Northern Brown Ale after WW II

The North is probably where Brown Ale was the most diverse. Partly due to the tradition of Strong Brown Ales in the Northeast. For this reason, I’ve split the examples into two tables, one for standard-strength versions, another for strong ones.

Even though these are “standard” Brown Ales, a couple are surprisingly strong, with gravities around 1040º. I’m guessing that these probably aren’t tweaked versions of Mild, as the gravities are just too high. You didn’t really get Mild of that strength in the North.

Some examples are much better value than others. Walker’s Brown Peter is considerably stronger than Duttons Nut Brown – 10º and 1% ABV – yet retailed for the same price. Easy enough for brewers to get away with when there was no indication of a beer’s strength on the label.

There’s quite a range in degrees of attenuation from under 60% to over 80%. Taddy Brown Ale being the poorest attenuated and Brown Peter the best.

Most examples are reasonably dark, though there are a couple in the 40-50 twilight zone between pale and truly dark.

Some Brown Ales from the Northeast of England are in a very different style. Stronger, and at the palest end of the style’s colour spectrum.

Averaging around 1050º and 5% ABV, I assume that Double Maxim was brewed in reaction to Newcastle Brown, a beer brewed by their biggest local rival. As we’ll see later, this type of beer wasn’t just limited to the Northeast of England. Some Scottish breweries produced similar beers.

Standard Northern Brown Ale after WW II
Year	Brewer	Beer	Price per pint (d)	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	colour
1952	Duttons	Nut Brown Ale	20	1029.9	1005.8	3.13	80.60%	56
1952	Greenhall Whitley	Wilderspool Brown Ale	20	1038.7	1008.5	3.92	78.04%	80
1952	Hammonds United	Brown Jack Ale	18	1029.5	1005.8	3.08	80.34%	105
1952	Hey & Son	White Rose Ale	20	1040.7	1007.9	4.27	80.59%	60
1951	Peter Walker	Brown Peter Ale	20	1039.2	1008.3	4.02	78.83%	90
1952	Peter Walker	Brown Peter Ale	20	1038.6	1006.7	4.15	82.64%	44
1948	Samuel Smith	Taddy Brown Ale	18	1032.5	1013.8	2.41	57.54%	95
1952	Samuel Smith	Taddy Ale	15.5	1034.5	1008.5	3.37	75.36%	90
1948	Tennant Bros.	Brown Ale	18	1031.8	1010.2	2.79	67.92%	68
1952	Tetley	Family Ale	15	1035.5	1009	3.44	74.65%	54
1950	Vaux	Maxim Ale	14	1033.5	1009.7	3.08	71.04%	105
	Average		18.0	1034.9	1008.6	3.42	75.23%	77.0
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.

 

Strong Northern Brown Ale after WW II
Year	Brewer	Beer	Price per pint (d)	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	colour
1949	Newcastle Breweries	Brown Ale	22	1051.6	1012.2	5.12	76.36%	46
1951	Newcastle Breweries	Brown Ale	22	1052.5	1011.8	5.30	77.52%	44
1950	Vaux	Double Maxim	19	1048.7	1011.2	4.88	77.00%	46
1952	Vaux	Double Maxim	23	1049	1009.8	5.10	80.00%	48
	Average		21.5	1050.5	1011.3	5.10	77.72%	46.0
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.

Provincial Brown Ale before WW II

It wasn’t just in London that Brown Ale was on the rise between the wars. The style was popular enough to appear in pretty much every brewery’s range. Though there was a considerable diversity in terms of strength and colour.

Rather fewer provincial examples were around the 1042º average OG of all beer. And there examples that are much weaker than London examples, some even under 1030º. In the case of Adnams, I know exactly why their Brown Ale was so weak. Like most smaller breweries, their Brown Ale was a tweaked version of their Mild. As that beer was piss weak, it followed that their Brown Ale would be, too.

