Beer Review: Bell’s Best Brown Ale

I recently brewed my self-proclaimed best all-grain beer to date; a brown ale with the politically charged moniker “Deez Nuts Brown”.  So I’ve been intrigued to see how my homegrown brown ale compares to others in the industry.  One brown ale I recently purchased at Consumer’s Beverages was Bell’s Best Brown Ale, from Bell’s Brewery from Kalamazoo Michigan.  This is the second Bell’s beer review I have done- the other being Hopslam Ale.  You can read that review here.

Bell’s Best Brown is categorized as an English Brown Ale.  An English Brown Ale is categorized on Beeradvocate.com as:

Here’s a picture of my Bell’s Best Brown:

Bell’s Brewery: Best Brown Ale
ABV: 5.8%
Style: English Brown Ale
Rating: 86 rating and #19 in style at Beeradvocate.com

Best Brown pours a hazy brown-amber hue with a sufficient creamy tan head.  The aroma is a pleasant roasted malt with a slight brown sugar note.  The taste of Best Brown Ale is predominantly a nutty flavor with very little hops.  Bittersweet chocolate, caramel, and toffee flavors are present but not dominant.  A mild sweetness and non-lingering bitterness rounds out the flavors of Best Brown.  Drinkability of this beer is very high due to the sweet creaminess and pleasant roasted flavors.

Bell’s Best Brown Ale does a fine job accenting the changing of the seasons here in Buffalo.  This beer is recommended for people who do not enjoy a hoppy beer, but instead enjoy a roasted malt experience with a mild sweet flavor.  Best Brown is only available in September and October, so it may be best to pick a sixer up soon.