Brown ale Brown ale Brown ale is a style of beer with a dark amber or brown colour. The term was first used by London brewers in the late 17th century to describe their products, such as mild ale, though the term had a rather different meaning today. 18th-century brown ales were lightly hopped and brewed from 100% brown malt. Today there are brown ales made in several regions, most notably England, Belgium and America. Other than being top-fermented and having a darker color than pale beers, brown ales share little in common in terms of flavor profile. Beers termed brown ale
Old ale Old ale Old ale is a term commonly applied to dark, malty beers in England, generally above 5% ABV, also to dark ales of any strength in Australia. Sometimes associated with "stock ale" or, archaically, "keeping ale", in which the beer is held at the brewery. Historically, old ales served as a complement to mild ales, and in pubs of the era typically the landlord would serve the customer a blend of the sharper stock ale with the fruitier, sweeter mild ale to the customer's taste. In London especially, the aged ale would take on a tart note from a