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County Brown Ale

Wellington Brewery
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🌍 Canada · English Brown Ale · One of 5 English Brown Ales in hopIQ

Mahogany with red highlights, brewed without adjuncts or added flavours. Roasted malt leads: nutty toffee, biscuit, a thread of chocolate and coffee, over a medium body that finishes on the dry side, so the malt layers stay clear of any cloying sweetness. Hops sit back and hold the balance. First brewed in 1985 for the cask, and still poured that way in parts of Ontario.

ABV
5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter24 IBU
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark30

AWARDS

Gold · 2025
Canada Beer Cup
Brown British Ale
Gold · 2024
U.S. Open Beer Championship
English Brown Ale
Gold · 2023
Ontario Brewing Awards
Brown British Beer
Bronze · 2022
Ontario Brewing Awards
Brown British Beer
Bronze · 2022
U.S. Open Beer Championship
Brown Ale
Gold · 2021
U.S. Open Beer Championship
Brown Ale
Gold · 2020
U.S. Open Beer Championship
Brown Ale
Gold — Canada Beer Cup (Brown British Ale)
Gold — U.S. Open Beer Championship (English Brown Ale)
Gold — Ontario Brewing Awards (Brown British Beer)
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Even from Body through Texture, the taste structure is evenly distributed.

Harmony over emphasis — the beer is built for each note to sit at the same volume.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another English Brown Ale.
Malt character
roasted
nutty
coffee
malty
chocolate
toasty
caramel
Compare with another beer →

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for County Brown Ale

Appearance

Mahogany brown with distinct red highlights, clear and well-defined in the glass. The head builds to moderate density and holds with good retention, leaving fine lacing down the sides. Carbonation appears moderate and composed, appropriate for a cask-conditioned ale.

mahogany, red highlightsclearmoderate head retention

Aroma

The nose opens with roasted grain and nutty character, supported by gentle waves of toffee and biscuit malt. Subtle threads of coffee and dark chocolate emerge beneath, while hop presence remains restrained, allowing the malt-driven profile to lead without competition.

roasted maltnutty, toffee, biscuitcoffee, chocolate notes

Taste

The palate enters with layered roasted and toasty malt, delivering hazelnut and toffee warmth across the mid-palate. A dry undercurrent prevents any sweetness from becoming cloying, keeping the biscuit and chocolate elements clean and distinct. Bitterness is low and integrated, simply holding the balance rather than asserting itself.

roasted malt layersnutty, toffee, biscuitdry, clean finish

Finish

The finish is dry and comparatively short, with malt notes receding smoothly. Lingering hazelnut and a faint coffee whisper sustain the aftertaste without heaviness.

dryshort to medium length
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
82
Taste
84
Appearance
80
Finish
78
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of County Brown Ale

Serve at 10–13°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

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

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

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

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with County Brown Ale

About English Brown Ale

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a English Brown Ale?

English 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 English Brown Ale

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

Other English Brown Ales in hopIQ

WHERE TO BUY

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