Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale - Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)

scarfacecrowe

Missouri

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured a dark golden color with minimal head. The beer has a smooth robust flavor with hints of chocolate, and had a pleasant light hops finish. The aroma of the beer was a little weak but not unpleasant. This is an easy drinking tasty beer, tastes alot like Killian's Irish Red in my opinon. My first experience with an English Brown, will definitely purchase this beer again.

Serving type: growler

11-26-2009 00:02:28 | More by scarfacecrowe

superspak

Michigan

4.23/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

550 ml bottle into imperial pint glass, bottled on 8/21/2012. Pours fairly crystal clear reddish copper color with a 2 finger dense and fluffy light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Nice spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of big caramel, molasses, raisin, toast, toffee, brown bread, light nuttiness, floral, and toasted earthiness. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of malt and moderate fruity notes. Taste of big caramel, molasses, toast, toffee, raisin, brown bread, floral, nuttiness, light roast, and toasted earthiness. No bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of caramel, molasses, toast, toffee, raisin, brown bread, floral, nuttiness, light roast, and light earthiness on the finish for a good bit. Fantastic flavor balance and complexity of malt flavors with moderate fruitiness; very robust for 5% with no cloying sweetness after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy and fairly slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with only a slight warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a highly excellent english brown ale! Great balance and complexity of robust flavors; and very smooth to drink. A highly enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2013 04:08:42 | More by superspak

YieldToNothing

New York

4.18/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

550ml bottle into a pint glass
pours an amber brown with a creamy 1 inch white head. nutty chocolate aroma and i think i'm picking up subtle hints of dried fruit.
not too much carbonation. taste has chocolate going on and i'm feeling a bitter coffee like aftertaste.
this is a solid beer and i understand why it is considered a classic.
very tasty and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 19:10:44 | More by YieldToNothing

sweemzander

Illinois

3.78/5  rDev -7.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

16oz. bottle poured into a pint glass. Have had this many many times over the years but never got around to reviewing it in full.

(A)- Pours a clear reddish to hazy chestnut brown color. Produced a nice cap of tan froth with good retention behind it. Good lacing too.

(S)- A nice lightly toasted bread meets a rustic nutty dry finish.

(T)- Similar to the smell only a touch more richer with bits of raisin and subtle caramel malts.

(M)- A good carbonation level. I like the smooth but sweet feel this has without being too sugary or dense.

(O)- Certainly a classic for the style. Smooth but rustic and nutty.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 17:16:14 | More by sweemzander

Hendry

Vermont

4.61/5  rDev +12.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Kickin' it old school this evening: Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale! Turn back the dial of time 3 decades and the beer store shelves had a fraction of what is out there today, and much of it was lousy until the rise of the craft brewed beers.

Buying Samuel Smith's 30 years ago was the sign of a beer drinker that appreciated quality and good flavors, and the same still rings true today. Far above the watery Newcastle Brown Ale in quality, this one is the real deal.

This ale belongs in the rightful place, which is an Imperial Pint glass. Important to remember the Brits swill their brews @ basement temperature, so don't be in a hurry to chug this one after pouring it cold form the fridge.

Brown, well, how about auburn in appearance with a two finger foamy ecru head that hangs on resulting in a permanent cap that stays until the bottom of the glass with average lacing.

The nose is pure British: heavy on the malts, which are roasty, nuts and toffee are hiding in the background and make their play as it warms in the glass. Hops? Don't look for them in the nose and you won't be disappointed (not the case with Timothy Taylor's Landlord strong ale,which has a pronounced hoppiness in the aroma).

Nut Brown glides over your palate in a velvety manor,and is rich without being too heavy in the mouthfeel or overall body. Definitely a sipper, the rich flavors are robust and start out with a good deal of malt that fades into some great nutty caramel tones with some slight vanilla extract creaminess. The creaminess is impressive and more apparent as it reaches the designed temperature for consumption.

There is a uniqueness to Samuel Smith's because of the slate it is aged in: it results in a different character that cannot be duplicated, and it is the oldest brewery in Yorkshire after all, so these guys are steeped in tradition and you can taste it in the glass. A solid buy as well considering the lengthy process of making it, aging it, and sending it to another continent.
Respect for the old school is required here even if it isn't your thing after trying it, which everyone should. My personal favorite was always the Old Brewery Pale Ale, and I will be sure to grab one of those to review on my next trip to the beer store.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 04:03:52 | More by Hendry

Haydn-Juby

Quebec (Canada)

3.89/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from a 500ml bottle to an English tulip

A: Brownish amber color with fairly good transparency. One finger head with good retention and mild lacing.

S: Sweet caramel malts.

