Sweetwater Brewing Hash Brown
Sweerwater Brewing first announced their new Fall seasonal, Hash Brown, back in August of last year, but this is my first interaction with the India-style brown ale. Dogfish Head first defined this niche genre with their Indian Brown Ale. Hop Hash doesn’t necessarily revolutionize it, but it certainly amps up the “India” influence with its use of hop hash. The concentrated hop resin is used wonderfully within this 6.2% ABV brew.
Hash Brown obviously isn’t your standard brown ale — you’ll notice that immediately after you open it up. Tropical fruits, pine resin and leafy hops fill the nose quickly and smoothly while light brown ale traits (bread, caramel) linger in the background upon first sniff. The flavor carries over all of those elements with the caramel and bread stepping up a bit more on the tongue. Everything comes together fairly smoothly with a moderate hop bite before moving on to the lasting finish. The only thing that this beer suffers from is the body — it’s a bit thin for the style.
I enjoyed this beer. It’s not as rich or as earthy as Dogfish Head’s take on the style, but its array of fruity traits is incredible. I really wish Hash Brown were fuller on the palate though. Other than that, if you’re in the mood for a little something different this Autumn, check this one out.
This is a review of a promotional sample.