Fans of Newcastle Brown Ale will notice a new flavor.
That’s because production has moved from the Netherlands to the U.S., where Chicago’s Lagunitas Brewery will now make the beer under a new recipe. Both brands are owned by Heineken, which made the switch as part of the U.S. relaunch of Newcastle Brown Ale.
So how’s it taste?
Heineken recently showed off the new flavor during a Lagunitas tour for distributors, retailers and media. We attended to sample the new recipe (and check out the Willy Wonka-does-beer experience that is Lagunitas).
Newcastle Brown Ale definitely tastes different. For starters, it’s less sweet.
Drinkers familiar with Lagunitas will likely think one word for this brewery: hoppy. It’s well known for bitter beers. So we wondered whether Newcastle Brown Ale might become much more bitter. After all, the new recipe includes classic Lagunitas hops: Centennial and Chinook.
But the end result is not extremely bitter. It’s perfectly balanced: roasted-malt caramel flavor with a subtle bitter backbone, more so than the old recipe. Lagunitas did add 8-10 more IBUs, but they blend in rather than stick out.
Newcastle Brown Ale is also now an all-malt beer, made with Lagunitas house malt. Some fans may decry that this U.K. classic has become completely Americanized. To the contrary, Lagunitas Master Brewer Jeremy Marshal pointed out that the Chicago brewery uses a British-style house yeast.
He did not want to deviate far from what has worked for Newcastle Brown Ale. “We’re known for our super-hoppy beers, our barrel-aged specialties and other crazy brews, so the temptation was there,” Marshal said. “But this is not a beer you want to get that cute with. We said, ‘Let’s keep the soul intact’.”
The ABV remains the same (4.7%), as does the color.
Newcastle Brown Ale’s packaging received a modernized update. U.S. sales of the brand have slipped in recent years, prompting this rejiggering, and now it’s only available in 12-oz. bottles in packs of 6, 12 and 24, and 7.75-gallon slim steel kegs. When sales improve, the brand may consider extensions.
Bottles of the new flavor ship in March. Supporting marketing includes social media engagements, plus new POS and on-premise materials. The target demo is consumers who want accessible craft beer, rather than crazier styles.
Now a word on the Lagunitas Brewery tour. You enter through a long, black-lit, psychedelic hallway while Willy Wonka’s “Pure Imagination” plays on loop. Lagunitas has a pro-cannabis stance, and the eclectic, trippy décor does not disappoint. Nor does the beer-geek part, including a 500-barrel German-made brew system that looks like the massive gleaming engines of the Starship Enterprise.
The 300,000-square-foot brewery once contained sound stages for movies (which are still filmed next door), including the Dark Knight scene where Joker burns a mountain of money.
Which is all to say: if you’re a beer nut, make the pilgrimage to Lagunitas.
Kyle Swartz is managing editor of Cheers magazine. Reach him at kswartz@epgmediallc.com or on Twitter @kswartzz or Instagram @cheers_magazine. Read his recent piece 8 American Whiskey Trends in 2019.
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They ruined my life long favorite beer. Sales may have been declining but
I predict a total decimation of an iconic brand. I am sad.
I SECOND,THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH YOUR SENTIMENT….THEY FUCKED IT ALL UP.
I keep hoping that the original will return. I can’t believe how bad the new is. I have even noticed that the new does not sell when I go to the distributor. Bass ale took the same path years ago. I have not yet found a alternative. Harp a lager is good but of course not an ale. Brooklyn brown is heavy. Fullers is to expensive . Shin nets not acceptable. Bidding ton to expensive. Hoping when I cruise the old will be available. Feel free to post your new go to since the original has been destroyed.
Couldn’t agree more. It’s SO terrible. And that’s honestly predictable—we buy wanting a classic malty British ale and end up with this bland bitter hoppy swill? Gross.
It is, absolutely, gawd awful.
I returned it to this store, thinking it was a batch that had gone bad.
I found out, later, about the new, horrid recipe.
Drinking Brown Ale for 26 years. I will not be drinking it anymore. More corvettes about getting new customers and forgetting about the ones that have supported you for years. See ya! Good luck
They ruined it, it tastes watered down. I will never buy it again.
How can you call this stuff Newcastle. This is not Newcastle. I have been drinking the real Newcastle for 25 years. If you are going to label it Newcastle. It needs to be made as it was intended. If you are not going to make real Newcastle. Please remove the name from your product. This is false advertising.
Newcastle was my ‘go to’ beer for the last 10 years. No more.
If I wanted an IPA, I’d buy one. The new recipe tastes like a dozen other craft beers.
