Samuel Smiths Old Brewery Pale Ale

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

Drank this from a bottle when last back home visiting the parents in England. Pours like a dream, with styrofoam head of thick tan bubbles that stick down the glass. Body is crystal clear and a wonderful foxtail amber. Smells of earth, seaweed, hops and nuts and tastes malty, with subtle fruit and a hint of toffee. I grew up on this style of beer, so drinkability factor is only limited by the time it takes my dad to realise I’ve polished off all his beer.

Sweet aroma up front with caramel overtones. Pours golden brown with a healthy off white head that disappears quickly. Taste is weak and watery caramel taste with slight bitter ending. At over a pint in a bottle, it’s a lot of mediocre beer. You could serve this beer at the Ladies Literary Club.

Bought in a gift pack at the LCBO. I was really just after the 1 Samuel Smiths Oatmeal Stout included but the rest of the package was great too. I don’t regret the 18$ I spent a bit. This one here was very similar to Nut Brown. It’s hard to differentiate them. But again, pours a dark brown, with a generous sized off-white head. Aroma of Caramel, malts, nuts and fruits I can’t pinpoint specifically (Orange and prune I think). Medium bodied with a fairly bitter sweet aftertaste. Very good, but essentially the same beer as SS Nut brown.

Fresh apple cider and salted wheat aroma; delicate, fruity and full of character. Orange-hued pour, witha foamy lace of deep ivory. Flavory is a surprisingly characterful run of sweet, sugary honey grain bread, crisp floor-malted seaside grains, near salty sea air, and a fresh wisp of glowing estery fruit character. An edge of butterscotch remains typical and it’s a real drinker. I think the refreshing character of the water really comes through in this beer. I’m honestly surprised by this bitter, a style I usually shy away from. I tried it out after a beaming review in Brewmaster’s Table and was pleasently surprised by the fresh, bright English style character this beer gives. An excellent example!

550 mL bottle, part of a gift set from the LCBO. App.: med.-deep copper with a decent beige head that lasts. Aroma: mainly malty with slight fruitiness. A bit of hops comes through. Palate: med. carbonation and body, slightly thick. Flav.: malty start, dry with minimal hop presence. Biscuity, bready finish with a hint of hops. Ends abruptly. Fairly balanced, I’ve had better!

Very nice amber body. Sweet light initial flavor with light bitter finish.

Not too bad, a little sweet for a pale ale. Glass bottles are the devil. Not bad but plenty of better PAs out there.

Drank in a trappist glass. Orange / caramel body. Aromas of alcohol, floral hops and hints of nutty caramel. Creamy somewhat bitter feel. Flavors of caramel, orange peelings, nuts. For an ESB, extremely well balanced.