Beer of the Weekend #13: Downtown Brown
My parents are visiting this week. They flew in last Saturday and won’t leave until Wednesday. It’s good to have family here; I rarely get to see them anymore. One thing I hate about being in California is I’m two thousand miles from home.
Another thing I dislike about living in California is the fact I’m no longer just a son, brother, or friend. I’m a destination. Destination Quiet Man. When people in the Midwest get tired of the snow, floods, and humidity they get the bright idea to pay me a visit. I don’t mind it; I only get to see my blood and homeboys a couple times a year. But their ignorance about traffic, the distances and size of the Southland, and the absence of a rental car and respect for my vacation time (“He’ll drive us around”) annoys the hell out of me. My parents and sister know.
So, the lesson tonight is: If you visit a friend in the Los Angeles area get a rental car and a map. You’ll be loved for it.
The beer this weekend is Downtown Brown, “brewed fresh in the Humboldt Nation” by Lost Coast Brewery of Eureka, California.
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles.
Appearance: Dark, caramel brown with a very thin head that dissipated quickly.
Smell: Malty caramel, cocoa, and maple.
Taste: Whoa. Very good and sweet. It’s a smooth caramel balanced by cocoa, maple, and nut. There is a subdued hop bitterness left on the palette. A late hint of raspberry was present in my first taste. Don’t ask me where that came from, but it’s a nice surprise.
Drinkability: Very drinkable. It’s a smooth beer I recommend for almost any occasion.
Fun facts about Downtown Brown:
-Serving temp: 45-50°F.
-Alcohol content: 5 percent.
-Beer Advocate classifies Downtown Brown as English Brown Ale.
-According to the bottom of the carrying case (another one of those info packed microbrew touches):
I think Lost Coast’s marketing department needs a lesson in word flow and punctuation.
-The carrying case features a Picasso-esque painting of a man drinking a beer overlooking a city skyline.
It’s a cool painting — don’t get me wrong — but there’s something that bothers me about it. The man is holding a pint of beer and there is a bottle on the table. Yet, there is a second filled pint across from him. So…where’s the other bottle? Interestingly, I paid a visit to the Lost Coast website and noticed the Downtown Brown painting on the main page, and on it’s own page, has the second pint edited out. The bottle doesn’t, though. Hmm.
The Quiet Man’s grade: Good. Very good. Needs some editing, though. B+.
Another thing I dislike about living in California is the fact I’m no longer just a son, brother, or friend. I’m a destination. Destination Quiet Man. When people in the Midwest get tired of the snow, floods, and humidity they get the bright idea to pay me a visit. I don’t mind it; I only get to see my blood and homeboys a couple times a year. But their ignorance about traffic, the distances and size of the Southland, and the absence of a rental car and respect for my vacation time (“He’ll drive us around”) annoys the hell out of me. My parents and sister know.
So, the lesson tonight is: If you visit a friend in the Los Angeles area get a rental car and a map. You’ll be loved for it.
The beer this weekend is Downtown Brown, “brewed fresh in the Humboldt Nation” by Lost Coast Brewery of Eureka, California.
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles.
Appearance: Dark, caramel brown with a very thin head that dissipated quickly.
Smell: Malty caramel, cocoa, and maple.
Taste: Whoa. Very good and sweet. It’s a smooth caramel balanced by cocoa, maple, and nut. There is a subdued hop bitterness left on the palette. A late hint of raspberry was present in my first taste. Don’t ask me where that came from, but it’s a nice surprise.
Drinkability: Very drinkable. It’s a smooth beer I recommend for almost any occasion.
Fun facts about Downtown Brown:
-Serving temp: 45-50°F.
-Alcohol content: 5 percent.
-Beer Advocate classifies Downtown Brown as English Brown Ale.
-According to the bottom of the carrying case (another one of those info packed microbrew touches):
Downtown Brown is handcrafted in small batches in the brewery’s original kettle. It’s a little more work but, we think you will agree, it’s worth it!
I think Lost Coast’s marketing department needs a lesson in word flow and punctuation.
-The carrying case features a Picasso-esque painting of a man drinking a beer overlooking a city skyline.
It’s a cool painting — don’t get me wrong — but there’s something that bothers me about it. The man is holding a pint of beer and there is a bottle on the table. Yet, there is a second filled pint across from him. So…where’s the other bottle? Interestingly, I paid a visit to the Lost Coast website and noticed the Downtown Brown painting on the main page, and on it’s own page, has the second pint edited out. The bottle doesn’t, though. Hmm.
The Quiet Man’s grade: Good. Very good. Needs some editing, though. B+.
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