Good luck standing out with that recipe…
The new Newcastle is horrible!!! Bitter and hoppy- tastes like an IPA. Very sad. I have not found anything to replace it that is available here and have been forced to GIVE UP DRINKING!!!
If you can find it, try Figuroa Mtn’s Davy Brown ale.
They ruin it it sucks. Have drank it all my life it tastes like crap hoppy IPA. Ruined a good beer you’ll never get a dime of my money
Newcastle Brown Ale has been my favorite beer for years. When Heineken took over, the taste changed slightly but it was still smooth and enjoyable. Now that Lagunitas has taken over, it’s not Newcastle. It’s now a below average IPA. Just awful! I will now have to find a new favorite beer.
I have be meaning to do this, so sad! They took a great beer and turned it into crap.
This was my favorite go to Beer, I used to brag about it. There is an old saying; they traded sugar for shit.
I’m with you all the way bring back the one and only flush this swill they call brown ale.
What’s a wonderful refreshing if served cold beer, has been ruined and now is liking to a Scottish ale which if I wanted a Scottish ale I would buy one. Heineken when you were Brewing New Castle it was always skunky as hell just like your beer the s*** in the green bottle now you have moved it to a company who has no idea what a Newcie Brown fan wants. Congratulations you ruined a great beer
I am not happy with the change! They have ruined my go -for decades. The new formula puts it in the lower middle of the pack for my choice of beers. This is a disaster of a formula change. This is almost a 100 yr old brand and it’s been ruined for a fad of IPA like beers. I would sooner see it discontinued than to die the death that Heineken and Lagunitas have brought to it.
Bring back the original formula. Hop heads already have more than enough options. you didn’t have to ruin Newcastle.
I want the sweet caramel and easy drinking old version. I don’t want an IPA or hoppy beer. They give me headaches. Newky Brown was it for me. Now I’m onto Guinness. What a sad story. Certainly, some stupid younger idiots didn’t take the time to ask us loyal fans what we want. I’ll buy the brand back when it fails. Dumb asses. BTW…my wife drinks NB. Are you listening jackasses.
Why why why!? They have ruined this beer for me. It was at the top of my list for favorite beers. What are we going to do now?
The new and improved New Castle brown ale tastes awful,they should have left well enough alone. Please bring back my old New Castle beer !!!!!!!
They destroyed the New Castle beer and the customer base . The bars,cafes,places that use to sell the original have lost customers who would also buy food.. chain reaction…
Ruined our favorite beer. We had a lot of friends converted to the old Newcastle. Now every single person we converted won’t drink it. Too bad. We miss our beer!
The new Newcastle is fucking shit. I’ll never buy another bottle of Newcastle unless the old easy drinking brown boy comes back.
Fucking hops man shite
I’m with the rest go back to the original recipe.
How can you even compare this sub standard
Backwash.
It tastes awful. It’s bad for so may reasons: It’s too hoppy and bitter. It’s not a brown ale. It’s derivative…it tastes like so many other beers of the moment (that I don’t care for). Worst of all, it’s a giant middle finger to the people who have loved the brand for so many years. What a colossally stupid business/brand decision.
NOT A FAN. At all.
No one who liked the original recipe will buy this. It’s, now, like dozens of other similar beers, which have zero character, all their own.
Newcastle was a, totally, unique beer, unlike any other.
Heineken has ruined it, as they had to have known. All you have to do is a side by side taste comparison.
An iconic beer has been ruined.
I looked at the new label and immediately noticed that it looked like a poor imitation of the previous longstanding Newcastle Brown Ale label. I wondered why and was hopping that this did not mean a change in production methods or standards. But, Apparently, that label change was an unfortunate predictor of what is now in the bottle, a piss-poor imitation of what used to be an excellent full and malty English classic, something for the rest of us who do not want to be constantly bombarded by the bitter hoppiness craze that has largely taken over the US market. Such a tragic mistake, and no reason for me and my friends to continue buying it.
Ruined my favorite brown ale. Ruined it.
Just bought the new product. Won’t make that mistake again.
Like shit!!! How can you fuck that up, it was like beer heaven, now it’s horrible. You guys shit the bed on this one.
I tried Lagunitas Newcastle for the first and last time tonight. It’s a stringent, caustic, and minimally drinkable. Reimagined? More like ruined.
I just got a sixer of the new Newcastle and I’m actually impressed. It’s quite tasty and I’m glad that it is in brown bottles and not clear. It is expensive but it is a worthy effort for the name.
They TOTALLY ruined Newcastle for me by brewing it in the US..I can’t stand the new brew..it tastes like a cheap Mexican brown..not what I expect from Newcastle..I guess I will not buy Newcastle anymore..THANKS
It’s a typical ale now. I hate it.