T: Just like the smell this beer is an absolute malt bomb. It relies primarily on caramel and caramel malts. The beer is rather sweet but just manages to ride the tip of the border between overly sweet and drinkable. Hop character is fairly absent and bitterness is low. Some dark fruitiness in the vein of raisin bread is made evident.

M: Creamy. Carbonation seemed to be a tad lower but that is to be expected of the style and with a very traditionally orientated brewer.

O: Pretty decent beer. Probably wouldn't buy it again as it was highly pricey and despite the high reviews for me it was forgettable but still pretty good. Nothing stood out but it fell inline quiet nicely.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2013 20:48:17 | More by Haydn-Juby

rangerred

Tennessee

4.36/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a clear deep brown with a one finger tan head. Excellent head retention along with some appreciable lacing.

Aroma of toasted malt, caramel, and toffee and it is quite nutty. Some dark fruit sneaks in along with a little metal that works well to compliment everything else. The fruityness from the yeast works perfectly with the malt.

Lots of dark fruit and toffee in the flavor. Toast and caramel along with enough grassy hops to cut through the roast. Bitterness is moderate to high and works great to counteract the sweetness. Carbonation leans toward the higher side giving this beer a lighter mouthfeel. A slightly sticky finish with lingering bitterness.

Overall, this is what an English Brown should taste like. Absolutely blows Newcastle away in terms of flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel. If only this beer was the price of Newcastle it would be a regular staple in my fridge.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2013 17:51:23 | More by rangerred

Premo88

Texas

4.93/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75

18.7 oz. bottle poured into pub glass

L: dark amber; a deep brown with loads of red in it; small but sturdy light tan head, about 1/4-inch.

S: toasted malt ... very yummy. at times smells like sweet butterscotch. biscuits. a malt-head's dream.

T: butterscotch, toffee, very sweet malt just barely toasted; every now and then you get just a slight hop bite, never much and a whole lot less than a good English pale ale, but there *are* some hops in there. very consistent malt presence that remains on the sweet, lighter side. nutty.

F: awesome carbonation that makes it so very drinkable; good light-medium weight, definitely above watery but not heavy.

O: if this thing laced up and down the glass, it'd be straight across the board 5s. because lacing really makes a beer pop in my opinion, I dock it just a bit. the bottom line: if you like malt, THIS is it! such a great English ale and my personal favorite break from the massive hop-crazy American beers ... this one is arguably better than Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale, which for me is a stalwart of a beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-26-2013 01:09:08 | More by Premo88

Flounder57

Massachusetts

4.01/5  rDev -2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

550 ml bottle poured into a nonic pint glass.

Appearance: This beer poured a one finger creamy head that reduced to a thin layer and left nice lacing on the glass. It is a copper brown color with good clarity and bubbles coming up through the glass.

Smell: Toffee, caramel, some fruit, and bready notes.

Taste: same as above with mild hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Chewy, medium carbonation, light to medium bodied, creamy, and smooth.

Overall: A true classic that I have enjoyed over the years.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 21:53:15 | More by Flounder57

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.03/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

550ml Bottle (The Cave, Glasgow - £2.49):
Amber brown with a clear body and a dome shaped, creamy looking and slightly off-white head. Very nice looking.

Nutty with an earthy malt smell. There is some caramel and toffee aroma following this and a rich and slightly sweet smell near the end and overall the smell is a nice, medium strength brown ale.

Toasted malts and an earthy caramel taste along with some darker fruits, although these are quite light. There is also a very nutty taste to this one, again as expected plus there is a nice bitterness to end.

Smooth with a medium body and a mild bitterness to it. The beer has light medium carbonation and goes down very easily.

Goes down incredibly easily. This one is smooth, well balanced and with a basic but very nice taste. The drink started to fade ever so slightly at the very end but this was not really that noticeable and it is still a very nice beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 21:07:13 | More by flyingpig

mjurney

Texas

4.94/5  rDev +20.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Appearance:
Amber-brown color, clear. Lots of small bubble rising up. Thick beige head.

Aroma:
Rich malts, toffee, nutty, caramel, earthy.

Taste:
Very rich, malty, bready, toffee, nutty, slight dark roasted malts. There some dark fruit notes. Hop bitterness is mild, earthy-leafy. Dry roasted finish. Body is medium, silky, smooth, mellow, dry.

Overall:
Not only is this my favorite Brown Ale, it is one of my favorite beers of all time. Truly a World Class!!

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2013 23:08:50 | More by mjurney

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.84/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Hazy dark rust color. Filmy head. Meager, but insistent.

Pecan, toffee, some dark fruit, something like a concord grape. Nice.

Musty, toasty, and with a grape/raisin flavor. Yeasy must and obvious nuttiness. Quite the flavorful English Brown.

