Samuel Smiths Yorkshire Stingo

Brewed by Samuel Smith
Style: English Strong Ale
Tadcaster, England

Bottle shared by BBB63 - THanks Mike! Interesting beer. Some weird barrel flavors going on that are tricky to place. Notes of toffee, cough syrup, dough, sherry, dough, wood, scotch, dark fruit. Thick Creamy mouthfeel. Neat beer that I’m glad I tried. I wouldn’t drink it on a regular basis, but I would recommend trying it if given the opportunity.

Oaky, warm, balanced. I’m not the biggest fan of Samuel Smith’s beers, but this Yorkshire Stingo has won me over with its intense oak flavor. The beer pours pumpkin candle orange with a small head that disappears quickly. It smells sweet and oaky, like an old rocking chair at your grandmother’s house. There are some nice earth and fruit notes lingering in the aroma as well. It reminds me of a Jolly Pumpkin beer, more in the aroma than the flavor but both have that same pervasiveness, almost overwhelming oak note that I associate with JP’s beers (and I say that with nothing but affection for oaky beers, particularly JP’s). Of course, Stingo doesn’t really seem to have been soured at all. The flavor is still quite dry, but there are hints of caramel malt pushing through. It tastes mostly of fruit and oak. The fruit flavors are citric, cider-y and a bit floral in a fruit-ish way. It’s an excellent beer and I’m happy to have found myself a bottle. I may just have to go back and see if I overlooked any other beers from Sam Smith.

Sampled on 9/25/2009. This English Strong Ale pours a medium brown color from a 550ml bottle. Medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is fruity and woody. A medium bodied English Strong Ale. The malts are fruity and sweet, hints of wood, oak and molasses. The hops are earthy. Nice balance. The cask aging character comes out as the beer warms. Some nice orange flavors as well. Nice balance. Nice sipping beer. Mouthfeel is full and round. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly bitter.

Bottle: Thanks Doug for sharing this gem. Pours a mahogany color with a nice proper puffy tan head. The nose is very earthy and woody with lots of caramel malt and light roastiness. The flavor is rich and pungent, very similar to an old ale, but a bit sweeter and more wood. Earthy hops and a robust body and tail. Very nice ESA, thanks Doug.

Bottle poured in Trappist glass. Clear liquor like pour with small oily off white head, fizzy and no lacing. Oak aged quality with a real mellow palate, smooth rum texture. Some sweet bitterness towards the finish. A good drinker with some layered complex flavors, didn’t get much on the nose.

18.7 oz bottle. Clear amber brown with a slim off-white head. Nose is rum raisin, currants, figs and toffee. Silky body with a numbing tingle. Taste is brittle, raisin and Bananas Foster. Dry oaky finish with a nice bitter prune aftertaste. Hits all the right notes for an ESA; very good.

Courtesy of Laurent Mousson
Dark amber color; hazy. Mature caramel aroma, lightly fruity (apples), chestnut honey, and with a very light alcohol note too. Dry mouthfeel, caramel flavor, woody, well built, with delicate vanilla and oak. Dry caramel final. Interesting.

lots of sweetness malts and a touch of tang toward the end. caramel flavor and a nice smooth wheat rich aroma.