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Sam's Brown Ale

Samuel Smith's Old Brewery
United Kingdom·Alcohol-Free Brown Ale
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An alcohol-free brown ale with less than 0.5 % alcohol. It pours dark brown with mahogany highlights under a tight, cream-coloured head. The nose is malt-forward; tasters find roasted grain, coffee, cocoa, hazelnut and a little liquorice, with toffee, caramel and dark bread on the palate. The body is fuller than the strength suggests, the taste dry rather than sweet, and a roasty bitterness builds towards the finish. Water, malted barley, hops and yeast are the only ingredients; the label takes up a brewery poster from the 1950s.

ABV
0.5%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter30 IBU
Roasted 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
roastedmaltynutty
roasted
malty
nutty
coffee
caramel
toasty
Aroma
The nose leads with roasted grain and dark malt character, presenting coffee bean and cocoa powder prominently alongside hazelnut and subtle liquorice notes.
also:chocolate
not found:hoppy,bready,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Sam's Brown Ale

◎ Appearance

Pours a deep mahogany brown with excellent color intensity for an alcohol-free offering. A tight, cream-colored head forms and clings to the glass with visible retention, creating fine lacing on the walls. The beer presents as clear and well-defined, with no haze or suspended matter.

mahogany browntight cream headcleargood lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with roasted grain and dark malt character, presenting coffee bean and cocoa powder prominently alongside hazelnut and subtle liquorice notes. Toffee and caramel sweetness emerge in the background, grounding the composition in baked bread and toasted cereal notes. The aromatic profile is malt-forward and inviting without sharp edges.

roasted graincoffee, cocoahazelnutcaramel, toffee

◐ Taste

The palate unfolds with a fuller body than the ABV suggests, delivering roasted malt and cocoa initially, followed by caramel and dark bread notes at mid-palate. A roasty bitterness develops steadily through the taste, building intensity toward the finish without becoming harsh. The overall character remains dry rather than sweet, with a creamy mouthfeel that persists throughout.

roasted, drycoffee-cocoa notescaramel maltinesscreamy body

◑ Finish

The finish is clean and moderately long, with roasty bitterness lingering on the palate and a subtle drying effect that invites the next sip. Cocoa and grain notes fade gradually, leaving a pleasant, understated aftertaste.

dry finishroasty aftertastemoderate length
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
80
Appearance
85
Finish
72
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 Sam's Brown Ale

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About Alcohol-Free Brown Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Alcohol-Free Brown Ale?

Alcohol-Free 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 Alcohol-Free Brown Ale

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, malty, dry character as Sam's Brown Ale will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Alcohol-Free Brown Ales in hopIQ

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