I was asked to bring beer to a good friends birthday party this weekend. I figured quantity (12′er) was better than quality for this rowdy crowd, so I picked up the cheapest decent brew I could find. This time, it was Newcastl which – surprisingly – has not yet been reviewed here. I welcome your response/views in the comments on this more well know beer.

Brewery Hometown: England

Style: English Brown Ale

Serving Style: Bottle poured in to pint glass

Appearance: Clear dark amber brown…copper is a good adjective. Small white head rises, even with a lively pour, and then collapses back into the brew. What lacing?

Aroma: Strong sweet/caramel malts right off the bat. Despite having this numerous times, it was malty-er than I remember. Molasses, brown sugar sweetness around the edges.

Taste: Sweet, lightly roasted malt flavor, hints of nutty flavor. On quick sips you can miss any hop bitterness entirely, instead getting a sweet, dark sugar profile. Seriously, where are the hops? Maybe I am just being a typical American hophead but I feel it’s seriously off-balance; I can feel my lips getting sticky and I only seem to notice at the bitter end (HA bitter end). The level of carbonation is low, giving it a smooth mouth feel (and explaining the light head). Too sweet to be a one-off or a session beer for my tastes.

Alcohol: 4.7%

Drink one or all?: 1… but better than most things in cans.

Cost: $14/12

Overall: 13/20 There are better things in your average grocery store, but if it’s really on sale…