By Jeff Evans

Nose

Juicy hop fruit, with sharp, sherbety grapefruit to the fore. Gentle, chocolatey malt behind.

Palate

Lightly-textured for the strength, with zippy, peppery citrus fruit laid on top of smooth malt. On the sweet side of bittersweet.

Finish

Roasted malts have more of a say in the dry finish, but with orange-citrus notes hanging around.

Comment

An ocean apart from British brown ales, this ruby coloured beer is a good example of the American take on the style, spiked with zesty hops. Easy to drink and very enjoyable.

By Jim Anderson

Nose

Brown malt and dry-roasted nuts with a distant background of English mustard.

Palate

Firm, malty sweetness, with pleasing notes of grains and root beer.

Finish

Nutty, tending toward grainy dryness.

Comment

A textbook beer from America's academic brewer, who's showing us what a dry brown ale should be like, at a gravity suited to the American palate.