Samuel Smith's Organic Best Ale - Samuel Smith Old Brewery (Tadcaster)

tronester

Oklahoma

3.55/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear golden color with a super creamy, rocky white head. Smells of grape must, and a hint of freshly baked bread. Taste begins with a bit of lemon squares, followed by some licorice, and finally some medicinal, herbal hops. Finishes a bit tart. Mouthfeel is smooth. Overall an interesting beer, though the taste seems a little bit odd.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 01:10:36 | More by tronester

shleepy

California

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from bottle into snifter glasses.

A: Very light and clear golden color, medium head.

S: Apples, a little bit of honey and biscuity caramel.

T: Has some fruity / honey sweetness, but also a light and lingering bitterness, presumably from hops. It's good for what it is - a drinkable pale ale.

M: Light-medium body, light-medium carbonation.

O: A great session beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-07-2012 05:13:51 | More by shleepy

BlurryVisi0n

New York

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served in a snifter.

Appearance: A light haze gold to amber, white head rising thick I mean real thick to roughly two fingers length.

Smell: Light Hops, feels nutty.

Taste: A dry hops, but very robust. It is packing a punch feels like a hybrid of a lager meets an ale.

Mouth: Medium but slightly heavy...two words, very filling.

Overall: Don't pass this up it is quality beer and very appetizing in a awkward way. Comes off raw at the beginning but it is very hard to hate, Salud!

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2012 03:20:39 | More by BlurryVisi0n

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

4.28/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

More Samuel Smith…why not? Everything I drink from this old-school brewery is just delicious. Plus, it gives me a chance to break out my nonic glass for a little bit of the pub experience. Cheers, blokes!

Brewed about 20 months before the date of this tasting (bottle code decodes to August 17, 2010). This bottle is a bit older than I’d like, but that’s alright – I still have faith in old Sammy.

A: Orange and amber, but mostly pale gold in the light. About an inch over the body, the head smoothes out to a thin white foam; soon, it settles to an inconsistently-dense fizz shield over the body. There’s some nice lacing, too; ropy and abundant. Lots of bubbles settle at the bottom of the glass, making this one look bubbly, light, and positively English.

S: And here we go: first and biggest in the nose are vanilla, butterscotch, and caramel, which come together to form a familiar, British cream aroma that I never stop loving. The sugars playing around in the body are thick, yes, but not without a dark, malty background: coming through more and more with each recurring whiff, showing whole grain bread, butter, banana, grain husk, and cornbread in a loveable background. There are some residuals hanging around the end, as well – peaches and cream, mostly.

T: First thought: balanced deliciousness. Grains, hops, yeast, water, all set in their appropriate place for a wonderful drink. What more could you ask for? Grains are, well, grainy: more husk, straw, wheat bread, and semi-burnt toast. Again, none of the flavors dominate, so it’s easy to pick out the individual flavors. European hops now, rising with light-as-a-feather lemon juice and the slow burn of fresh pine. Throw in a little metallic taste from the water and a chewy undercarriage of yeasty spice and bread. Finishes with a ton of fresh lemon flavor and a bright, buttery astringency. Sip it or quaff it, this beer rocks.

M: Pretty full-bodied, actually. Samuel Smith lays it on thick with a mouthful of cream, then keeps it drinkable with a bready dryness. The texture is amazing.

O: Dammit, I’m going to England. NOW! I want beer like this fresh and on cask everywhere I go. Nothing like ordering a pint of bitter and getting something like this. Suck it, America! Oh, wait…

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2012 00:36:50 | More by BarryMFBurton

Sharkophile

New York

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Poured into a pint glass. Appears a light golden amber with a big frothy white head with excellent retention. Looks beautiful.

S: Smells a bit different than most beers I'm used to, with light cider vinegar, caramel, subtle hops and a bit of subtle fruit.

T: Follows the nose, with a light caramel/toffee and fruity maltiness supported by a bit of cider vinegar and butterscotch flavors. Hops are subtle at first and then intensify with the help of the mineral-y water. Finishes dry.

