't even skunked either. It was just plain bland.

Newcastle was the bridge for me off of BMC. In hindsight yes it does suck but I thank it for steering me away from the real swill.

damrass said:

I can definitely see the potential in it though, and I hope to try the draft version (if there is one here in the States).

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If there's a draft version in the States? I'm in the midwest, and it's on tap everywhere here. Even restautants that carry next to nothing past Bud will have Newcastle on tap. While it'd never be my first choice at a place with craft brews, it's often a welcome tap handle in a sea of Miller Lites.

It doesn't taste bad actually. It's just sort of bland.

StunnedMonkey said:

It doesn't taste bad actually. It's just sort of bland.

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Agreed, and it has a rather watery mouthfeel as well.

I used to think it was okay, until I made Biermunchers version of it. Once I made a non-skunked version of it, my opinion changed dramatically.

Wow, I'm honestly surprised by the amount of agreement I've gotten. I was positive this was a favorite among fellow enthusiasts.

I don't go out to pubs much (no need when there's plenty of homebrew flowing), but I'm glad to hear there's a good chance I can find some on tap.

damrass said:

I don't go out to pubs much (no need when there's plenty of homebrew flowing), but I'm glad to hear there's a good chance I can find some on tap.

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Yeah, you should at least try it on draft. As I said in an earlier post, Newcastle is nothing particularly special, but getting it in a dusty six at the grocery isn't really giiving it a fair shake. Fresh and unskunked it's not a terrible beer.

StunnedMonkey said:

Fresh and unskunked it's not a terrible beer.

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Correct, it's merely mediocre.

But hey, I've drank a lot of them, and I'm sure I'll have a few more before they close the lid on me. When it's the best choice available, I'm happy to drink it.

Newcastle on tap is alright. I used to think it was great back in my Newcastle, Corona, and Heineken days. Has anyone had Newcastle in the can? I've heard its supposed to be much better than the bottle.

DrinksWellWithOthers said:

Newcastle on tap is alright. I used to think it was great back in my Newcastle, Corona, and Heineken days. Has anyone had Newcastle in the can? I've heard its supposed to be much better than the bottle.

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Agreed. It's my port in a storm when there is no proper beer.

From Beer Advocate which I happen to agree with

This brew uses corn grits, added liquid sugar and is pasteurised. Hardly a "real ale" from England. It's very much a commercial beer these days, and long gone is the age old "goodness." It's now another brew victim to global fame and demand. Despite this, it's drinkable. Not the best brew, or Brown Ale even. In fact, some might find its claimed "special flavour" hard to swallow. Newky Brown uses the tag line "The One and Only" ... let's hope so.

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It is available on draft, but you'll probably have to look around a bit. I've had many a pint while wandering around RenFaires. Rarely see it any place else and the bottled stuff bites. They should use cans exclusively for export.

It's a good example of the style. If you don't like Northern Brown Ales, you'll hate it.

DesertBrew said:

Newcastle was the bridge for me off of BMC. In hindsight yes it does suck but I thank it for steering me away from the real swill.

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The same for me.

Grinder12000 said:

From Beer Advocate which I happen to agree with

Quote:
This brew uses corn grits, added liquid sugar and is pasteurised. Hardly a "real ale" from England. It's very much a commercial beer these days, and long gone is the age old "goodness." It's now another brew victim to global fame and demand. Despite this, it's drinkable. Not the best brew, or Brown Ale even. In fact, some might find its claimed "special flavour" hard to swallow. Newky Brown uses the tag line "The One and Only" ... let's hope so.

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That sounds very accurate, and would explain possibly, why I liked it 30 years ago, but didn't like it the last time I tried it. I do regret saying in a previous post that it truly truly sucked though. I should have just said I was extremely disappointed....Just as I was with Old Speckled Hen in bottles.

I had one the other day. Could barely drink it, thought I had accidentally taken a sip from a car battery.

I agree with everything previous, as well! Drinkable on tap, never had it in a can though. It was definitly good and an important part in the process of my beer education, but now I'll only have it on tap at a place I frequent and if there is nothing else available.

Getting it on tap is a gamble in some places around here - and im sure in a lot of other places as well; it is very common for the keg to be old/lines to be sour in a lot of bars that don't have a lot of demand for it and don't know wtf they are doing, lol.

A bit OT, but why do a lot of the English breweries ship their stuff over here in clear bottles? I went out and got a 6er of Old Speckled Hen and bam, skunked! Should have known...In cans or on tap is great, though.

I still enjoy one from time to time. It has its place. I've always considered it very much like milk. In that... it will calm an upset stomach. I think mostly because the beer is so bland.

Man, you guys are pretty rough on poor ol' Newcastle. Yeah, I'd never order it at Mad Anthony's or anything stupid like that, but when you've been forced into eating at Outback and you see Bud, Bud Lite...blah blah...Foster's, then the Newcastle tap handle is a welcome sight.

I'm just sayin'.

StunnedMonkey said:

Man, you guys are pretty rough on poor ol' Newcastle. Yeah, I'd never order it at Mad Anthony's or anything stupid like that, but when you've been forced into eating at Outback and you see Bud, Bud Lite...blah blah...Foster's, then the Newcastle tap handle is a welcome sight.

I'm just sayin'.

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Yeah, I was gonna say something similar when Orfy said that Newky was his port in a storm when there was no real beer available......If he lived in the US and frequented chain restaurants here ( I doubt very much he would) ....He would find himself drinking a LOT of Newcastle Brown!

I do like an occasional Newcastle from a tap and my first home brew was targeting Newcastle. It's usually worthless in the bottle, though; I don't even try them.

I wonder the same thing as Danny13 - why the clear bottles? I have passed up a number of beers I'd be willing to try had they not been in clear bottle.

Rick