Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Bitter - Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)

samyoung

Michigan

4.53/5  rDev +25.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Have had this several times hand pulled from a cask at The Cock near Oxford Circus in London, and in my mind it is the definition of a great English bitter.

A - Looks like a dream in a 20 ounce imperial pint. The ale is coppery and bronzed.

S - Mild smells of sweetness and bitterness.

T - Sweet and bitter all at the same time. Very earthy and robust.

M - Coats your palette with a great, thick feeling.

D - Usually have three in one sitting attesting to the exceptional drink-ability of this awesome ale.

Serving type: cask

01-12-2010 20:51:53 | More by samyoung

diverite

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -16.9%

03-15-2013 16:10:41 | More by diverite

KStark

British Columbia (Canada)

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%

01-21-2013 00:10:41 | More by KStark

MarioM

California

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%

11-23-2012 07:36:25 | More by MarioM

Tone

Missouri

3.38/5  rDev -6.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear, copper color. 1/5 inch head of a white color. Good retention and poor lacing. Smells of sweet malt, hops, hint of citrus, hint of oak, hint of liquor. Fits the style of an English Bitter. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp, with an average carbonation level. Tastes of sweet malt, slight pale malt, hint of hop, and a hint of citrus. Overall, average appearance, aroma, and feel.

Serving type: cask

09-27-2012 13:09:54 | More by Tone

jnjander

Georgia

3/5  rDev -16.9%

07-13-2012 16:39:32 | More by jnjander

mtrain237

Florida

3.25/5  rDev -10%

07-07-2012 10:18:07 | More by mtrain237

bh123

California

4/5  rDev +10.8%

03-31-2012 09:00:51 | More by bh123

OldTime

Georgia

3.75/5  rDev +3.9%

03-11-2012 23:15:42 | More by OldTime

ChaseTheAce

Texas

3/5  rDev -16.9%

02-15-2012 04:31:52 | More by ChaseTheAce

jgasparine

Maryland

4.45/5  rDev +23.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance-
Poured from the cask in the Opera House at Trafalgar Square. Light amber body with no visible signs of carbonation other than a thick cream-colored moussy head. This head was well-retained and produced some tremendous lacing.

Aroma-
This beer starts with a light crackerlike malt character, and builds with a low-alpha noble hop aroma and a slight impression of yeast. The nose was somewhat mild overall, but inviting nonetheless.

Taste-
On the palate, the anticipated crackerlike malt, low-alpha hops and yeastiness comes through. Hop bitterness is moderate along with some impressions of lemongrass on the mid-palate. The finish lingers with a nice maltiness and a kiss of oak. Quite a lovely beer.

Mouthfeel-
The big creamy body is perfectly accentuated with a velvety soft carbonation... truly a "velvet blanket". Astringency is very mild, and of course, there is no EtOH heat.

Overall-
One of the best bitters I have had the pleasure of consuming. I definitely recommend this on cask!

Serving type: cask

02-07-2012 00:53:09 | More by jgasparine

slimntubbs

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +10.8%

01-30-2012 03:57:23 | More by slimntubbs

kaufmaal

Alabama

1/5  rDev -72.3%

01-08-2012 02:42:19 | More by kaufmaal

msromberg

Texas

4/5  rDev +10.8%

12-31-2011 18:52:34 | More by msromberg

hyuga

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +10.8%

11-15-2011 05:43:50 | More by hyuga

BlackHaddock

United Kingdom (England)

4.22/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I was amazed to find I’d never reviewed this beer having drank it on numerous occasions when in London and other Sam Smith’s pub around the country over the years: anyway I’ve put that right today.

This review is of a pint, hand pulled in the ‘Citte of Yorke’ in Holborn, London; a lovely old pub listed on the BA beerfly database.

Sadly this is now the only beer Sam Smith’s brewery brings out in cask form, everything else is keg or bottle, not cask.

Clear amber body with a creamy head of bubbles which are off-white in colour and produce some good thick lacing as I down the liquid it covers.

The nose is a complex mix of wood notes, autumn leaves, caramel and a fresh loaf of bread.

The taste is equally as complex: malts just about lead the way with a good hop contingent coming up fast behind, well balanced and easy to drink. Semi-sweet from the caramel like molasses in the malts, but with an undertone of hop bitterness which asserts itself half way through each gulp (this isn’t a sipping beer, it’s a gulper).

Still under £2.00 a pint in an historic central London pub (Oct 2011), you can’t go wrong. In fact I had another half in the beautiful Princess Louise half an hour after rinsing this pint I’ve just reviewed.

Serving type: cask

10-31-2011 16:12:23 | More by BlackHaddock

Trizzle

United Kingdom (England)

3.08/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

Lovely looking clear amber body with a good dense nitro-esque head and nice lace.

Nose of caramel and butterscotch malt. Some
Vinegar.