A little more stoutly than medium in swish. Not viscous, just heavier and chewier than you might think. Carbonation works very well. Highly drinkable.

Hard to knock. Classically good and solid. A very traditional and humble example.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 05:16:32 | More by thecheapies

ChugMan

Washington

4.19/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

A - Frothy head over rich, clear amber/ red body. Very few bubbles. Head settled and left some lacing.
S - Like a german chocolate cake: Malty sweet, pecan, coconut. Builds proper expectations for taste.
T - Soft sweetness, almonds and pecans, apple.
M - Very clean, doesn't hang or overstate itself.
O - Excellent beer! The price for such a quality sample of the style is nearly second to none. Highly recommended even for newcomers as this isn't nearly as intimidating as many other top-rated beers.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 07:35:23 | More by ChugMan

StonedTrippin

Colorado

4.16/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

as good as advertised, and super cheap for the quality, I cant believe how long I waited to try this. what was I thinking?! the pour is a remarkably clear dark maple syrup color with a bubble bath head of tan foam that wont quit. the nose is the weakest like, smells like malty ale yeast, rather bland really. the flavor through really opens up. this is a caramel almondy malt bomb, but it isn't sweet if you can imagine that. its got a bitter dry finish more akin to cashews or something, unsalted of course, with some mild chocolate essence, and this only gets more dramatic as it warms up. not incredibly complex, but more of a simple elegance vibe here. did I mention this beer looks sexy? im down to my last swig and the head is as big as it was when I poured it some 45 minutes ago, just astonishing. lovely mouthfeel as well, cleanish in the finish with a flatly medium body and that casky English ale carbonation nice and mellow. this is a really drinkable brown too, glorious without all those residual sugars. I always knew sam smith wash high quality stuff, but I think its wide availability made me overlook it in favor of some of the rarer American craft stuff. with two delicious offerings from these guys in the last week, I will no longer walk past their shelf. I will be grabbing up the other varieties as quick as I can now, this stuff is the nectar!

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2013 02:59:41 | More by StonedTrippin

gcamparone

Rhode Island

4.35/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams pint glass.

A- Pours a crystal clear mahogany body with a super thick 3" fluffy white head that sticks around for a while and leaves super heavy lacing.

S- Caramel, toffee, fresh coffee beans, slight breadiness.

T- Super dry with caramel, almond, peanut, and a slight woodiness. Slight vanilla, acidic? flavor on the finish. Not robust in flavor but super tasty and drinkable.

M - Light, not too carbonated, and easy to put down.

The second I started drinking this beer I did not want to stop. There are nice flavors in here and has a very pleasant aftertaste. I'm definitely going to drink it again. Solid beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 18:57:05 | More by gcamparone

BBQSteve

Massachusetts

4.84/5  rDev +18.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

What a great beer!

I really respect this brewery and their refined processes.

Poured smooth into a tulip perfect head and color.

Aroma was nutty and brought me into the beer.

Taste is balanced, clean and simple.

Smooth on the palate and a medium light mouthfeel.

A great beer and should be at the top of this category.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 00:28:51 | More by BBQSteve

Jacurdy60

Alabama

3.64/5  rDev -11%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours a deep brown with a hue of ruby red. Creamy, toffee colored half finger head with good retention. Minimal lacing.

S-Prunes, a bit nutty, sweet caramel malt.

T-Follows the nose but with a dry finish

MF-Too carbonated and fizzy, I was expecting it to be smooth because of the malty nose

O-I was disappointed a bit by this, however it was still very good. I must have had my expectations too high.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 20:14:27 | More by Jacurdy60

dar482

New York

4.06/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The color is a dark amber color with a medium head.

The aroma is of light nuts and a little bit of malt.

The taste is clean and nutty, but there’s a pop of fruitiness in there as well. It doesn’t have the roasted malt heaviness. A decent amount of carbonation in there to give it a fizzy mouthfeel.

The body is medium. There is a watery mouthfeel and it is extremely drinkable, especially at 5% ABV.

In the end, it reminds me of a really good version of Newcastle.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 04:40:58 | More by dar482

Pluffmud

Rhode Island

3.96/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I drink beer straight out of the bottle, which I'm sure is frowned upon. Whatever. Therefore, I make my appearance rating about the bottle itself (surely that's just as valid as rating the appearance of the beer, no?)
The bottle label looks like what I imagine an English version of Malt Liquor to look like, so I give it a thumbs up. The gold foil around the cap was a bit annoying, just peeling it off with a fingernail was a real pain. so it loses points for that.

It smelled like beer. A bit earthy/musky, which was nice.