One easily identifiable regional trend is in the Northeast. The two examples from there – Newcastle Brown and Vaux Double Maxim are notable for being both stronger and paler than most examples of the style. 50 and 62 are pretty low values for a Brown Ale. I’d expect a minimum of 80. Their gravities are both over 1050º which was unusual, but not totally unknown, in other parts of the country.

My guess is that all the ones stronger than Best Mild (around 1040-1043º) were their own separate brew and not based on a Mild Ale. For the simple reason that Mild didn’t usually get any stronger than that in the 1930s.

Note how common the name Nut Brown was. It has absolutely nothing to do with nuts or even with the flavour of the beer. I suspect that this Christmas carol is the source of the phrase. I've seen it in so many 19th-century collections of songs that it must have been very well known:

    The nut-brown ale, the nut-brown ale,
    Puts downe all drinke when it is stale,
    The toast, the nut-meg, and the ginger,
    Will make a sighing man a singer.
    Ale gives a buffet in the head,
    But ginger under proppes the brayne;
    When ale would strike a strong man dead,
    Then nut-megge tempers it againe,
    The nut-brown ale, the nut-brown ale,
    Puts downe all drinke when it is stale.
    "Christmas Carols, ancient & modern" by William Sandys, 1833, page lxiv.

I'm not sure of its exact date but, judging by the language and spelling, it's no later than the 17th century and possibly 16th century.

In the 19th century, the phrase “nut brown ale” was regularly used to conjure up nostalgic images of the good beer of the past or to describe beer served at feasts. It was not a specific kind of beer, simply a florid description of celebratory beer.

Provincial Brown Ale before WW II
Year	Brewer	Beer	Price per pint (d)	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	colour
1936	Birkenhead	Nut Brown Ale	6	1038.6	1010.5	3.64	72.80%
1938	Eldridge Pope	Dorset Brown Ale	8	1038.2	1009.5	3.72	75.13%	90
1938	Fremlin	Brown Ale	7	1041.8	1012.8	3.76	69.38%
1938	Green	Lutonian Nut Brown Ale	6	1028.3	1003.8	3.19	86.57%
1932	Hoskins	City Brown Ale	6	1036.6	1009.7	3.49	73.50%
1932	Ind Coope	Nut Brown Ale	7	1037	1008.2	3.74	77.84%
1937	Mew Langton	Brown Ale		1048	1012.8	4.57	73.33%
1933	Morgans	SK Brown Ale	10	1042	1012.4	3.83	70.48%
1931	Newcastle Breweries	Brown Ale		1056	1014	5.46	75.00%	62
1932	Northampton	Brown Ale		1038	1009.8	3.66	74.21%
1938	Read	Nut Brown Ale		1030.5	1007.6	2.97	75.08%	85
1935	Samuel Smith	Taddy Nut Brown		1042.1	1011.9	3.91	71.73%
1938	Simonds	Brown Ale		1031.6	1008.2	3.03	74.05%	130
1934	Adnams	Brown Ale		1031.5
1932	Tennant	Nut Brown		1032	1008.9	2.99	72.19%
1938	Tollemache	Brown Ale	8	1044.9	1008.9	4.69	80.18%	80
1938	Unwin	Darker Brown		1040.8	1007	4.40	82.84%	105
1938	Vaux	Double Maxim Ale		1053.2	1009.3	5.73	82.52%	50
1932	Ward	Nut Brown		1035	1007.6	3.56	78.29%
	Average		7.25	1039.3	1009.6	3.91	0.76	86.0
Sources:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/001.
Younger, Wm. & Co Gravity Book document WY/6/1/1/19 held at the Scottish Brewing Archive
Truman Gravity Book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number B/THB/C/252.

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1950 Adnams XX Mild

Time to look at Adnams other draught beer from 1950, their XX Mild.

Do you know what’s really, really weird about this beer? It’s stronger than it was in 1939. I can’t think of another beer where that statement is true. Why should that be? Because Adnams didn’t brew what I would call a full-strength Mild before WW II. They brewed what I would call a 4d Ale. A low-gravity type of Mild that was the bastard son of WW I’s Government Ale. Adnams had gravity of 1029º, while a standard Mild would have been around 1036º and a strong Mild over 1040º. XX spent most of the war at 1027º before rising to 1030º in 1950.

I quite like the look if the grist. I’ve come across a couple of interesting Mild recipes from the 1950’s. Ones that include some coloured malts like this does. Lees Mild springs to mind. This, with both amber and crystal malts, probably drank above its gravity. Obviously, there was also No.3 invert sugar and caramel to add extra colour and depth of flavour. Plus little bitterness. I’d order a pint if I saw it on the bar.

This was surely also the basis of Adnams Nut Brown Ale. There’s no separate brew of Nut Brown Ale so I assume it was a bottled version of this. It may have been primed differently before bottling, but the basic recipe would have been identical.




I’m going to keep it short again . . . . over to me . . .

1950 Adnams XX
mild malt	5.00 lb	78.43%
amber malt	0.50 lb	7.84%
crystal malt 80L	0.50 lb	7.84%
no. 3 sugar	0.25 lb	3.92%
caramel	0.13 lb	1.96%
Fuggles 90 min	0.75 oz
Fuggles 30 min	0.50 oz
OG	1030
FG	1005.5
ABV	3.24
Apparent attenuation	81.67%
IBU	20
SRM	27
Mash at	148º F
Sparge at	170º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	61º F
Yeast	WLP025 Southwold

Truman Brick Lane gravities 1925 - 1933

As promised, I'm now taking a look at Truman's beers themselves. Based on information in document B/THB/C/256c.

This wasn't Truman's full beer range. Their brewery in Burton provided all of the posher Pale Ales and Burton Ales, including Barley Wine.

The Pale Ales they brewed in London, LK (London Keeper) and BLK (its bottled form), were really more like Light Ales.

In 1925, their range was this, in terms of styles:

2 Pale Ales
2 Mild Ales
1 Strong Ale
1 Porter
5 Stouts

What's odd about that? Do you remember the breakdown of Truman output by Ales and Stouts? In 1925, just 28% of Brick Lane's output was Stout. Yet there were more different types of Ale brewed than Stout. The inevitable conclusion is that some of the Stouts must have been brewed in pretty small quantities.

In 1933 just under 44,000 barrels of Stout were brewed, but there were seven different types. Meaning, on average, a bit over 6,000 barrels were brewed of each type. While in the same year 240,000 barrels were brewed of 9 types of Ale, an average of over 26,000 barrels of each type.

You can clearly see the fault line of Snowden's 1931 emergency budget again. The gravity of every beer in the range fell between 1931 and 1932. Except for those which were discontinued or appeared in that year.

Notable changes are the replacement of X by the weaker LM (though X did reappear the following year). Considering X was probably their biggest-selling beer, that's quite a significant move. A weaker Brown Ale was introduced, one that's obviously a bottled version of the weak Mild A. The name, NBA, stands for Nut Brown Ale. Sp. A looks like another draught variation of A, quite possibly coloured differently at racking time. Barclay Perkins introduced a very dark version of their Ale around this time.

Over on the Stout side, Stout was split into two differently-priced versions and the two versions of CS replaced by a single, weaker one.

What else have I learned? That Truman started brewing a Brown Ale in 1926. And that it was stronger than their strongest Mild Ale. Though I do know that it was parti-gyled with it. How do I know that? From another dead handy document. One that we'll be looking at soon.

Truman Brick Lane gravities 1925 - 1933
Beer	Style	1925	1926	1927	1928	1929	1930	1931	1932	1933
BLK	Pale Ale	1040.0	1040.0	1040.0	1039.8	1039.8	1039.8	1039.8	1036.4	1036.4
LK	Pale Ale	1029.2	1029.2	1029.2	1029.3	1029.3	1029.1	1029.2	1028.4	1028.4
SA	Strong Ale	1056.2	1055.8	1055.8	1055.9	1055.7	1055.7	1055.6	1049.2	1047.5
X	Mild	1043.0	1043.1	1043.0	1042.9	1042.8	1042.7	1042.9		1039.5
LM	Mild								1034.8	1034.8
BA	Brown Ale		1044.6	1044.8	1044.8	1044.7	1044.7	1044.8	1041.7	1041.7
A	Mild	1029.4	1029.4	1029.4	1029.5	1029.4	1029.5	1029.6	1028.4	1028.4
Sp. A	Mild								1028.4	1028.4
NBA	Brown Ale								1028.4	1028.4
Stock IDS	Stout	1083.7	1083.6	1095.4
BS	Stout	1058.4	1058.5	1058.3	1058.4	1058.7	1058.8	1059.0	1053.7	1053.7
St.	Stout	1050.1	1050.2	1050.2	1050.2	1050.3	1050.1	1050.5
St. 8d	Stout								1047.8	1047.8
St. 7d	Stout								1040.9	1040.9
CS Town	Stout	1044.8	1047.1	1046.7	1046.3	1048.5	1049.1	1049.0
CS Country	Stout		1044.3			1045.4	1045.3	1045.3
CS B									1038.9	1038.9
R	Porter	1037.4	1037.5	1037.5	1037.4	1037.2	1037.2	1037.1	1035.3	1035.3
SS	Stout	1054.5	1054.7	1054.6	1054.4	1054.5	1054.8	1054.8	1050.3	1050.3
Scotch St.	Stout		1058.4
RDS	Stout									1044.5
Source:
Document B/THB/C/256c held at the London Metropolitan Archives

Nut Brown Ale again

Drums. Once I start banging one it's hard for me to stop. We're back with Nut Brown Ale.

I told you that none of the references I've found from the 19th century refer unequivocally to a specific product. There's one that might possibly from the 1890's, but none that unequivocally point at a beer really called Nut Brown Ale.

This is the earliest one I can find in the British newspaper archive:

Western Times, Monday 27 December 1900, page 1.

St. Anne's Well, a modestly-sized brewery in Exeter, were an innovative bunch. They were one of the first British breweries to produce a Lager in the 19th century. They also seem to have been a Nut Brown Ale pioneer.

Judging by the price and description,  "A" looks like an early Dark Mild. When did St. Anne's Well start brewing "A"? Luckily, I've earlier adverts from them. I extracted this information from one:

St. Anne's Well Brewery beers 1891
beer	price per barrel	price (per gallon)	price (per doz) pint	size
S.G A specially brewed, Pale Mild Beer	36	12
St. A. P. St. ""ANNE'S PALE ALE."" A light, Pale, Bitter Ale of excellent quality, highly recommended for famile use.	42	14
E.I.P. St. Anne's ""East India Pale Ale"" brilliant, and very superior quality Ale.	54	18
H.B. St. Anne's ""Home Brewed,"" a Mild Ale, but not Pale.	48	16
St. A. XXX A Mild Ale, of the Burton character, of very superior quality.	48	16
St. A. XX A Mild Ale, lighter than XXX, but of the same character and excellence.	42	14
A St. Anne's Ale, lighter than H.B., but of the same character. Recemmended for general family use where a Pale Ale is not required.	36	12
S. ST. ANNE'S STOUT	54	18
ST. ANNE'S LAGER BEER			3s 6d	screw Imperial pint
ST. ANNE'S PALE ALE			3s	Imperial pint
ST. ANNE'S DINNER ALE			2s 6d	Imperial pint
ST. ANNE'S STOUT			3s	Imperial pint
Source:
Exeter Flying Post - Saturday 26 December 1891, page 8.

Now isn't that interesting? "A" is described as a lighter version of Home Brewed. Which itself is described as "a Mild Ale, but not Pale". Making it sound very much like an early, strong Dark Mild. Note that both beers are draught.

What I think we see are the beginnings of both Dark Mild and Brown Ale. But why did Home Brewed and Brown Ale become almost exclusively bottled beers? Was it because of the technological changes that allowed non-deposit bottled beers? And why wasn't bottled Dark Mild called Dark Mild?

Loads more questions and no real answers.

Nut Brown Ale - the good old days

Today we've arrived at the final post in my series on Nit Brown Ale in the 19th century.

This is the most confusing of the uses.  The one where, rather than describe a specific type of beer, an attempt is being made to conjure up a nostalgic image of Merrie Olde England.

I'll admit that I'm not sure whether this pub really brewed something called Nut Brown Ale or whether they're just doing the Merrie Olde England bit. I suspect the latter, but could be wrong:

"OLD CURIOSITY SHOP."
FOREST TAVERN, MANSFIELD ROAD, NOTTM.
Vide—Large Lamp, The Major Oak."
THE GREATEST NOVELTY NOTTINGHAM IS ELLIS'S "NONPAREIL" NUT BROWN ALE.
Drawn direct from the ancient "Freebooters' Cave," Mashed, Brewed, and Racked by Captain (Salvation Army) Ellis, the last of the Race of Outlaws.

For Bold Robin Hood, in old Merry Sherwood,
Tippled "Nut Brown," with flavour so good.
His jolly men brewed in the merry green wood.

ELLIS, the Collector of Thousands of Local Relics and National Curiosities. Inspection Free to All.
Nottingham Evening Post - Monday 05 January 1891. page 1.

A bit weird that a Salvation Army caption should be brewing. Aren't they supposed to be teetotal?

This next one is a clear example of a nostalgic use of the term Nut Brown Ale:

"THE PURE BEER COMMITTEE.
A LINCOLNSHIRE WITNESS.
At the fourth sitting of the Pure Beer Committee, held at Westminster under the presidency of the Earl of Pembroke, the first witness was Mr. E. J. Grummitt, who, in reply to the chairman, said that he was a brewer, and farmed rather largely in South Lincolnshire. He brewed beer for the farmers and labourers in his own district, and branded every cask with a label, " Guaranteed brewed from best malt and hops only." He had never used any other materials than English barley malt, except in the wet seasons of 1879 and 1880, and then he was obliged to use some sugar in consequence of the faultiness of the malt. In good harvests, when they got barley well ripe, there was no necessity to use substitutes at all. He used his own barley and his neighbours', and no foreign barley at all. The character of the beer had been altered in the last ten or twelve years, and they brewed a lighter and a cheaper beer. In Lincolnshire, people years ago liked a sort of nut-brown ale, but they now brewed a pale, light beer. Asked if it was as easy to make the light beer from English barley as it was to make the old hard beer, witness replied that it was. For instance, Bass's, and the great Burton brewers, were buying the very best barleys they could buy in Lincolnshire and the district at as much  as 45s. a quarter, and if they use substitutes they would not go to the expense buying this barley. He did not know that the Burton brewers used nothing but English barley malt, but he believed the quantity of substitutes was very small indeed, if they used any. When hops were very dear a few years ago substitutes were used very largely, but of late years very little in the way of substitutes had been used. The light beers could be easily and economically made solely from hops and English barley malt. A brewer friend of his bought foreign barley at from 18s. to one guinea a quarter, and used one-half foreign barley and one-half sugar, and sold this thick gluey kind of beer as "Welsh ale" to dockers and workmen who liked that class of beer. He objected to the farmer being taxed on barley land to the amount £5 8s. an acre, whilst the bounty-fed sugars and substitutes for barley were practically untaxed. On reply to Mr. Primrose, witness said that the "Welsh ale" he had mentioned and the "harvest beer" produced thirst, but still the people liked it, and would prefer it to excellent beer brewed from malt and hops alone. Asked if the publican adulterated the beer before giving it to the customer, witness said that cases had been detected in London, but it was very seldom done in the country."
Grantham Journal - Saturday 07 November 1896, page 6.