Good solid mouthful of butterscotch and cherries, thick feel, too sweet , no hops. Meh.

So so. Sam smith do great pubs. I love their porter and barley wine, but this is the definition of mediocrity. At best.

Serving type: cask

07-21-2011 18:58:14 | More by Trizzle

woosterbill

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Halfpint on-tap at the Angel in the Fields.

A: Clear pale copper body under an extremely creamy, persistent off-white head that leaves some light lace. Attractive.

S: Leafy and earthy hops, lightly sweet caramel malt. Simple and enjoyable.

T: Very smooth, well-integrated flavors: nutty + toffee malts, earthy + herbal hops, and some mildly sweet citrus notes. Understated and enjoyable.

M: Light-bodied and soft, with low carbonation. Very nice for an on-tap bitter.

O: I can see how someone could penalize this beer for being a bit on the boring side, but I found its simplicity to be a redeeming quality. Subtle, drinkable, enjoyable.

Cheers!

Serving type: on-tap

06-17-2011 01:11:06 | More by woosterbill

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On cask at Cittie of Yorke in London. From notes.

A - Poured a slightly hazy dark gold colour with a creamy one finger eggshell head. Soapy bubbles on the sides of the glass. Nice rings of creamy lacing and a half finger of retention.

S - Bready with some butter. Apple comes out. Earthy and some High School locker sort of aroma.

T - Nice gentle malt and hop balance. Bready with some buttery/butterscotch notes with a little crisp hop note. Crackers might be in there too.

M - Nice touch of carbonation. Slightly sweet finish with a light and creamy body.

O/D - High dinkability as this is tasty and low abv. A good beer with depth and interesting parts coming together as you go. A good one but nothing crazy.

Serving type: cask

05-24-2011 13:17:42 | More by tbeckett

CanuckRover

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Cask at Ye Olde Cheshire.

A dark amber with cream head... not the greatest lighting in the world though.

Wood on the nose, quite earthy and nutty. Just a hint of dark fruit behind.

Some subtle English fruity malt up front followed by nice vanilla tones. Finish is quite oaky, though not overblown.

A decent enough Bitter. Certainly sessionable.

Serving type: cask

10-28-2010 10:24:21 | More by CanuckRover

pauljmccain

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

on tap in London, into pint

A: Beautiful deep tawny copper color. Looks great and inviting, with a half finger head that lasts. Good lacing. Great appearance.

S: Quite hoppy. A bit of roasted malt but the hops dominates the scent.

T: This is not the best tasting beer by normal standards but has a distinctive taste. It is balanced on the tongue a bit by a roasted, slightly nutty maltiness. Blends well. Faint tastes of fruits and bread. I really enjoyed it.

M: Nice carbonation, nothing special. Light feel.

D: Not a session beer for most due to the bitterness. But look at the name! I really enjoyed it. My favorite Sam Smith.

Serving type: on-tap

08-19-2010 04:42:46 | More by pauljmccain

rarbring

Sweden

3.9/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The color is amber, the beer is clear, the head is thick and off-white. Some lacing.

Smells of caramel and hay.

Initially butter scotch, then sour fruits, orange, lemon and green apples. A good bitter finish.

Medium carbonation, very soft and easy to drink.

A good solid ale. On-tap at The Earl of Lonsdale at Portobello Rd.

Serving type: on-tap

07-29-2010 16:27:54 | More by rarbring

mrandolph

Illinois

3.7/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a lovely amber with a dense white head with firm bubbles from tap (Nitro, I believe, at a company pub in Oxford). The aroma has very low levels of earthy UK hops. This is a very estery beer, pears and apples. Raisiny caramel notes lead the flavor, with low levels of bittering hops complemented by low flavor hops and noticeable esters. The beer goes down smooth with a medium body.

Serving type: nitro-tap

07-05-2009 09:37:29 | More by mrandolph

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

On-cask at The Cock in London. Appeared a hazy golden yellow with a tall white head. Eh, nice and drinkable but a bit plain. The aroma is just a sharp, sweet mellon note and a plain bready flavor. Very drinkable and it fits well into the style Worth a try is you're into Sam Smith beers - but understand, this isn't at the same level as the Taddy Porter or Oatmeal Stout.

Serving type: cask

04-13-2009 22:58:21 | More by tempest

bark

Sweden

4.55/5  rDev +26%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

The colour is medium-dark amber; the finger thick head is beige. Massive lacing occurs.

The smell is bitter with spicy notes. It is very fresh.

The taste is mellow and fresh in a balanced way. Notes of fresh fruits and cream; medium body. The aftertaste is a bit bitter with more of those fruits (apples?).

The carbonation is very mild, but at the same time quite refreshing. The liquid is a bit thick.

A splendid bitter!

Serving type: cask

09-17-2007 08:23:39 | More by bark