Samuel Smiths Old Brewery Pale Ale

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

I think I have now rated all the commonly available S. Smith beers. This is not one of their best, but it is still quite good. This is called a pale ale by the brewer, but Ratebeer calls it a bitter. It looks fine - a dull, medium brown pour with a plump head. Not one of the better S. Smith labels, tho. Sweet and tangy aroma with a slightly stale scent in there too. I love those Smtih malts, which come thru nicely in the flavor. Overall it is fairly light and not very sharp or bitter. The flavor leans toward mellow malts, which makes for a very drinkable brew that would go well with a meal.

12 oz bottle. Fairly malt dominated aroma, a good amount of fruity caramel and cookie malt, with earthy type hops. Pretty pour with a large cloud white head, not a lot of retention though, semi-translucent, light carbonation, amber color. Flavor is balanced toward the malty side at first with caramel, cherry fruit, pale malt, with a good woody and minor citrus bitter into the finish. A very pleasant ale, could easily see myself enjoying this one at an old English pub.

Pours dark copper with a thick foamy pale gold head, good retention. Aroma is a little faint but pecan, citrus hops, and nice light caramel malts are pretty apparent. Flavor is citrus hops, apples, caramel, candied pecans, straw, and bitter hops. Finish is bitter hops, a faint nutty tone, and a little pine pretty suddenly near the end. Body is thicker and slicker than the flavor would suggest, carbonation is at the right level though. All around a pretty good bitter.

Pours a nice coppery colour with a reasonably thick off white head. Aroma was apparent from the second I opened the bottle. It’s a tiny bit nutty, with a faint hint of spicy and citrusy hops. Flavour is surprisingly faint. There is some hop flavour, but it’s pretty smooth, and mostly just bitterness. As it warms up, it’s a bit piney. There is a bit of malt backing, but not a whole lot, and it’s pretty sweet malts, not really dark tasting. It’s pretty creamy, and the carbonation is pretty much bang on to style.

Clear amber orange with big foamy white head. Faint sweet malty nut aroma. Surprisingly bubbly, creamy light nutty apple hoppy malt taste.

Pours an amber orange with foamy off white head, low retention. Aroma is nutty with a malty butterscotch base. Flavour is a pretty tasty reflection of the aroma, sweet malty butterscotch, with a dry nutty middle and a lightly bitter finish. All and all a pretty tasty beer.

Dark brown but clear as a bell with a thin little off white head which clings to the glass wonderfully. Deep caramelly aromas along the lines of burnt sugar, infact i’d quite happily go with Toffee Apples. Thick and silky on the tongue with deep complex flavours. Easy drinking with definite rosy apple flavour again with toffee of a dark nature. Very thick, very roasty, delicious. Seems old-worldy almost. Become a little sickly after a while, very heavy on the palate. The size of the bottle may not be the best match for this complex, intense beer.

Interesting beer. it is very complex. Bottle. Pours a beautiful red with an orange glow. Not much aroma.