I brewed my first batch of beer for 2014 last week. It was a bit chilly sitting in my driveway while the wort was boiling. But I powered through and now my brew is transferred to the carboy getting tastier by the day.

There’s just something about brewing your own beer. It’s manly. It’s adventuresome. It’s rewarding. So in a few weeks I’ll have about 50 bottles of Nobody Plays Brown. How cool is that?

Brown Ales… What are they?

Brown ales are described this way on BeerAdvocate.com:

Spawned from the English Brown Ale, the American version can simply use American ingredients. Many other versions may have additions of coffee or nuts. This style also encompasses “Dark Ales”. The bitterness and hop flavor has a wide range and the alcohol is not limited to the average either.

And since you may not know what an English Brown Ale is either, here is the BeerAdvocate.com description for that:

Spawned from the Mild Ale, Brown Ales tend to be maltier and sweeter on the palate, with a fuller body. Color can range from reddish brown to dark brown. Some versions will lean towards fruity esters, while others tend to be drier with nutty characters. All seem to have a low hop aroma and bitterness.

And since you may not know what a Mild Ale is either, here is the BeerAdvocate.com description for that:

The quintessential British session beer, like its name suggests, a Mild is known for its low level of hops character. Alcohol content is traditionally very low. Grainy to toasty malts might be present, but expect some body from the high dextrins produced in brewing. Low carbonation with a near still, bubbly head. Colors can range from gold to dark brown. Traditionally a draft beer made popular in London and the Midlands of England.

Brown Ale

So what did we learn? Let’s take a look at some of the characteristics of Brown Ales:

• Low level of hops
• Low alcohol level
• Malty
• Can be nutty (Can’t we all?)
• Reddish brown to dark brown

There you go. Now you know as much as I do about Brown Ales!

Caribou Slobber = Nobody Plays Brown

This brew was a kit I received as a Christmas present from my older brother. It is called Caribou Slobber and is a kit based on Big Sky Brewing‘s Moose Drool.

For 2014 I am choosing board game related names for my brews. I twitter-sourced this name and must give credit where credit is due. Thanks to the Cardboard Jungle Podcast for the suggestion!

The kit includes the following:

• Specialty grain (Breiss Caramel, Fawcett Pale Chocolate, Black Malt)
• 6 lbs Amber Malt Syrup
• 1 lb Amber Dry Malt Extract
• 1oz US Goldings Hops
• 1oz Liberty Hops
• 1oz Willamette Hops

Those are the key ingredients for the brew. You can check out the recipe here: Caribou Slobber Recipe (pdf).  It’s a pretty easy kit to brew and I had an enjoyable time brewing it.

In another week and a half I’ll bottle it and then the aging begins. I think I’ll see if I can save most of it for fall.

Anyone know of a cheap place to buy glossy label paper so I can make some labels for this brew?