Whilst grocery shopping on Monday, I happened down the beer aisle to find more blog fodder. One six pack that caught my eye was Wolaver’s Brown Ale. A big fan of Newcastle Brown, I thought I’d take this one for a spin. I’m not sure whether the fact that it’s a certified organic beer would make it more enticing to any of my readers, but it is, so I should report that. I cracked one open that very night with dinner and was somewhat underwhelmed.
This is not a bad ale. It really isn’t. It’s just not as flavorful as some of the more in-your-face style beers I’ve had lately. I was all set to write up a rather negative review of this bottle, but I thought I should give it another try. I’ve had it with different meals every night since, and this brew is growing on me rapidly. It’s been a while since I’ve had a brown ale, so I’d somewhat forgotten that the flavor here should be more subtle and nuanced. Brown ale tends to be somewhat sweet, with a pleasant aroma and a light aftertaste in my experience.
It’s not what I was looking for at first, but since I’ve jogged my memory with what a brown ale should taste like, I’ve become much more of a fan of this beer. This could be one of those beers you have when you’re just in the mood for a good beer without overwhelming your palette. I don’t think this is a great beer, but it’s very good. It compliments a fair variety of foods well and probably wouldn’t clash with much of anything. If you happen to see it at your local pub or beer store, pick one up. I think you’ll be glad you did.
My Rating:
