Comparison
Kentucky Common vs London brown ale
What is the difference between Kentucky Common and London brown ale?
The short answer
The main difference is sweetness: London brown ale has noticeably more of it than Kentucky Common. Kentucky Common also leads on acidity, roast and bitterness.
Generated from the two style records. No editor has written this comparison up, so it carries no verdict beyond what the data supports.
Where they overlap
They share comparable body, malt intensity, yeast fruitiness (esters), the same style family — the boundary between them is narrower than the comparison suggests.
Side by side
| Kentucky Common | London brown ale | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Amber & dark ale | Amber & dark ale |
| Fermentation | Top-fermented (ale) | Top-fermented (ale) |
| Origin | United States | United Kingdom |
| Category status | Historical | Historical |
| Strength | 4–5.5% ABV | 2.8–3.6% ABV |
| Bitterness (IBU) — IBU measures iso-alpha acids in the lab. It does not track perceived bitterness, which residual sweetness, body and roast all alter — compare the sensory rows below for how each actually tastes. | 15–30 IBU | 15–20 IBU |
| Colour | Amber to dark brown — 11–20 SRM, 22–39 EBC | Deep reddish brown to dark brown — 22–35 SRM, 43–69 EBC |
| Original gravity | 1.044–1.055 | 1.033–1.038 |
| Final gravity | 1.010–1.018 | 1.011–1.014 |
| Serving temperature | 7–10°C | 10–13°C |
| Carbonation | 2–3 vol CO₂ | 1.5–2.2 vol CO₂ |
| Glassware | Nonic pint | Nonic pint |
| Clarity | clear | clear |
How they taste different
| Character | Kentucky Common | London brown ale |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetness | Low | High |
| Acidity | Trace–Low | Not characteristic |
| Roast | Trace–Low | Not characteristic |
| Bitterness | Low | Trace |
| Nutty | Not characteristic | Low |
| Dryness | Not characteristic | Trace |
| Carbonation | Moderate | Low |
| Caramel & toffee | Low | Moderate |
Which should you choose?
- You want more sweetness → London brown ale
- You want more acidity → Kentucky Common
Derived from where the two actually differ. Neither is better — this is a question of which difference you want.