Won’t ever drink it again. The original had long been one of my favorites, but the new stuff tastes the Chicago sewer water.
For years Newcastle was my goto, now it will be my soso. I tried the “new Newcastle” a little hoppy for my taste. They should change the name because it in no way resembles the NEWCASTLE we all loved. The bottom line is “I like beer” since I do I buy beer when it is on sale, but if the price is right and the beer is sh** then I move on. The “New Castle” is passable just do not expect Newcastle and it will be ok. RIP Newcastle! Bottom line another customer lost.
Took the old and the new Newcastles out on the boat last night for a relaxing taste test… You guys missed the boat on this one. I know tastes differ, especially when beer snots are involved but to me it was overhopped and not smooth.
Why buy the rights to Newcastle If you were going to change the recipe? It sucks.
Just tried the “NEW” Newcastle. If I wanted a peaty tasting drink I’d stick with scotch. Sorry but this is a step in the wrong direction for one of my favorite beers.
Obviously Newcastle Brown Ale drinkers were drawn to the brand because of the unique flavor it had. If you want to increase sales do a better marketing job; do not screw with the recipe and change it. i predict this will further decrease sales as more long time Newcastle consumers (myself included) look towards other brands of brown ale. Moose Drool, here I come!
The one and only is gone! RIP , This Newcastle is terrible, I love Lagunitas and different beers , but being a fan of Newcastle, and now this Newcastle just isn’t even close to the original .
Ruined the Newcastle taste I loved. Will not buy any more. I agree with 99.99999% (must be a Lagunitas marketing guy as the one positive review) of replies here.
BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL RECIPE!
Obviously Newcastle Brown Ale drinkers were drawn to the brand because of the unique flavor it had. If you want to increase sales do a better marketing job; do not screw with the recipe and change it. i predict this will further decrease sales as more long time Newcastle consumers (myself included) look towards other brands of brown ale. Moose Drool, here I come!
[…] crap. Now I only seem to be able to buy Newcastle Brown Ale, brewed by Lagunitas! https://cheersonline.com/2019/02/13/lagunitas-now-brews-newcastle-brown-ale-hows-it-taste/ UK beers are really hard to find now 🙁 #drink #beer […]
Yeah just tasted the new New Castle Brown Ale and I have to say… They have ruined “the one and only” unique taste of New Castle Brown Ale! They should change the label to New Castle Pale Ale! Luckily for me, the New Castle Brown Ale barrel I bought for my BDay in March 2019 was a Heineken New Castle Brown Ale with the original recipe!! Otherwise I would’ve asked for my $ back! The reason why they use the new dark glass is to hide the darker shade color from the new recipe! It’s not that beautiful Brown Ale it was once…
I have been drinking Newcastle heavily for over 20 years along with neighbors, friends and family. We will never drink it again. I’m thinking of brewing my own copycat and opening a brewery.
I have to concur with the many folks disappointed with the decimation of a classic. I preferred the version brewed in Newcastle over that brewed in the Netherlands; this is atrocious in comparison to both! If Heineken wishes to continue selling this, they need to append the name: Newcastle Bitters. Don’t get me wrong, if I was looking for a mild bitter beer, this isn’t bad: I might take it over ESB.
I wasn’t! I want my brown beer back!
Unfortunately, I bought a 12-pack; fortunately, I have neighbors and family who might suffer this well enough. Kodiak Brown Ale may have won a new long term customer.
ruined the lives of Americans this new taste is a big shit, go back to the previous beer
After being introduced to (now ‘the old’) Newcastle Brown Ale about 3 years ago, it was the only beer that I ever really cared for. Flavorful, somewhat sweet, and easy to drink, without tasting cheap like most big brewery beers or overly hoppy like most contemporary ‘upscale’ beers.. something refreshing to drink after a hot day’s work, not something you choke down in a yuppie bar to mull over the nuances of flavor with your beer-aficionado friends. Well, now its gone, and tastes like every other hoppy wannabe craft brew on the market. Yeah, yeah, they had a slump in their sales over the past few years, but did they really need to throw the baby out with the bathwater and pander to a corner of the market that doesn’t even have any interest in beer from ‘big breweries’ anyway?
You nailed it! I’ve been drinking the Tadcaster (or other) for 25 years and this just breaks my heart.
Been drinking Newcastle for years. Had cases of it for my bachelor party in 1999. Sorry guys, the new one tastes like shit. How could you change the one and only so drastically and still call it Newcastle? Will never buy another bottle.
