But on Dec. 26, a tantalizing post appeared on the BeerAdvocate forum. During a recent shopping trip, a North Carolina beer drinker found a 6-pack of Newcastle Brown Ale, an easygoing British classic bearing an iconic blue star on its label. Lagunitas Brewing, the U.S. subsidiary of Newcastle’s parent company, Heineken, had been producing a different, more assertively hopped version for the American market.
“This is the real deal U.K. version,” they wrote.
Knowing better than to trust an anonymous internet commenter, I contacted Heineken to confirm. In spring 2024, Lagunitas shuttered its Chicago brewery, winding down domestic production of Newcastle Brown Ale. That move led to production returning to Heineken’s Tadcaster brewery in northern England. Fresh batches of the smooth, caramel-kissed brown ale floated across the Atlantic Ocean late last year and landed on store shelves.
We’re bringing back the original recipe,” says Adena McMahon, director of innovation at Heineken USA.