It tastes like (I'm about to make some people mad) a really good version of Budweiser. Bring out your flames and pitchforks. I'm not suggesting that Bud is a good beer (it's not: did you know that Budweiser translated into German is "horse pee"?) But what this beer is, is simple.

It's a good, quality, simple beer. It's not overly nutty, it's quite pleasant. A little sweet, but not too much. A little too much fizz for my taste, but at least you get a good manly burp out of the whole thing.

I just got home from Jiu-Jitsu, and drank one of these, and I really enjoyed it. It's light, but with enough flavor that you aren't drinking water. It blows Newcastle out the water.

Serving type: bottle

03-13-2013 05:17:27 | More by Pluffmud

AmitC

Indiana

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This is a style that i do not like.

Let us see. Poured from the traditional Samuel Smith Tadcaster 550 ml bottle into a snifter glass. Glass has just the perfect size. A good one finger thick light tan colored head with excellent retention. Side lacing is very nice. A few bubbles seen rising up. Perfect brown color with slight ruby hues when brought in light. Clear but translucent due to perfect brown color. Very clear from the top as well and looks neat.

Aroma is filled a lot with caramel and strong roasted malts. Strength of the aroma is medium. Very malt heavy with some biscuit and toffee like tones. Some dry fruit like esters.

Flavor is mostly bland. A lot subdued caramel with some toffee hints. Some dry nuts. Dry finish. Some esters and a little bit of butterscotch flavor. Hop presence seems very likely as the heavy malt present in the nose is balanced out to a large extent.

Mouth feel is medium bodied with low to moderate carbonation. Touches the tongue with a jest.

As good as the brew might be as per the style, it lacks the punch and is a lot more bland flavor wise.

Style rate: 4.5
Personal Rate: 3.75

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 02:38:41 | More by AmitC

beertholomeus

California

4.76/5  rDev +16.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

Pours rich copper color into a dimpled mug with a light tan 1" head, decent retention. Caramel and malty smell with some nuttiness. Caramel and malts are tasted first with a nutty dry finish. Medium body with a slight bitterness. Lively amount of carbonation. Overall, great brown ale that I will continue to buy.

Serving type: bottle

03-06-2013 08:19:46 | More by beertholomeus

atr2605

New York

4.33/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A-pours a nice red amber with a tan sudsy head that clings to the side of the glass and has pretty nice retention
S-caramel, a bit nutty,lingering sweetness, hop aroma to speak of
T-More caramel sweetness up front followed by a nutty, biscuit flavor and finishes a bit dry. Hops provide nice balance and keep the sweetness in check.
M-light-medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation
O-Damn fine beer. Excellent balance and very drinkable beer that is a straight forward take on the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2013 01:37:10 | More by atr2605

BWED

Pennsylvania

4.05/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a 550 ml bottle into an imperial pint.

A- Red-brown, translucent body, with carbonation clinging to the walls of the glass. Tan two finger head is nice and lumpy and retains really well. (Samuel Smith knows how to make a good head!)

S- Nutty, and some caramel/toffee. Off scent of something metallic is a little discouraging.

T- Malty and nutty foreground get supported with a sweet toffee finish. A slight hint of metal. NOt as much as the aroma, however.

M- Smooth, drinkable, and a slightly chewy body. Very satisfying.

O- Yummy malty nut brown. Samuel Smith is a leader in this style. I'd rate it higher if the metallic aroma and slight taste were gone.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 19:15:32 | More by BWED

NiceTaps

New Jersey

4.48/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle poured into an imperial pint glass.

A- Reddish-brown, amber in color, clean and clear. Khaki-colored massive head that does not quit. Lacing is more like icing, thick, full, and sticky.

S- Sweet roasted malts and yeast right up front. The beer's aroma mellows as it warms, releasing the barley malt and nutty aromas. No hop aroma here.

T-This brew truly tastes like the ingredients listed. Roasted malt and barley, nutty, yeasty creaminess.

M-Smooth as silk. It starts sweet then has a lingering dry nutty finish. And it's not too sweet, there's some hop bitterness for balance.

A- Samuel Smith's delivers quality brew after brew; lots of flavor and body in an easy drinking nut brown, 5% abv, ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2013 13:09:16 | More by NiceTaps

edificio5

3.66/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

My review may sound a bit bizarre or show my lack of a palate, but when I first tried the beer today, I felt it was overly nutty. So I was not totally please with it. However, I continued to drink it while I noshed on homemade tortilla chips (salted) and avocado (with a homemade spicy sauce). Then the beer took a totally different taste. It immediately made happy to know that some beers go great with certain foods and tastes (yes people say this all the time). In essence, this is definitely a good beer with food.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 22:55:14 | More by edificio5