Samuel Smiths India Ale

Brewed by Samuel Smith
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Tadcaster, England

Brown bottle. Aroma is sweet and hoppy. Light fruitiness. Pours a beautiful amber with a creamy, lacing tan head. First sip is what it’s all about: crisp, bitter, and hoppy. Fruitiness is only really suggested, never really presented. Would make a great session. Killer mouthfeel: thick body, creamy and hoppy. Doesn’t finish very dry. Overall, really nice, pleasant, balanced, well-made... but no flavor really takes control and brings this brew to the next level.

This is what I remember a Bass Ale draft tasting like ages ago. Good sweet malt, good British hoppy bitterness. I also remember 20 years ago when Sam Smiths seemed like the best beer I could findand $40 seemed like a lot for a case. Times are better now, and I prefer the American hops and the incredible over the top bitterness of a west coast IPA. That said, this is a good looking brew, crystal clear, golden copper, visible carbonation, small head that vanishes leaving good lacing. Nose of floral hops and sweet malts. Average mouth feel. Taste of sweet malts and floral hops, but lacking in the intense citric bitterness and the long bitter finish of my American favorites.

Bottle, shared with Bartzilla @ monthly Death Metal tasting. Hey, do you like Bass ale? How about a Double Bass? Well, this is it......a double bass ale. Next beer please......

Bottle. Pours out a caramel colour with a very nice foamy and lacy white- bleached bone coloured head. Scent is hoppy with a sweet fruity backdrop. Taste is pleasant and caramel-ish in body... thick and almost sticky. Hops and malt is balanced well to give a nice smooth character. Lacking a wee bit in hop character to justify it as an IPA but very pleasant and drinkable overall.

This one surprised me because I was expecting an IPA and found myself drinking a real nice ESB. Has a good malt backbone with a dry, bitter, hoppy finish. Thick, chewy mouthfeel. Pretty tasty brew.

An amber pour with a sweet malt and hop aroma. A nice sweet malt flavor with a nice bitter finish. A nice full bodied beer. I wish it had just a bit more alcohol. I liked this beer.

Smells sweet with hints of licorice... Copper, slightlu murky copper body with initially thick head. Twastes sweet with licorice and floral.... It’s okay, but not sure I’m too impressed... then again I don’t like licorice

Nice spicy, toasty malt nose. Pours pale amber. Flavour is fresh with a medium hoppy finish, mouthfeel is a little sharp but pleasant. Lingering bitterness form the hops adds a point or two to the palate. Over all not inspired, but pleasant enough and drinable. I would have it again.