KA-BAR Brown Ale won First Place: English Brown Ale, North Carolina Brewer’s Cup 2013
I was in the grocery store tonight, and saying I wish they would carry the local brew from Railhouse and I looked up in beer isle and there it was. The brewery was founded December 1, 2010 by military veterans with a love for craft beer balanced between the malts and the hops, Railhouse Brewery is truly one of a kind. Located in downtown Aberdeen, NC right next to the railroad tracks. The staff of the pub side of the operation are lively and fun. The pub is a great place to get to know the locals, enjoy a game of Jenga (2×4 size), darts or corn hole.
The owners are veterans of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy and have a real passion for brewing great beer. The pub menu is fairly standard pub food, but it is very good. My favorite is the Cheese Me, Please Me burger. Hand-pattied burger mixed w/ shredded Monterrey jack, cheddar & provolone cheese blend. Topped w/ ‘Sconsin fried cheese curds!
My thoughts on the beer:
Appearance – Poured from a bottle into a glass. Pours with a ~1 tan head which is fairly persistent and leads to a good amount of lacing. Dark brown color, reminds me of a light mahogany color, also kind of hazy.
Smell – Nose is very nutty. I get the smells of roasted chestnuts and a slightly caramel, definitely has a sweet tinge to it. Not very strong nose, though, I had to take deep breaths to be able to smell it.
Taste – I think the taste was outstanding. It is a bit hoppy, but then again it is an ale. I do think it would be a bit better with less hops and more caramel/roasted flavor. I am not sure what the IBU is. I do taste, as mentioned, a very roasted nutty flavor. Some caramel and coffee sweetness to it, but not overpoweringly so. A fine balance I think.
Mouthfeel – Average. Average body, average carbonation.