I'd best explain about the Pure Beer movement. After the passing of the 1880 Free Mash Tun Act, there were some who weren't happy about the use of adjuncts. They lobbied for a return tto the restrictions that applied before 1880, when only water, malt, sugar, hops and yeast were allowed.

Nut Brown Ale - feasts

Now we're going to take a look at the second 19th-century usage of the phrase nut-brown ale - to describe the beer served at a feast.

It doesn't appear to be used to refer to a particular type of beer, but is used more to conjure up a nostalgic Olde England feeling. In particular, the term is used frequently when it's a master and tenant type of celebration. Like the coming of age of an heir:

"FESTIVITIES AT LYME HALL, CHESHIRE.
Friday the 3d inst the Heir of Lyme, Thomas Legh, Esq attained his 21st year. — This joyful event was announced to the Tenantry and Neighbourhood at sunrise, by the firing of two signal guns, from a Battery of 21 guns mounted in the Park — flags were hoisted on the Cage, centre of the North front of the house, and on the Lodge, and the Bells of the Churches at Macclesfield, Prestbury, Taxall and Disley, commenced rinsing at 5 o'clock in the morning, and continued at intervals the whole of the day.

At 12 o'clock a Salute of Twenty-one Guns was fired — and the same hour an excellent Band of Music entered the Court, playing "God save the King" and carrying an Orange Flag, on which was painted, in large Characters — God save the King — Success to the Heir of Lyme — Orange Boven ! !

On one side of the Court, a fine Portrait of the Prince Regent was suspended, and opposite to it, that of Lord Wellington, mounted.

At half past three o'clock, 300 Friends and Tenantry, sat down to a sumptuous dinner in a Gallery 124 feet in length, which as well as the stair case, was brilliantly illuminated and decorated with appropriate devices and the Family Pictures.

At six o'clock in the evening, another salute was fired, and large Bonfires made at the Cage, and on the Hill, accompanied by a splendid display of Fire Works. The populace were regaled with plenty of good nut-brown Ale.

Bonfires were also made at Disley and Bullock Smithy, and the populace treated in a similar manner as at the Park.

On Saturday morning, a Portion of Beef and Potatoes, according to the number of each Family, was given to the poor of the neighbouring townships ; the same number of tenants were also entertained at dinner, the cannon fired, and the same order observed in other respects, as on the day preceding."
Lancaster Gazette - Saturday 11 December 1813, page 4.

Here's another very similar event from later in the century:

"MAJORITY OF VISCOUNT CLIVE.
On Wednesday the rejoicings to celebrate the coming of age of Viscount Clive commenced at Ludlow, Welshpool, Powis Castle, Bishop's Castle, Newtown, and other places in Shropshire and Montgomeryshire. At Ludlow, an ox and several sheep were roasted and distributed to the poor, whose wives and daughters were likewise treated with tea, &c. Large parties of gentlemen also dined together at the different inns. Upwards of £200. was subscribed by the richer inhabitants to meet the expences.

A grand display of fireworks took place in the evening. The ball on the 12th is expected to be a splendid affair. Deputations from Welsh Pool, Montgomery, Churbury, &c, waited upon the Earl of Powis and Lord Clive, at the castle, to present addresses of congratulation. Shortly after one the poor of the neighbourhood, upwards of 4,000 in number, were liberally entertained with old English fare, under an extensive and splendid marquee in the park. There was an abundant supply of "nut brown ale" — some famous stuff, which many of the partakers declared was far preferable to champagne. At eight o'clock there was a brilliant display of fireworks."
Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 09 November 1839, page 3.

