O-I-H-O! …Wait a minute.

I’ve never been a follower of The Ohio State University’s sports: didn’t go there; don’t care. But everyone assumes I’m a fan because I exist within 60 miles of their stadium. In the fall it’s perfectly acceptable for a complete stranger to invade my space and hoot, “O-H!” gesturing wildly like a confused Village Person. They expect the proper response, which is not, I’ve discovered, “F-U.”

Football madness also rages strong 60 miles to my north in Cleveland. In the Browns stadium there is a section reserved for The Dawg Pound. This section is known for its rowdiness, excessive alcohol consumption, and for its population of tirelessly enthusiastic men in Browns jerseys and rubber dog masks. This all sounds suspiciously like the antics at an afternoon in the OSU Horseshoe, but I’m here to tell you that Browns fans are different. They maintain magestic reservoirs of hope and optimism and, having been dragged through the mud many times before, retain this loyalty and the there’s always next year mentality through the worst of seasons.

In the Dawg Pound

It is hard to be a Browns fan. We don’t win all that much. I was thinking of this just the other day as I stood in the craft beer aisle looking for a brown ale. Nothing. Not even that Honey Brown crap we considered to be “the good stuff” in college. It was all IPAs and pumpkin beer. The next store, more of the same. I couldn’t win. The third store had one kind of brown ale, Bell’s Best Brown out of Michigan. Score.

Browns are characterized by their color, naturally, but it seems by little else. Beer Advocate’s definition is pretty short and vague. Those of us near Cleveland already know they came in all shapes and sizes. These are sturdy beers, solid, stoic, Midwestern. Browns are well-balanced, but vary widely in hop bitterness and alcohol level. They are versatile also, and would go as well with burgers at a summer cookout as with roasted veggies in the deep of winter.

Bell’s Best Brown

I like them as a fall alternative to an IPA or pale ale. They are gentler and warmer and the color of autumn. Bell’s Best Brown has a pleasant bite to begin with — much like that first step outside the house on an October morning — that mellows out to roll caramel notes down your throat. As the beer warms, the edges round off this well-balanced brew. It has a rich brown color that is almost opaque. As I am sitting here drinking one I can’t help but wonder why it’s so hard to find browns anymore. They’ve simply gone out of style. IPAs are the winning team and the fairweather fans have left the stadium.

A few that have warmed autumns past:
Dogfish Head’s Indian Brown Ale
Smuttynose’s Old Brown Dog Ale
Sierra Nevada’s Tumbler Autumn Brown
Brooklyn Brewery’s Brooklyn Brown

Despite the current drought of brown ales, I remain true to this beloved but misunderstood style. This Rust Belt brew has character, strength, and complexity beyond its reputation. It’s a shame there aren’t more in the beer aisle. There’s always next year.