After confessing in an earlier article that I am a dévoté of Newcastle, I repeated it on my Facebook page, and there was this moment of palpable, stunned silence, followed by a stream of suggestions both common and esoteric. Since I am never one to turn down an opportunity to drink and get paid for it, the following is a comparison of the famous Geordie brew with its most common competitor, Mission St. Brown Ale by Firestone Walker Steinhaus Brewing.
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The first bottle of each was skunked. (Damn it.) After driving back to
TJ's, cursing a blue streak and calmly–calmly, I say–talking to
management, I got a replacement of the Mission St., then replaced
the Newcastle at the liquor store I purchased it at with slightly more
discussion. (It should come as no shock that a small-time liquor store
would be less interested in replacing beer than Trader Joe's.)
Both were poured 15 minutes from refrigerator-cold, in an approximation of cask temperature.
To look at the beers once poured into glasses, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference with a
casual look. Held up to a light bulb, the
Mission St. was more ruby and had a tanner head (though it lightened as it shrank); the Newcastle head was
whiter but fuller for the same pour.
The scent was the same; the color was nearly the same. The taste,
however, was quite different. There was a strange flatness on the
“crest” of the Mission St., a strange disappearance of flavor, whereas
the Newcastle tasted “brown” the whole way through the sip. The alcohol was more pronounced in the Mission St. (which is 5.7% ABV to Newcastle's 4.7% ABV), whereas the Newcastle tasted nuttier. Neither had strong hops nor cloying sweetness.
Most people I've talked to who've had both talked about Mission St.
being a better value due to its low price. While it is a low price–a
bomber (22 fl. oz. / 650 mL) is $1.99–the large bottle of Newcastle
(18.6 fl. oz. / 550 mL) was only $2.69. Though that's more expensive by
nearly 60%, I don't feel the Newcastle was a bad bargain, and I
didn't exactly shop around; I just went to the nearest corner liquor
store.
Would I drink both? Absolutely. Would I make a special trip to Trader
Joe's to buy Mission St. Brown Ale over Newcastle Brown Ale, which I can
buy from practically any liquor store in the county? No.
Let me close by asking–nay, beseeching–the local Orange County
Bräumeister and Bräumeisterinnen to please, please, please make a brown
ale. The Bruery's Black Orchard was as close as I've found in OC; if
anyone knows any differently, let me know. I'd love to have a local
option.
Cheers!