Harvest celebrations were another occasion where "nut brown ale" was used to describe the beer served:

"HARVEST HOME AT NORTH WEALD HALL.
North Weald Hall was the scene festivity on Monday night, when Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bosley entertained their employés and several friends at the annual harvest home. Hospitality knew no limit, the genial host and hostess exerting themselves for the comfort of all comers. The carpenter's shop was transformed into a dining-room, the walls being adorned with evergreens and trophies from the harvest fields, and the tables creaking under the weight of good fare and nut-brown ale. Among these present were the Vicar of North Weald (the Rev. R. S. Dewing), Mr. and Miss Atkins, Mr. and Mrs. Billyeald. Messrs. Geo. Brown, Walter Law, Hugh Hart, Wm. Law, C. Hart, A. H. Gall, and A. D. Clayden. On the removal the cloth, Miss Atkins led off with a brilliant pianoforte solo, following later with several excellent songs, and proving an invaluable accompanist. The Chairman (Mr. Billyeald) kept the ball rolling, and himself delighted the company with recitals, notably "The Fireman's Wedding" and " The Charge the Light Brigade." Mr. C. Hart scored immensely with "Dr. Quack," and the several songs of Mr. Law were well received. The other contributors were Mr. and Mrs. Bosley, Messrs. Glasscock, Hugh Hart, Horsnell, Gall, Joyce, Payne, Pickett, Clayden, &c. - In proposing Mr. Bosley's health, the Vicar said he was glad to find the good old custom had not died out. [Hear, hear.] They were greatly indebted to both Mr. and Mrs. Bosley, and he submitted their good health. The toast was received with three times three and musical honours. — Mr. Bosley made a most genial reply, remarking upon the good feeling existing on the farm. He liked to see the labourer and master hard in hand — [cheers] — the men working with the master and the master with the men. [Applause.] He regretted the bad state of farming, but they hoped for better things. Applause. He was very pleased to see them all, and for their kind expressions he thanked them for both his wife and himself. [Applause]"
Chelmsford Chronicle - Friday 26 October 1894, page 6.

Christmas was another occasion when the phrase was used:

"Supper.—On Friday evening, January 3rd, the carol-singers had their supper in Mr. Fisher's kitchen, kindly lent for the occasion. A party of nineteen sat down to the good old fare of roast-beef and plum-pudding, with a glass of Warwick's nut-brown ale to warm the inner man. After full justice had been done to the excellent spread, the evening was spent in games. Messrs. T. and J. T. Jackson entertained the company with music and songs; and a most enjoyable gathering terminated at eleven o'clock. The carol-singers wish to thank Mr. and Mrs. Fisher for their kindness and hospitality, also the ladies who kindly assisted in cooking the supper."
Grantham Journal - Saturday 11 January 1896, page 3.

I've saved this one until last because it actually mentions the name of the brewery supplying the beer: Warwick's. Which immediately got my attention, it being a Newark brewery. Good news, because I've several price lists from them. I can check to see if they had a beer called Nut Brown Ale.

Brewery	Place	year	beer	price per barrel	price (per gallon)	price (per doz) pint
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	X Mild Ale	36	1s
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	XX Ale	42	1s 2d
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	XXX Ale	48	1s 4d
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	XXXX Ale	54	1s 6d
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	Pale Ale	42	1s 2d
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	Pale Ale	54	1s 6d
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	Stout	42	1s 2d
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	Stout	48	1s 4d
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	Mild Ale			1s 10d
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	Pale Ale			2s
R. Warwick & Sons	Newark	1885	Stout			1s 10d

Apologies for not giving a source for that. I collected it several years ago when I wasn't as strict about keeping track of that sort of thing. I'm fairly sure it was from "Newark: The Bounty of Beer" by Brenda M. Pask.

No sign of anything called Nut Brown Ale there.

Nor in this slightly later advert:

Nottingham Evening Post - Wednesday 22 June 1887, page 4.

I'm pretty sure Warwicks didn't really have a beer called Nut Brown Ale. My guess is that the beer served at the supper was one of the stronger Mild Ales or the XXXX Strong Ale.