What an endorsement! I feel so proud as a Makem. I live less than 2 miles away from this brewery and have always said this is a far superior drink compared to Newcastle brown ale. To add to your research, the 2 blokes who founded double maxim brewery where ex brewers from the original Vaux Brewery so knew the recipe very well. Thus continuing the traditional flavour.

I have always maintained that Double Maxim is the true and only proper North East brown-ale. Newky-Broon hasn’t been brewed in the North-East for a long time and is inferior in quality to Maxim. Thoroughly enjoyed this honest and unbiased review, I agree with every statement. I am from the North-East but live in the Midlands, yet I still buy my supplies of Double Maxim in person from the brewery on my regular visits Up North. Cheers all 🍺

If you're lucky, I work at Spoons and the Double Maxim is part of the August / September / October Guest Beer range. Should be able to get a pint in most pubs. Always ask if they can get it in for you.

Glad you like it, this is probably my favourite beer, I would say that though as my dad worked at vaux, the fellas who bought this when vaux was closed (that's a whole saga of a story in itself) they were former directors of vaux and had been part of a management buyout which sadly failed to save what was a very modern and profit making brewery. When the buyout failed they managed to buy the rights to not only double maxim but also 2 other famous North east beers namely samson which is a bitter and lambtons which is a lighter floral hoppy straw coloured ale. They now have a brewery at Houghton which is within sunderland but the old brewery which originally opened in the 1800s was right in the centre of the city,. Think I'll pick some up tomorrow myself . Cheers

From their web site; "Today, with a dedicated and skilled team comprising former Vaux, Wards, Federation and Newcastle Breweries staff". Also seems to be named after an old TA army unit, the Northumberland Hussars’ Maxim gun detachment which was commanded by Major Vaux. The Maxim itself was the first fully automatic machine gun.

I used to drink this in 80's and on cask...glad to see Maxim back...just picked one up in the isle of man...absolutely outstanding 👏👏

This is on sale in my local Morrisons in Hampshire at £1.33 a bottle and if you buy 3 you get the 4th free.! A pound a bottle then if you buy 4. I’m originally from the North east and I’m old enough to remember the original, this is a beautiful drink. It ticks all the right boxes for me. We’ll done sir for your recommendation.

Hi Simon thank you so much for the video, I'm from Sunderland and I'm chuffed you've reviewed our local beer and especially the fact you have enjoyed it, haway the lads haha.

Lucky enough to drink this regularly from cask in the lighthouse micro pub in Sunderland, wonderful beer and changed my view if beers, was always a lager man until I tasted double maxim

I just had a bottle of this following your review and fair play Simon - your bang on the money here. Very nice in my opinion too. Best brown ale I’ve had certainly at that price point £2. Will make a dent in the shelves of my Morrisons too!

I'm from a little village around 30 minuets from sunderland called peterlee my grandad use to swear by this beer he'a sadly passed away now but i cant wait to get to morrisons and finally get to try it after this review as well

Lovely stuff been drinking this every now and then for years. Not many real old school tasting traditional uk ales around.

As a Geordie allways loved Double Max great taste and great flavor , glad its still available,

Not biased, I'm from Sunderland and that's your best review yet..

What an endorsement! This ale is everywhere here in the North East (pretty much in every supermarket and in many pubs). On cask it is very nice and even in bottles it is tasty and drinkable, but it's a shame that they use clear bottles. Added: I bought one of these today from Morrison's, in your honour Simon. For those who mention Maximus and Swedish blonde in the comments, I can say I have tried all three on cask and they all have their place: Maximus when you want something stronger with more heft to it, Swedish blonde when you want something pale and refreshing, but Double maxim remains the most balanced and tasty for me. It has that magical quality of making you want another one of the same.

Well well, just got in from taking mum shopping in morrisons. Got myself 4 beers and after seeing youd put the vid up, I went to see if it was one I'd picked and pleased to say I did! Will slurp this one over the weekend and am looking forward to doing so

Definitely going to be looking out for this one simon I used to drink Newcastle brown ale quite a lot but stopped when it got took over and I miss seeing Vaux beers on the shelves in shops 👍👍🍺🍺

I'm from Sunderland and I like a pint or 2 of Double Maxim. As you say Broon Ale has been ruined by the multi-national company buying them out. Another beer I used to love is Wainwright when it was brewed by Daniel Thwaites, I wish they hadn't sold the recipe to Marston's cos it's not half as good as it used to be.

