Even in the new world, there is obviously something old time about brown ale in the sense that there is a reasonable argument that it is the predecessor or even mother of all styles. In 2004 - and again last week as it happens - I enjoyed a Smuttynose variety pack that included the junior version of this beer, Old Brown Dog Ale. Nice that Smuttynose allows us to compare the stats of the their beers...except there are no stats that I can see on the website for only this one brew. So I will have to tell you it is very similar with a nice thicker biscuity dry cocoa seam through the middle. Around it are wrapped some dry fig and date fruitiness and then a touch of espresso and some sharp green weedy hoppiness. Milk yeast. The enhanced but not huge alcohol of 7% is there, neatly filling a void of lightness noted in the standard weight version. A deep chestnut ale under a rich cream honey tan head.

4% of BAers do not like this one, which surprises me given its flavourfulness. Is it just a problem that it is a similar beer with the volume turned up? I find that an act of confidence myself. But this is not an old ale as plenty BAers suggest. No tang, no stockiness, no wall of malt. Just a beefy brown.