Samuel Smiths Organic Ale

Brewed by Samuel Smith
Style: Bitter
Tadcaster, England

05-Dec-07 (550-ml bottle: Purchased 20-Nov-07 for $3.49 at BevMo in La Jolla, CA) Mildly sweet and fruity attack seamlessly adds a balanced, nutty overlay in the evolution, finishing with a delicate touch of English hops and a salty, toffee-like aftertaste. The nose is nutty and lightly hoppy with a hint of toffee; pleasant enough but not all that aromatic. Medium in body and carbonation and fairly dry on the palate. The beer is light amber in color and nearly perfectly clear, and is topped by a smallish, bubbly, whitish head that dissipates a bit too rapidly. Spotty lacing is modest at best. The Organic Lager didn’t do much for me, and unfortunately, the Organic Ale is only slightly better. It’s quite flavorful, more so than many English bitters, but the aftertaste was somewhat of a turn off.

1 pt 2.7 oz Bottle: Aroma is very lightly hoppy with bread overtones more of a roasted malt and caramel note to this brew. A bit of smoke to it with some whiskey notes as well. Appearance is an almost clear golden color with a medium sized white head that diminishes to a soapy white film. Taste is got that roasted malt in there, lightly hopped, light smoke notes, bready, earthy, with some caramel too. Palate is lightly bitter, nice caramel note linger on through the the aftertaste. Overall, it’s an English ale. Something that you probably would get an English Pub. I wouldn’t know, never been there.

Bottle at home. Orange with a off-white ehad. Aroma moderate malty (caramel) and hoppy. Flavor moderate sweet and bitter. Medium body.

I am a Samuel Smith’s nut, which is why this one disappoints. The Nut Brown Ale, the Oatmeal Stout, and the Imperial Stout are really the best beers I’ve ever had. I want the rest of the Sam stable to be as good, but alas, they are not. Anything Sam makes has something special about it. I just can’t get over those heads. And the mouthfeel is always above the rest - - something somehow rich and buttery. But flavorwise I just don’t find all that much special about this. Better than most stuff I run into? Yes. Good for a Sam’s? Meh. I’m going to put this same review on the Winter Welcome and the Organic Lager because it’s the same with them. I’ll take them over non-Sam beers, but they fall short Sam-wise. ("Merely very good"). One gripe about this beer. Try to find the word ale on the label! It’s like playing Where’s Waldo. I’m always like, "Well what the hell is it?" Label guys, crank up your computer and redo that label.

Had this beer on 2/5/2004. Aroma is a faint light malt scent that is mildly sweet. Color is bright pale gold with gentle carbonation and a nice head. Taste is light with a malty sweetness. Starting with a mild body it goes down with a light crisp fizzy feel. Finish is mild with a light sweet malt flavor backed by a light even bitterness. This is a nice little beer but it is nothing special. I may have been expecting a bit more, but it’s still just a simple brew.

Totally from memory. Basic bitter (or just an ale). Nothing stands out. Golden? Slightly. Not a beer I pick up anymore.

I can’t find my notes on this one. Had it at the 2005 Classic city brew fest in Athens, GA.

This is golden amber with a thick white head dissipating to leave a thin, but persistent, dense white head and a little lace. There is some lacing that stays on the glass. The aroma is fruit, grain, thick, and somewhat sweet. The taste is similar: fruity, grainy, fairly full-bodied but mild, sweet, and with a faint bitterness, esp. in the dryish finish. Its balanced, tasty, and drinkable, but on the mild, sweet, grainy side.