M: Medium body with low carbonation. Works well for the set of flavors at work.

O: Haven't had a great deal of English beers, but this is a very good, complex yet well-balanced ale. Samuel Smith's makes great beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2012 06:36:59 | More by Sharkophile

jerryjeff

Tennessee

4.5/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Aroma
Malty overtones with a hint of caramel, light fruitiness that's a bit hidden behind the malt but present. Nice, good foreshadowing of taste

Mouthfeel
Medium to medium low carbonation, nice bitterness along the sides of the mouth with some creaminess on the palette.

Appearance
Golden with some hints of amber, poured to nice white head which is lingering in a plastic hotel cup that is translucent. Appealing in appearance, I'm starting to talk myself into this being a really good beer…

Taste
Solid caramel hints with a firm but not overbearing bitterness, this is a really good beer.

Drinkability
Very, not sure what ABV is but this is an all evening beer for me. Just enough to keep it interesting in flavor and on the palette but easy to drink.

Overall
Solid appearance, aroma, and flavor which goes down easily, really great beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-10-2012 02:40:06 | More by jerryjeff

HBeezley

New York

4.05/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

At first, I didnt think too much of this beer. It seemed a little plain Jane. But then, I started noting the flavors....

A- what you would expect from an ale. Light golden hue, nice bright white head that actually retains!

S - not too Much going in the olfactory department. But it's an ale! Just a simple average ale.

T - here's where things start happening. The taste is pretty Bready and earthy. Few grass notes, some tastiness, little bite; it seems like this beer has a very well rounded flavor combination. Everything is so well blended that it just easy to drink and still very enjoyable to pick it apart, taste by taste.

M- carbonation is very good. Not too much, not too toned down. The beer is easy to drink but no where near watery. It's a light ale with heavieness to it, if that's possible.

O- if you want to know what the standard is for an English ale, this is it. Simple, flavorful, and just damn well done!

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2012 05:10:24 | More by HBeezley

ummswimmin

New Jersey

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

I used an english pint glass to properly enjoy this english ale.

It poured yellow/golden. The label said amber, but I don't see it in the glass.

This tastes like a very good example of a British ale. It was clean, a little bitter, and a lot of wheat flavor.

This is a very drinkable ale. You could almost call this a lawnmower beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 01:16:11 | More by ummswimmin

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.33/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a New Belgium globe glass. The bee is a hazy light-orangish copper color. An off-white head settles to random mass of bubbles in the center. Some light sticky lacing is present. The beer smells of sweet fruits and faint malts. The taste is complex with banana peels, oranges, and malts coming through. The mouthfeel is light and finishes clean.

Overall, this is a pretty tasty pale ale that's very easy to drink. I enjoy it more than their other Pale Ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2012 15:42:38 | More by JuicesFlowing

ehammond1

California

3.95/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle

Texas Liquor
Carlsbad, CA

Clear copper and auburn with a thick, pillowy, persistent light brown head that leaves small lines of lace down the glass.

Sweet caramel and toffee lead the way in the aroma, with biscuity and bready malts combining for a pleasantly sweet aroma. There isn't much hop presence, but as an English pale ale, that is to be expected. Very nice.

The flavor too is lacking in distinct hop character, which I don't mind in this style. The caramel, toffee, and bready flavors combine well for an incredibly easy drinking pale.

Medium bodied with ample carbonation.

A definitive version of the style, but not quite as good as the classic Sam Smith pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2012 19:01:13 | More by ehammond1

hmf05

Florida

3.9/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a hazy but clear light orange with a one finger head. Aroma is yeast, cereal graininess, caramel, and lemon. Smells good but nothing special. The taste is fresh baked bread and caramel. I get some lemon coming through as well. Mouthfeel is light with good carbonation. Overall, a very sessionable EPA. It has a lot of good flavors going on, but the yeast character is a little too strong for my preference. Definitely glad I picked this up.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2011 02:46:29 | More by hmf05

airforbes1

New York

3.83/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a yellow-orange color with minimal haze. The head is beautiful and foamy...it started with three fingers before it receded to one. The aroma is faint, which makes me question how fresh this bottle is. I smell a bit of yeast. That's it.

