Review: West Mountain Brewing Company Brown Ale

Brian Sorensen

The brewing equipment that sat dormant in the window of West Mountain Brewing Company for so many years finally sprung to life a couple of years ago with the hiring of brewer Andy Coates. Since that time West Mountain has become a destination for craft beer drinkers in Northwest Arkansas. Located on Fayetteville’s historic downtown square, the brewpub has attracted an eclectic group of regulars who enjoy good beer, good pizza, and a chilled out atmosphere.

I recently had a pint of West Mountain’s Brown Ale, a regular in their lineup of house brews. The beer was a deep, dark brown in color, with ruby red glints when held up to the light. It was fairly opaque with an absence of visible bubbles.

Roasted grains and American hops were prevalent in the beer’s aroma. Sweetness greeted the palate on first sip, quickly followed by subtle notes of chocolate and molasses. The body was surprisingly light for a beer with as much flavor as this. Not light like a Pale Ale, but certainly not thick and chewy as one might expect based on appearance. The beer finished dry with a slight bitterness on the back end. An off-white lacing on the pint glass was a reminder of just how good the beer was.

Overall, this is one of West Mountain’s finest and most consistent brews. It is chock-full of flavor and lends itself nicely to many different types of food pairings, including steaks, burgers, stews, and (of course) pizza. Head up to the Fayetteville Square and grab one of these tasty brews. You’ll be glad you did!

Brian Sorensen
Brian is an admitted beer geek, occasional home brewer, and member of the Fayetteville Lovers of Pure Suds (FLOPS). You can follow him on Twitter at @EBSorensen.