Samuel Smiths India Ale

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

Serve in English pint

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There’s nothing wrong with this and it’s a nice beer - it’s nicely balanced and very drinkable, but the flavours aren’t strong and the hop character isn’t that powerful. It’s fine, but not worth the premium price when there are far better bottles in Sam Smiths’ fridges or a pint of Old Brewery is almost as nice for half the price.

Doesn’t have a particularly strong aroma for an IPA. golden color, but the head is not very strong. It has a pleasant clean taste. The combinations work well together. Overall a decent brew.

Really let down by this one. The originators if the style. Not to say its without qualities. Vibrant breast nose. Hints if honey and maybe elder flower. Taste is of slight bitterness with a caramel finish. Where the let down is the hops and lack of punch. Overall a solid beer actually.

12 Fl. Oz. Bottle. Pours clear golden with a nice white head leaving a nice lacing on the glass. Aroma is not too strong, malts, caramel not a whole lot of hops. Taste is very British, a well balanced combination of malts, grain some citrus from hops nice dry bitter finish. Very enjoyable and super drinkable beer.

Bottle. I love how this says IPA on the bottle yet it’s listed at an esb/pb here, but it does make sense. Not a great one here and we never get it fresh, but i dont know how much that would help anyway. Old style, old country ipa.

Not a real smooth aroma or taste... Blame tradition I guess for that one...back in the day(1758) this would have been something wild! Today it's stale... But traditional... What?! ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

29 March 2013. Having spent the day on Huatulco beach with only Modelo products and the sea to keep me cool I needed a proper beer. On entering my stateroom a 550ml bottle of this called out to me from the fridge, it had accompanied me from Southampton and was there for such a time as this. Poured into a tumbler (twice) while the wife showered it did the trick. Light amber in colour, it’s white head sat proudly on top and it looked very inviting indeed. The nose was hops first and foremost although the malt content doesn’t hide away either. The taste is very simular to what the aroma hints at: a hop fronted malt laden brew with a good depth of flavours. Fairly dry at times but a very good brew and ideal for the moment I opened this bottle.

Poured from 550 ml bottle. Not an overpowering India Ale, pleasant, mellow. Clear, orange-copper with large, billowy cream-colored head and excellent lacing. Aroma of caramel, grain and honey. Mild and not complex with no noticeable hop aroma. Taste of caramel, biscuit, pine, and floral hops with bitter, piney finish and a metallic, limey aftertaste. Very strange. With Medium body, medium carbonation and a very nice mouthfeel. This is a classic.

poured from bottle into a pint glass. very small amount head disappeared quickly and left no lacing. much darker than expected with a dark amber color. doesn’t look like most ipas. not very bitter or fruity like the label suggests. the heavy malt flavor/aroma jumps out immediately and remains. i prefer the american version, but this is still a solid offering.

Mostly clear brown-ish orange, foamy off white head fades fast. Aroma of caramel malts and fruity hops. Initially malt forward, caramel and toffee, followed by a lingering fruity hop bitterness, slightly floral and grassy. Softly carbed, light-medium bodied, moderately hopped. Dry bitter finish. Nicely balanced tame English IPA. LBW (Lagerboys Be Wary)