I hope all this negative feedback is getting to Heineken, the brand owner. The new taste has resulted in overwhelming negative impact and I’m here to add to that sentiment. I’ve been a dedicated New Castle beer drinker for 20 years. I try a lot of new beers, local craft beers and always migrate back to my favorite New Castle as my home go to beer. Now I’m lost. The new brew is too hoppy and tastes like 100 other hoppy beers out there. The unique Old English Brown Ale taste of New Castle is ruined. I’m an executive and understand consumer feedback. If the execs at Heineken are smart, they’ll bring the old recipe back or their market share is gone.
This new taste…. Might as well just go buy some cheaper US beer now, as it taste like the rest of our US beers… Bitter piss now
Bring back the old recipe, PLEASE!!!
It was one of my favorite ales not anymore I bought my last twelve pack it’s ok but it’s not new Castle.If I wanted domestic ale I would have bought it!
I have been drinking the “old “ Newcastle since the 70’s and it was unquestionably my favorite beer. But boy, this new recipe is AWFUL! Boy, I truly hope they listen to the fans and go back to the original formula or I will sadly miss an old favorite
Wow. It is in comprehensible whatever rocket scientists / marketing guru’s thought this was a good idea. The king is dead. Newcastle was the quintessential brown ale of the world. It was rich in flavor and distinct in it bottling and label. You guy’s f’ed up every aspect of this poser substitute. 20 years. Tried and true. No more. Never again. You replaced Sean Connery with Roger Moore! Whoever is in charge should kill themselves or better yet be fired. Dumb ass ill conceived poor execution unnecessary attempt at what? Re-inventing the wheel. Why? It was perfect! Kiltlifter here I come.
What a complete disaster. I’ve been drinking the one and only for years and now they decide to appease the the younger crowd with an ipa that should not have the name Newcastle next to it . Is there anyone out there who can tell me what’s the closest substitute?
I haven’t bought newcastle since they changed it.
I miss the old recipe!
Most rediculous marketing strategy ever. Take a beloved product and change the taste. Newcastle has become New Coke. Shame…
Newcastle has been my favorite beer for around 25 years. I felt duped when I bought the new Newcastle as I though only the packaging had changed. When I tasted it I thought I had a bad batch. It is completely unfathomable that a company would change the recipe for a product that has been around for 90 years and sells over 100,000,000 bottles annually. I will never buy it or anything Heineken/Lagunitas again! IDIOTS!
How can lagunitas even call this Newcastle? They took a good classic beer and turned it into a crappy IPA.
This beer is crap! where is my Newcastle?!?
Ditto all the previous comments. This tastes roasty and chocalatey to my taste with a definite american hops finish. This is not the soft smooth nectar we all loved, not even close. Guess I’ll have to put “drink a Newcastle in Newcastle” on the bucket list.
Taste like Chicago Piss water ! I have went four states to buy up the last of the imported new castle , R.I.P. Our local distributors never have to refill that slot ,the new style sits and gets stale .
They ruined it. Made me so mad that I won’t buy anything Heineken again. Is there a petition to sign?
I agree, this was my favorite beer. I always had it available in the fridge. They have ruined it. I’m sooooo pissed. I now have to find an alternating ve.
Just terrible. I tried the new Newcastle and was so disappointed. Just what we needed; another IPA. The old Tadcaster brew was very reliable, smooth, nutty, subtle sweet, not bitter. Just delicious.
Sales dropped NOT necessarily because consumers were CHOOSING local brands over Newcastle, but because local pubs/bars were pressured to push local craft brands. Many bars in my hood (New Orleans) stopped selling Newcastle a couple years ago..
BRING IT BACK DAMMIT!
swill tastes like hops with a little tap water
Im with all the other comments
This new stuff is piss why did you
Mess with a pure great taste and then call it newcastle. Its shit
Why did you even tjink this was a
Good idear never ever again
Sell out piss water
+1 on the terrible new recipe. I tried it with food, alone, after a couple other beers…no luck. It’s just not good. This was my favorite and now undrinkable.
When I bought this 12 pack, I noted that the box, bottles, and label had changed. I still had 3 of the traditional Newcastles in my fridge. I drank one of the new ones, and thought that something was wrong. I went back and opened one of the old Newcastles, and drank the two of them side by side. Convinced me something was wrong. Went online, and found out about the recipe change with Lagunitas. This will not work for anybody. Not me, not Lagunitas, not Heineken, or any real Newcastle drinker.
Dreadful . . . simply dreadful! And to think I trusted the brand so much that and bought two six packs today. Came home anticipating chilling it down nicely and having my first sip. My first sip turned into my last sip of this swill. I repeat; dreadful, simply dreadful. If it were the last beer on earth I wouldn’t give it a second look! Talk about destroying a wonderful, delicious beer. That’s all they’ve managed to do.
