The brown ales have their work cut out for them. I'm just not a huge fan, they tend to be very bland, and it's hard to get excited about them. At 5.5% ABV, they aren't even bringing very much heft into the mix. But, Hi-Wire has few losses to their name and so many great beers that I just can't help thinking they're going to be the ones to crack this nut.
I do not recall a brown ale that wouldn't broadly fall into the category of "brown." This would solidly fall into the category. I'd say it was a deep cherry wood color (as opposed to mahogany, which I think a lot of these tend to look like). The beige head really doesn't want to leave, and that's cool by me, as I might get some lacing. The aroma is not strong enough. I almost snort it to smell a little nuttiness and brown sugar.
First sip is a reminder of how this works. The sip seemed mellow enough, but a hit of spice at the end confused me, and then I didn't know if this was a brown ale or a winter warmer. Just as I was trying to figure that out, the trail off hit with nuts-o-plenty. That's when I knew I had a brown ale that is trying things a bit different. I'll try to drink different, too.
Tip-in is genteel sweet brown sugar and hard nut shells with very little carbonation. The middle becomes louder with carbonation, but the flavors seem to stay the same, and they are quite drinkable. The finish is wave after wave; spices hit, dryness hits, nuts hit, spices hit, and then nuts head into the trail off with light spices trailing along.
Bottom Line: Complex and solid.
2.75/5
