The Anchor Brewing Company out of San Fransisco, CA is well known for Anchor Steam, a delicious brew that is one of the very few mainstream versions of the California Common Beer you can find. Consequently, many beer fans regard Anchor as a one-trick pony and will often dismiss their other beers. It's quite a shame, especially when you come across beers like Brekle's Brown, described as an ''all-malt, single-hop brown ale'' brewed to celebrate Anchor's 140 years of San Francisco brewing. If that description isn't enough to garner your curiosity, then you shouldn't be playing in the lands of better beer.

In the glass, this beer has a deep ruby red hue and comes across as more of an Imperial Red than brown ale. It has a frothy tan head that dissipates at a normal pace. Not knowing what to expect from a beer like this, I was anxious to get my nose in the glass. Brekle did not disappoint. If you ever want to know what a malt bomb smells like, order this beer. The sweetness is so pungent that it takes on a bubblegum vibe. In fact, it has such a thick candied profile that it almost crosses over into sour territory. Very strange, and very intriguing.

The immediate impression you receive from the first sip is that of an extremely smooth mouthfeel. It's much like drinking a glass of thin syrup. The core flavor note is a pure sweet caramel malt. That's pretty much the beer in a nutshell with only a few small flavor nuances, namely red grapes and some tart cherries. The single-hop profile, consisting of an American hop variety called Citra, is pretty much nonexistent for most of the flavor train. It only appears at the finish as a slight twinge of bitterness. But even there it's hard to notice because the beer exits with more candied sweetness. Despite it's singular focus, this is actually a decently complex beer that tastes thick yet drinks thin.

Overall, Brekle's Brown from the Anchor Brewing Company is a tasty and intriguing brew. It's definitely unlike anything else you will find on the market, which is always exciting for beer fans. In a strange reversal of recommendation, I would actually tout this beer more for novices than seasoned drinkers. While it does have a complex character that honed palates would find interesting, it's just not an every day drinker. On the flip side, novices can really sink their teeth into this beer as a fantastic study of malty sweetness. It's an easy drinking, unassuming, taste bud tantalizing beer. In other words, brain candy for beginners.