Your singing from the same hyme book all u have said is 100% correct Heineken have screwed the Newcastle brown ale I alerted Heineken about 5 years ago they replied that they will no longer b adding caramel to the beer it still taste pants Double Maxim is the beer of the north had few pints in Durham at green king pub my dad talked about the beer in the late 60s

Listened to your advice and got one earlier. Fantastic beer! 🍻

I remember newcastle brown ale being described as a nut brown ale in the sixties!

Awesome to see you at Bø festival in Bergen. Great video and most interesting history. As a Geordie, I still try a Newkey Brown in Bergen…..not great (unlike Bø, which was mega!). Great vid, keep up the good work. 👍

Sounds amazing. Wish they sold it here in the states😢

Grew up drinking this in the Back Alex pH in Saltburn, just south of Sunderland. Lovely beer on cask.

Wetherspoons sometimes have the 6% Maximus on cask. Delicious and only £2.29 a pint

it looks beautiful!! I love that almost acorn like color, such a healthy looking brown ale.

Lovely beer Double Maxim Sainsbury's Asda Tesco Marks & Spencer's etc stock it too. The cask version of it is quality too. Maxim brewery also brew other Vaux classics such as Samson Lambtons Sunderland draught Wards etc.

I'd love to get my hands on this beer. Newcastle Brown Ale was my go-to beer until one day I walked into the store and found it'd been replaced with a horrible IPA.

I'm sitting in a Premier Inn in near Cramlington drinking a Maxim Brown Ale and I completely concur. Way superior to most brown ales around my way (Nottingham). Subtle bitterness, spicy liquorish taste and a killer hop bang. I'm now googling to find out what the hop is. I think it's East Kent or Styrian...or Fuggles. Killer beer. Love it. Great review miduck

Brown ale my absolute favorite! Great review 👍👍.

See if you get get your hands on a bottle of the 6% Maximus. Lovely stuff

Absolutely bang on. They should release more from the Vaux recipe book. Fantastic beers, I'm old enough to remember how they tasted compared to S&N. I'm a born and bred Geodie telling it how it is, bring back all Vaux brews😊😊😊

Tried this the other day. Really nice. Morrisons 4 for 3 deal. They have several other really good ales on this deal too. Mix and match.

An absolute shame what happened to one of my fav tipples, bottle of dog in a half glass lol! Always went for Newcy Brown over Maxim but it’s good to see that beer still going strong ! (Anybody remember the blue sticker version of Broon which I think was slightly less % than the original?) Another drink that was ruined which I loved on tap was Hoegaarden. A takeover that some how changed the recipe 😢

My grandad was Sunderland born n bred.. He’d of been ashamed of what’s happened to Newky B.. He’d also have been ashamed of me calling it that! 🤣 I reckon he’d of been proud of this though 👌🏻👍🏻

Closing Vaux Brewery was a crime against humanity 😢

Can't wait to try this. Going to treat myself to a few bottles after work 😁🍻

Double Maxim never tasted like the old Newcastle Brown ale, NBA had a more fruity taste to it, it was good but never as good as Double Maxim. Even the Double Maxim of today isn't quite the same as the original VAUX brewery version but it's about 95% of the way there. My father-in-law was a bottling manager there up until it closed in 1999 and they got a hefty beer allowance every month. BTW there is now another VAUX brewery started up in Sunderland selling the old traditional ales as well as the Maxim Brewery. Come to Sunderland and drink it on tap.

Oy!! That’s my drink of choice!! After your review I won’t be able to get any lol!! Awesome review

I'm from the North East and have seen this so many times but haven't had the urge to try it as it just look so uninviting and also wasn't keen on the newcastle brown. I now have a new target.

The name derived from the Maxim Machine gun used by the machine gun corp of the Vaux family who owned the brewery and were commanding officers of the local regiment in WW1 in which my late grandfather served, Sunderland born and bred

My first experience of Double Maxim was in a Vaux pub in Liverpool many years ago. My Makem mate would wax lyrical about this beer so much and it was worth all the praise!

Well, you've convinced me to look for a bottle - cheers!

O yeh! Getting some deffo! Cheers Simon🍻

Must try this. For now I have the Felinfoel Nut Brown Ale and I rather like it. Not sure if you have reviewed that Simon. I would prefer to get the Maxim in a case straight from the brewery as its clear glass but they don't appear to do online sales.

Just drinking one now that I got from Asda and its gorgeous. Hence why I looked up this review.😋

I'm getting some later!!

this is Sunderland's brown ale !!! not Newcastle lol ( im a Sunderland fan) .. Vaux use to brew this but now its done around the corner from me at Houghton le spring great drink !!!

Got to try swedish blonde and maximus my local brewery outstanding

I wonder if you can find this outside the UK? We get next to no classical British beers here in Danmark anymore, besides a select few. Sounds awesome mate, cheers!

