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Monteith's Original Ale

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A full, rounded Brown Ale with notes of caramel, burnt sugar and a hint of blackberry. Monteith's brews it to the same family recipe it has used since 1868, and it runs at 4% ABV. The name goes back to Stewart Monteith, who joined the Phoenix Brewery in Reefton that year as head brewer and shareholder.

ABV
4%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
deep amber20
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
caramelmaltyberry
caramel
malty
berry
toasty
nutty
bready
Aroma
The nose leads with warm caramel and toasted grain, followed by subtle notes of burnt sugar and a faint dark-berry character that emerges with time in the glass.
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Monteith's Original Ale

◎ Appearance

Deep amber-brown in the glass with good clarity and a medium ruby-tinted hue characteristic of the style. The head forms a tan-colored foam with moderate retention and fair lacing down the sides of the glass. Carbonation is gentle and persistent, creating fine bubbles that rise slowly through the body.

deep amber-brownclear, tan headmoderate lacingsoft carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with warm caramel and toasted grain, followed by subtle notes of burnt sugar and a faint dark-berry character that emerges with time in the glass. Malt depth dominates the aromatic profile, with hints of dry toast and a light nuttiness that grounds the sweeter top notes. Noble hop character is restrained, providing a gentle herbal whisper rather than assertiveness.

caramel, burnt sugartoasted malzdark berry hintnoble, subtle hops

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and rounded, with immediate sweetness from caramel and residual sugar balanced by moderate bittering. Mid-palate shows full body and malty character, with toasted grain and biscuit notes developing alongside a light nuttiness. The 28 IBU provides sufficient definition without drying the palate, allowing the brown ale's inherent sweetness and slight berry undertone to persist through the swallow.

full-bodied, smoothcaramel-forwardtoasted, breadybalanced bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and medium in length, with lingering caramel sweetness and a gentle toasted grain fade. A light dry note emerges as the beer warms, offering subtle complexity without harshness.

caramel fademedium lengthclean aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
80
Appearance
78
Finish
76
Serve at 10–13°C

Serve at 10–13°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Monteith's Original Ale

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About Brown Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Brown Ale?

Brown Ale is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Brown Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same caramel, full-bodied, sweet character as Monteith's Original Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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