Against the Grain The Brown Note

Against the Grain The Brown Note. American Brown Ale. 5% ABV.  20 IBU. Against the Grain Brewery & Smokehouse, Louisville, Kentucky.

This brewery has appeared once before in the Nib, and in that review, I mentioned this beer. It's the sort of beer that makes you want to try it, to see if the quality is enough to make up for the grotesque graphics. But, you know, I could never buy a can, let along a 4-pack. Just couldn't bring myself to take it up to the counter. So, thanks, Sample Man, for the sample, and now I'll drink the beer whose label makes us think of shit stains.

Brown, with ruby highlights, slim dark head.

In the nose: chocolate and caramel malt notes, rich and robust.

In the mouth: Tasty and malty. Medium bodied, if a bit light than I was expecting. Smooth. Drinkable. On the sweet side, but balanced by moderate hop bitterness. It's alright, but nothing more than an average brown ale, and certainly nothing special at all.

I don't recommend this one, unless potty humor floats your boat.

Caution: so good it WILL make you shit yourself!!!!
The brown ale to end all brown ales. Enjoy it, because there is no longer any reason to drink another. You’ve reached the pinnacle. A healthy blend of traditional British malts give this popular style a semi-sweet, biscuity, slightly roasted flavor. Oats thicken the mouthfeel, and a handful of specialty malts add complex chocolate, toffee, and caramel notes. The hops are mostly traditional, earthy British hops, but we cocked it up a bit with some Cascade late in the boil just to show those snooty Brits that we don’t approve of that Constitutional Monarchy crap. 

I guess I have to make another rebuttal. It is not that good that you would "shit yourself." The label copy ends with: "Drink this beer or shit yourself trying. PHFFRRTT! UH OH."

Childish. Immature. Idiotic. I'll pass.

Against the Grain Citra Ass Down Double India Pale Ale

I became aware of Against the Grain many years ago, and wasn't exactly curious about their beers after being turned off by the artwork. Just too weird for me. Made me question everything about them. What, you ask, you like Ralph Steadman, but this illustrator you can't get behind?. Yeah, too strangely perverse. The nipples and costumes, it's just...what? When I heard they "Randallized" their Brown Note beer through a pair of underpants, in tribute to the stained shorts on that beer,s label, I was, just, like, "Huh?" Come on.

This explains why I have been very slow to investigate their beers. They've been available here for a few years now, it seems, and The Sample Man has finally put a can in my hands. That's why, at long last, here's the first ATG on TBN. I expect it to go well. I'm all about the double IPAs and this is one of the least baffling labels I've seen. No weird touching or filthy underwear anywhere.

Against the Grain Citra Ass Down Double India Pale Ale. Against the Grain Brewery, Louisville, Kentucky. 8.2% ABV. 68  IBU. "Drink From The Can." (No, thanks.)

Clear, pale crimson coloring, sizable ivory toned head, leaving lace and looking fine.

In the nose: Fresh 'n' zesty. Bright citrus. Lemon-y, orange-y, grapefruit-y.

In the mouth: Big, bold, strong citrus flavors dominate the palate from the start. Bright and piney, mucho resinous. Bitter and ripe. Hop character remains sharp and strong, matched by the book, with toasty malt back-up holding on. Juicy. Tasty. And the beat goes on.

Yeah, it's a good one. I give it the old thumbs up. And not, you know, any weird thumbs tweaking nipples, or anything. Regular ol', wholesome thumbs up.

"Citra Ass Down & Crush this Beer. This beer is not candy or mother's milk. It is not brewed by gypsies or aliens, nor does it contain any zombie dirt. This is a Double IPA brewed with Citra hops. It is sticky, hoppy and delicious. Simply drink it and enjoy it. Don't hoard this beer. Citra Ass Down and drink it down."

Then there's the technical side: This is a very hop forward American style IPA. Brewed with Pale, Vienna, Munich and wheat malt for a solid base for all American hops, focusing mainly on the variety “Citra.” Citra hops are a relatively new variety introduced in 2008. It was bred as a hybrid of a number of different hops, including Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, U.S. Tettnanger, East Kent Golding, Bavarian, Brewers Gold, and other unknown hops. The resulting hop, Citra, has a distinct citrusy and tropical fruit flavor and aroma. In Citra ass down we used American Columbus for bittering and 11# of Citra at the end of the boil for late kettle addition flavor and aroma. Then we added 6 more pounds Citra and 5# Centennial post fermention for aroma. Rebrewed for your tasting pleasure!
ABV 8.2%     OG 17.0      IBU 68.0

Kentucky Ale

Kentucky Ale. A marriage of traditional English Pale Ale and Irish Red Ale styles. Brewed and bottled by Alltech's Lexington Brewing Company, Lexington, KY, ALC/VoVOL 5.34%. "Visit www.kentuckyale.com for the story behind our microbrewery."

Clear, light amber coloring, slim whitish head.

Aroma: sweet malt. Very wort-y, if I may coin such a term. Like I'm in the middle of a brew session. Big malt, minor hops. Pleasant enough, though. 

Taste: hmm. More of the same. Sweet malt, only slightly tempered by hops. Warm, malty, and uniquely refreshing. I don't think I'd imagine a cross between English pale ale and Irish red as being exactly like this, but perhaps that indemnifies my own imagination. Or is testament to a unique creation by this brewery?

Mild in flavor, easy-drinking, malty as all-get out, low-ish alcohol-wise. But not consisting of flavors that grab me, please me, squeeze me, etcetera. This may be good for some, and I hope they're happy with it, but, yeah, this don't do it for me. 

Actually, it's losing what little appeal it ever had. I'm getting close to calling "yuk" on this one. I know what I like, and I know what's good, and this ain't good, buddy.

P.S. I just discovered that I'd already reviewed this, six years ago, and completely forgotten about it. My notes were essentially the same sentiment, but worded differently, of course.