I too loved the taste of the original Newcastle and now it’s awful. I will not buy anymore of the new Newcastle I hope that someday someone will bring back the original
Very saddened by the change!
Tastes terrible, will not be buying
ever again.
New recipe equals: straight garbage.
I hate it. I stopped buying it. Every once in a while I see the old stuff and buy a six pack but I can’t drink the new. It was my “go to” for years. Now I have to find another. I hope Heineken realizes that they never should have changed it.
My favorite beer ruined. Marketing might have been a problem but not the beer itself. Very sad to see this happen and the company still seems clueless. Once they left Newcastle it was just a matter of time. Btw, they should take the medals off the labels. The new beer has never won anything but disgust from former loyal beer drinkers. Goodbye old friend.
Sadly, I remember the same thing happened to Bass Ale. Like the Newcastle I just bought and want to pour down the drain because it sucks, the same thing happened a few years back when I bought a 12 pack of Bass. I was shocked to see it was brewed in the USA, and tastes like crap. What are these people thinking?
I absolutely agree with all the comments. This was the only beer I could share with my wife. Not too bitter, not too sweet. Heineken also ruined the packaging. Transparent white, nice shaped bottle, with very elegant label was magical. Anytime I looked at this beer I could not resist buying it. It is all gone in new US version. Shame on Heineken for destroying excellent, unique beer.
I’ve never commented on sites before, but I was compelled to say something about this “new recipe” Newcastle. First of all, I was a faithful “old recipe” Newcastle drinker for years. As above, this new recipe missed the mark completely! I’ve now switched to Guinness extra stout! Every now and then I come across an old recipe Newcastle, I buy it with an ear to ear grin on my face!
Good luck & see ya!
Nevermind they changed the recipe they changed an icon. This is the worst change they could have done. It taste worst than sewer water. Lol I work at a wastewater treatment plant. I will never buy another unless they bring back the old recipe.
Wow I’ve never read a comment thread where everyone is on the exact same page. This new stuff completely sucks. I was happily drinking New Castle for over a decade, it was such a delightful change of pace from all of the craft beers and basic lager and pilsners out there. Then one day back in February BOOM I buy a case of this garbage…. I notice the bottles and packaging changed but I wouldn’t have guessed they would commit such a crime against humanity and beer lovers everywhere.
Bring back “Old Castle”!!!!!
I just don’t like hoppy ales, period. Can’t stand them. My beloved Newky Broon was my nutty brown elixir of satisfaction. Now it’s just another hoppy tasting joke and joins the apparently inexhaustible supply of crappy, hoppy ales with stupid names like “Fart Boys Ale” that all taste the same and that litter the beer shelves.
Newky Broon was always there for me when I wanted a crisp nutty brown ale to have with a fine dinner. Thanks for nothing, Heineken.
Nicely stated; I was far more caustic in my response. I applaud your reserve.
WTF????????????? This new recipe is the most disgusting beer I have ever drank! You sold 14,000,000 million gallons of the old NewCastle recipe in 2010 in the US. Good luck selling 100 gallons of this sh.t. You will only sell to people thinking it’s old Newcastle, and when they discover it’s not the same, your sales are done. Good luck you fools!
They ruined my favorite beer. The new one is terrible, hoppy garbage.
I am still extremely pissed out this ass-squirt version of Newcastle Brown. I am banning Lagunitas (for brewing this hog-swaller) and Heinekin (for inserting it’s head up it’s own ass). WTF??!!??
The original Newcastle Brown Ale was a consistently smooth ale that paired with everything under the sun. So sad it went “hop-forward” at Lagunita. It most likely will satisfy that IPA crowd, but it has clearly lost its place on my list.
Like shit!!! How can you fuck that up, it was like beer heaven, now it’s horrible. You guys shit the bed on this one.
Swill. You ruined a good product.
Any chance Lagunitas dumps this swill and brings back the one and only ?
The real Newcastle was light and sweet and unique and wonderful and and and… sigh… please heavenly Father bring it back. I didn’t know the brand had been sold until i tasted my beer. I felt like i got a skunked batch. Then i noticed the bottle was brown and the label was a terrible shade of yellow and lagunatis was listed as the brewer. Wtf?! I googled it and so here i am. Wtf!!! I cannot even comprehend this but every good thing on earth seems to go through a period of stupidity and modernization.. testing our sanity??.. then it makes a return to tradition. Nostalgia and better taste must prevail! At least when they sold my precious rolling rock, the taste remained relatively untouched and the bottles were still green. “33”
Ass…is what it tastes like. Hop-forward ass.
Amen!