Flavor

• Both English and American brown ales typically have caramel or toffee tones and may even exhibit fruit notes. English versions, especially southern English browns, may remind you of dark fruit, such as raisins, however; whereas American browns will have a distinctly citrus quality, making them much more bitter. Each has a slight malty aftertaste but American versions have a moderately hop finish as well.

Malts

• The selection of the different malts used in English and American versions is one of the main reasons why they taste different. The former is typically made with English pale ale and darker malts, according to The Beer Judge Certification Program; the latter uses American or Continental pale malts with small amounts of dark and crystal malts as well. The result is a sweet and light malty flavor in English browns and a more bitter and heavy malty profile in American browns.

Hops

• The American brown ale's citrus character often comes from the hops, which are usually American varieties, but can be UK or noble hops too, says The Beer Judge Certification Program. Each variety is noticeable from start to finish, though usually at a light to moderate level. English hops of almost any type are used for English browns, and because most types have virtually no bitterness, they're undetectable in the beer.

Yeast

• English brown ales are made from standard UK ale yeasts, including London and Irish Ale yeasts, which give the beer its slightly sweet flavor and full body. Northern English brown ales are less sweet than their southern counterparts. American browns have almost no sweetness, which is partly due to the American Ale or German Ale yeast used.