A lot of brown ales are in clear bottles - Do they have less issues around light strike than largers?

Hopefully I can hunt a bottle of this down over here in the States:)

The stronger MAXIM is available in ASDA 4 for 3 which equates to less than £6.00 for 4.

Yum, one of my all time favourites, at least when on draught. Rare to find in a bottle and even rarer on draught? Went into a "Spoons" a while ago and it was on one of the pumps, I nearly wet myself! However, when I asked, they were doing the usual and it wasn't on yet. Went back two days later and it was gone. Was it there in the first place or was it all an illusion?

I'll be headed to Durham in a few days. Can't wait to try this beer

I live in Manchester, I have searched high and low for it, not a chance. Amazon and all the the supermarkets. NO. Any suggestions.

My absolute favourite style of beer

Mackem Brown Ale is a hit eh? Good stuff. Vaux have some decent stuff and they’re independent, so that’s alright with me.

Houghton le spring said like a true makem. (it's usually pronounced hoe tun - but the makems say it like the way you did) brilliant

You still doing your live pubs Simon ? I’ve been off KZfaq a while so just getting back in to it

sold in ASDA down south apparently.

I reckon that legend steeple jack Fred dibnah would love that beer

Should also give Tyneside Brown a go by Hadrian Border Brewery, brewed in Newcastle. Already a few good reviews on here rating it

Did you finish that bottle?

The mass produced Newcastle Brown is revolting, I'd really like to try the original recipe. . . I'll have a look in Morrisons, I'm not sure if they'll have it down in Plymouth though!!

For sale in Morrisons and asda

yeeeahaa "stone the crows" is back!

great history lesson

its 1.60 in asda

Leave us 1 bottle to fight over LOL

Best beer on the planet.

Double maxim lush beer simply the best!!!

Couple more of thiers, maximus which is a stronger version and samson which is what used to be sold in vaux pubs😊😊

Does anyone know if they sell this Ale in Arizona?

First off, well done to the guys for keeping this lovely beer going. An absolutely superb brown ale. My honest opinion is that this isn't quite as good as what Newcastle Brown used to be like but is infinately better than the awful garbage that Heinekin are churning out nowadays. I cannot drink Newcastle Brown now and rate it slightly above the worst beer since Watney's called John Smith's.

My favourite brown ale, I drink it all the time.

There is no Morrisons in Ireland, but if this is as good as its supposed to be I am getting on the ferry to England just to buy a load of it. Newcastle Brown is just not what it used to be.

Guess what i'm going to order 🤣

I always preferred this over the Newcastle brown even before it was royally fucked by Heineken.

Supprise in a clear bottle with light strike

Sold in most major supermarkets

Did the label say "No flanel"? ;)

Try a bottle of McEwans Champion! Don't get me wrong, The Maxim tastes more like our old proper Newcastle Dog but let us know what you think of the Champion!

a used to drink both, when it tasted great years ago, nothing the same as it was, but a just might make a trip to morrisons, people buy the name like nestles did and, is not the same as rowntree macintosh sweets chocolate, picnics, kitkats,etc, so where is maxim made now

Boddintons bitter was great,before globalisation.

Vaux beer is back in business but doing a bit more craft beer, think it’s part owned by George Clarke off of the tele

Heineken have ruined a lot of beers looked great 👍

Ive sank a few.yip its a cracker.pisses on newcastle brown ale.couldnt agree more

Double Maxim was always better than Newcastle Brown ale.

I had the misfortune to sample a Newcastle Brown recently. Pissy, lager tasting puke with brown colouring. Very nasty.

Vanilla ????? What I drinking

You're going to take every single bottle from your local after telling everyone they have to try it? Why not leave a few for other people instead of wiping the shelf?

Vox Brewery??

Shouldn't be in clear bottle.

Newcastle Brown was never, ever close to Double Maxim. Heineken didn't ruin it, it was always s..t

Getting a bit carried away there mate, yeah it’s decent beer but not as good as you made out. How much did they pay you? Annnnd where was the mention of a clear bottle? To me it’s a standard brown ale, nothing at all special, there’s much much better ones out there but at £1.33 from Morrisons it’s a bargain and will get you pissed if you drink enough of it

You only took one sip of it then went into a sales pitch. Wtf is wrong with you?

Still not very famous though 😉 Much like the rivalry .. 😛 One is the other isn't. Shame Heineken ruined brown ale Exhibition was always my favourite.

Always come back to this review si, its tremendous and with me being from sunderland makes it better. Try double maximus from same brewey but 6% abv

Good review,just want to say the brewery is Vaux(sounds like hawks),not Vox....✌️