I can attest that the Blonde ale is more flavorful and complex than other blonde beers. Lots of hop flavor was noted. It was also versatile enough for a day on the water in South Louisiana. However, the subject of this post and review is the Nola Brown ale. I picked this up while in New Orleans the last time I was there.
NOLA brewery is unique in that it does not bottle their beer, but puts it in cans. Not the most visibly appealing in terms of presentation, but can come in handy in places that don't allow glass, like Mardi Gras parades. This trend is catching on with other craft breweries also. See my previous post about beer in cans.
http://thebishopscollar.blogspot.com/2012/07/case-for-canned-beer.html
Appearance: Beer had a dark brown appearance with a quarter inch of light tan colored head. The head has some retention. The beer turned an amber color when held to the light. Appeared to have good carbonation and very nice lacing.
Smell: Picked up a pretty consistent roasted malt aroma with some dark chocolate scent as well.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Like the smell, primary flavor was roasted malt and had some caramel notes. The beer lacked a depth of flavor and seemed to be a one note wonder lacking complexity. Although it had some good carbonation, the finish was a flat one. Mouthfeel ended up being thin and watery not nearly as full bodied as the color might indicate.
Overall: I had high hopes for this one. The first two beers from this brewery were thumbs up, but this one did not live up to my expectations. I have had several good brown ales lately (it is one of my favorite kinds of beer) and this one does not stand out. I think I will stick with the two proven winners from this brewery that I have had. I will however, continue to support this brewery because it is in my hometown, the Big Easy.
For more info on this beer, please see http://www.nolabrewing.com/2010/brews/nola-brown-ale/
Cheers!
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