Looking for a couple of bombers to share, I went over to Victor’s Liquors and picked up a bottle of Wynona’s Big Brown Ale from Voodoo Brewery Co. Voodoo was founded in 2009 and is located in Meadville, Pa (a town about 40 miles from Erie, PA). While a relatively young brewer, they have produced a number of well received beers. The Big Black Voodoo Daddy and the Black Magick (both American Double Imperial Stout) and the Pilzilla (a keller bier) are considered exceptional and the Cowbell Imperial Oatmeal Milk Stout is considered world-class over at Beer Advocate. There are eight beers in their regular line-up and they have an extensive barrelroom collection with beer aged in barrels that once held Apple Brandy, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare and Buffalo Trace.

Here is what Voodoo has to say about the Wynona:

A robust dark brown ale brewed with generous amounts of brown malt and marris otter and hopped with Simcoe, Amarillo, and Northern Brewer to enhance the flavor and aroma for your enjoyment.

I found this beer to be…

• Appearance: A lighter brown with a quickly dissipating foam.
• Aroma: Sweet, malty with hints of chocolate, hops and dried fruit (mostly raisins).
• Taste: Initially sweet, then a little bitter with an acrid roasted quality followed by a slight, hoppy tang.
• ABV: 7.3%

I really like brown ales, so I had held out some hope that I wasn’t just buying a fancy bottle (the packaging always ropes me in). While my hopes weren’t completely dashed, I found the Wynona’s Big Brown Ale to only be okay. Not a bad beer and I wound up drinking the bomber by myself but it wasn’t a top-tier brown ale. I would rather have a Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale or and Ellie’s Brown Ale from Avery.