The taste is fine, however. It has some earthiness up front and some mild orange notes on the finish. The flavor has mineral overtones, but it doesn't become medicinal.

This is a solid, easy-drinking beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2011 05:18:13 | More by airforbes1

BeerLover99

New Jersey

4.6/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: cloudy dark yellow, light white head,
dash of lacing

S: lemon, biscuit malt, earthy grain,
maybe little yeasty

T: floral lemon rind, biscuit malt light crisp bitter finish

M: med/light body, solid carbonation
little bubbly/freshing on palate
dry crisp finish

O: OH MY! I knew that I loved English
beers and breweries, but great to see a
fantastic beer on the lower end of the ABV.
Will get again to be sure and highly recommend.
Mighty fine session brew.

SUPERB, GET SOME!

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2011 17:08:19 | More by BeerLover99

rangerred

Tennessee

3.85/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

550ml bottle poured into a nonic.

Pours a slightly hazy medium gold with a thick white head. Good head retention but no lacing.

Smells of pineapple, orange, and caramel. There is also a breadiness detectable.

The taste is fruity with flavors much like the smell. There is also a vanilla flavor. Hop flavors are earthy but restrained with a moderate bitterness. Maltiness is present but is somewhat suppressed by the fruityness that I am assuming is from the yeast.

Overall this is a really good beer. I feel like the fruit could have been suppressed somewhat but like every other beer Samuel Smith makes, this one is a winner.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 01:39:30 | More by rangerred

fx20736

New York

3.88/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Nonic.

Clover honey yellow with a thick linen white head that leaves wisps of lacing.

Aroma of pale malt, apple fruitiness and earthy English Hops.

Mouthfeel is there.

Taste of malts with sultana fruitiness finishing with a floral and earthy hoppiness.

Notes: balanced well made Bitter with appropriate bitterness. A Good beer.

Serving type: bottle

12-10-2011 19:33:32 | More by fx20736

atis

Finland

3.98/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours clear amber with thin white head that very slowly fades, thin strings of lacing. Aroma is sweetish pale malt, honey and apples.

Taste is bready malt, berries, grassy and slightly spicy English hops that do not fully balance malt, bitter aftertaste with hints of citrus. Mouthfeel is medium, moderate carbonation.

Overall, certainly not bad, but nothing very special either. Taking into account that it is not cheap, I am not sure if it was worth the money.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 19:29:37 | More by atis

nickthetick

Maryland

4.68/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a clear gold into a Erdinger weizen glass with almost a finger of white head that leaves a little lacing.

S: fruity, apples, pineapple, peaches, sweet malt, caramel, vanilla.

T: a lot like the nose, sweet apples and a bit of spice all over the place. A nice malt backbone, but overall fruity sweet and tart.

MF: medium body, good effervescence, refreshing.

O: a beautifully balanced, amazingly layered ale. Great flavors and complexity. I'll be purchasing this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2011 05:32:10 | More by nickthetick

TheMultiYeast

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a golden light orange with some white head and a bit of lacing.

Smells like sweet malted grains, gala apples, apple cider, burnt sugar, floral hints.

Taste is not what I expected. Very full flavored with layers of chewy malt, sweetened pie crust, apple sweetness and just enough spruce hop flavor.

Mouthfeel is nicely carbonated and very drinkable.

Zraly put it well calling this one "no frills" just straight forward, quality organic ale.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 17:17:07 | More by TheMultiYeast

Zraly

Virginia

4.43/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pretty gold orange with an ample two-finger head. Nice notes of bread and malt linger upfront.

Very clean, easy fruity esters dominate the flavor profile, topped of with a mineral finish that has a beautiful saline quality to it. Soft butterscotch and bread notes in the middle. Subtle hops off a perfect dry down leaving you with the most balanced tasting ale...perhaps ever. Body is on the higher end of light. Carbonation is perfect for style. So smooth it makes me mad.

The ultimate session ale. Not only that, but an ale to "check your head" on and remember what it tastes like to drink a well-made, no-frills, honest-to-goodness ale. Excellent.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2011 22:14:45 | More by Zraly

railman

New York

3.05/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served from a 550ml bottle.

Pours an appealing golden orange hue with a fluffy white head that fades quickly. Abundant carbonation of tiny bubbles. Sticky lacing that lingers on the glass.

First smell reminds me of malty bread but not overwhelming. Overall decent but boring.

Tastes kind of malty without being sweet and slight bitterness in the end.

Mouthfeel is a little on the thin side. Would have preferred more body to this brew.

Overall I found this brew to be a middle of the road brew with not much going on in the glass. Expected more from Samuel Smith.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 16:06:33 | More by railman

tdm168

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a dark gold with 1/2" of light, bubbly, but dense head. Good retention. The nose has notes of light malt and cooked apples. The taste is light, bready malt with an apple-like sweetness and a straw-like, grassy earthy hop finish. The mouthfeel is light, clean, and very smooth; well carbonated.

Overall, this is a solid beer. It's drinkable, clean, smooth, well balanced, and all around enjoyable. It's not very complex, but for the style it has just enough.

Serving type: bottle

10-14-2011 23:23:55 | More by tdm168

smakawhat

Maryland

4.47/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.

A very nice uniform white head is presented but seems to slowly subside. Body is a gorgeous crystal clear orange amber but with no rising carbonation. Minimal lacing but also a clawing circular puck that grabs the edges with a big collar.

Clotted cream is a distinct scent with a mix of strawberries. Crazy combination but definitely strawberry. Real interesting love this fruity angleat taking a wild guess it must be from the yeast.

Great tasting malt and berry fruit. Sweet but light sugar finish in the aftertaste. Front palate brings big solid malt without a syrupy backbone. Slight grass hop also in the mid palate in places. Strawberry everywhere on this! Mixing some rosehip english herbal tea in there for the presence.

Overall I am just loving this lingering strawberry finish everywhere. Great great friggin beer!

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 01:48:24 | More by smakawhat

cagocubs

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev -1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from SS large bottle into glass.

A: Pours a light honeycomb yellow/orange with a half finger sticky white head.

S: Real earthy esters. Citrus/hops/spice/wheat/and clove.

T: Well balanced. Tamed hops blend nicely with fruity esters and ends with nice wheat/grain finish.

M: Carbonation gives it some sting while it is lighter in body. Crisp and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2011 00:59:10 | More by cagocubs

ktrillionaire

Florida

4.03/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Enjoyed at Bohemia in St. Petersburg (FL), which, incidentally, may be the best spot in this town for quality food AND beer. This beer pours a rustic clay-amber hue and is capped with a soapy off-white head which is not as hearty as I was expecting, given the style. The nose is lightly floral with hints of honey and something like rosewater, and it shows very little caramel or butter for an EPA. The flavor shows a bit more of the sweet caramelized barley and offers a slightly citric hop note, in addition to the aforementioned floral nuance. This brew scores points with me for the overall skew of the profile away from buttery malt and earthy tea-like hop, towards a more clean, lively and zesty direction. The feel is quite nice, very refreshing and retains a great deal of tooth. Overall, this is a very nice brew, as are most Sam Smith's.

Serving type: bottle

08-17-2011 00:06:41 | More by ktrillionaire

rarbring

Sweden

3.88/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer is clear light golden, a slightly off-white head with some lacing. Little curtains.

Sweet honey and fruit notes, some nuts, but also earthy charcters, cheese and dust.

Staring with honey and ripe apple notes, some lemon juice, then a nice herbal bitterness.

Little carbonation, soft but refreshing feeling, a medium body and a dry finish.

A nice light and well balanced ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 18:38:48 | More by rarbring