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

Pintofbrown

Iowa

3.53/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: It’s golden amber on the pour that has plenty of fizz as it fills the glass. It is very strange that there is almost no
head and definitely no threat of lacing.

Smell: It’s a really delicate scent, also very light. There is a sweetness that has to be from the esters. I can’t quite name one fruit though. It’s just sweet. Maybe there is some honey in here too. No threat of hops making an appearance and contributing to the experience.

Taste: As with the nose, not really any hop flavor to speak of. There is a grain taste, very close to wheat that tastes like it’s coming more from the malt. The after taste fades quickly; it’s just as delicate as the nose.

The esters are kind of here, but again, I can’t really place the fruitiness. Not much of the sweetness from the nose showing up on the palate either. It’s pretty bland ale to be honest.

Mouth feel: There is yet to be a Samuel Smith’s product I’ve tried that doesn’t have at least a good mouth feel. This one is not an exception. It’s medium bodied, a bit of a surprise for the lightness of the ale. It’s also extremely smooth to drink. It just slides right on through.

Overall: This is really boring ale all around. Usually, I enjoy the SS products immensely, but this one just isn’t doing anything that makes it stand out, from the delicate nose, to the boring flavors. You could definitely do worse as the quality of the beer is still great, but the experience is not.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 06:21:14 | More by Pintofbrown

beerandcycling88

Washington

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

Poured from a bottle into a pint glass

A Pours a light clear yellowish orange color topped off with a white head that dissipates quickly.

S The nose has a nice lemon note and some a hint of malty biscuit.

T The pallate has an earthy note to it, along with a sweet fruity almost apple like taste.

M Very crisp mouthfeel, lots of carbonation and quite pleasent to drink.

Overall this is a great pale ale. Its quite sweet yet easy to drink. This would be a great session beer, as its easy to drink and only $3.00 for a pint

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2011 01:55:37 | More by beerandcycling88

bnes09

Illinois

4.4/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A blend between lemon yellow and orange in color. Single finger white head bubbles up from the brew. Retreats to a creamy froth that lasts forever. Tons of creamy lacing as well.

Aroma of fresh baked English muffins. Mostly clean with a hint of herbal hop scent.

Great taste as well. Solid bready malt gives it substance with a toasty quality. English hop flavors, spicy but not pungent, mostly of fresh herbs and spinach leaves. Overall flavor is fresh and perfectly balanced.

Medium bodied with plenty of bready texture without being to thick. The flavor is so rich it would seem like you had to chew this but you don't.

This stuff is excellent. Great look, outstanding and well rounded flavors, even a great feel. A masterpiece.

Serving type: bottle

08-06-2011 01:25:53 | More by bnes09

MoreThanWine

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a 2" white head with took awhile to dissipate to lace. Clear pale straw yellow color with tiny bubbles. Smell has corn and is also yeasty. Taste is a fairly simply BMC flavor profile with corn and grass however the body is smoother and richer and the finish has both some sweet and sour to it. Definitely a step up from the typical pale beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2011 00:51:14 | More by MoreThanWine

Schmidts

Pennsylvania

4.6/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a dark yellow with a small white head, smells of sweet Malts and Malasses. The taste is very pleasant and malty with a small hit of Hops. And Then sweet malts and an earthy taste. It is very Refreshing and easy to drink and goes down very smooth. This is an expensive beer but it was worth every Penny of the $5.00 I paid for a bottle. I will consider saving up and getting a case of this.

This truely is a Classic English Beer in every way and was well woth trying!

If you have never had it give it a try it is a well crafted Ale

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2011 23:25:22 | More by Schmidts

AaronSRosenberg

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Served in an English style pint glass from a typical Samuel Smith 550cc bottle.

a: Bright gold to copper color with 1/2 inch of bright, fluffy head. Head retention isn't great, but about on par for style.

s: Bready malt and light caramel dominate the nose. Although the label promises plenty of fresh hop character, very little is present in my bottle. There may be some floral notes, but I think the transatlantic voyage is really showing in this regard. The English yeast character is delightful, however, with plenty of apple/pear notes.

t: Again dominated by caramel and bready malt flavors. Hop bitterness is present, though the balance is tipped towards the malt. Very little hop flavor.

m: although the head retention is less than robust, and it is not heavily carbonated, this beer is full body, and a nice bubbly sensation in the mouth.

Overall, the beer is good, but I suspect that the bottles I have access to are not treated will during shipment and storage at my local shops. I can't give points for what I expect the beer tastes like when the hop character is fresher, but I wish that I could. The malt character is brilliant, as is the mouthfeel, with some hops on the nose and a bit of hop character I could see falling in love with this beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2011 02:56:46 | More by AaronSRosenberg

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

My 500th bottle review!

From the bottle: "Organic Best Ale"; "A delicately flavored amber/gold ale in which subtle fruity esters from the Samuel Smith yeast strain interact with a background of maltiness and fresh hops. Brewed with well water (the original well sunk in 1758 is still in use), organic hops and yeast. Fermented in 'stone Yorkshire squares'."; "Samuel Smith's brews at a small traditional British brewery, the oldest brewery in Yorkshire."; "This label is issued only by SamL Smith ... SamL Smith is a small British brewery".

My pour netted me two-plus fingers of eggnog-colored head with great retention. Color was a slightly hazy deep gold and Midas would have approved. Nose had a caramel/buttery sweetness up front with a grassy hoppiness behind it. Mouthfeel was medium with a mild bitterness initially on the tongue, then giving 'way to a mild sweetness. Finish was equally mild and pleasant. It was not bad, but it did not strike me as anything terribly special, either. Have I just committed sacrilege?

Serving type: bottle

06-13-2011 01:31:27 | More by woodychandler

tubacharlie

Michigan

4.38/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The aroma of molasses hits the nose first, with a smattering of earthy notes. The head lays out smooth and white, only a finger or two in height, but leaving a nice ring of lacing as it recedes to a light carpet.

The brew is a dirty yellow-brown color, mostly clear but with a slight haze and active carbonation rising slowly to replenish the ring of foam left from the head.

A large gulp reveals more earthy flavors, with treacle in the background and a solid grain bill supporting the richly hued taste. Biscuit and dried flower accents round out the palate. Enough hops to give it a bit of zest, but overall a very mellow and tasteful offering.

This brew would go well with anything from peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to a stuffed grouse.

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2011 00:38:32 | More by tubacharlie

bslider

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Golden straw. Pure white head with substantial lacing.

S: Mellow yeast and baked apples. The label makes note of fruity esters; I agree.

T: Grainy, golden malt with apples and pears. Mild English hops wash throughout and carry on to a crisp finish.

M: Light to medium. Good carbonation level.

O: A very nice go-to beer that's readily available in lots of American cities. I've always liked their stouts and their nut brown, but I never picked this one up until now. (I think because I interpreted the "organic" marketing as some kind of gimmick.) Like other reviews have noted, this is a great candidate for a evening session.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 00:15:17 | More by bslider

metter98

New York

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

A: The beer is clear yellow in color and has a light amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a two finger high dense off white head that died down rather quickly, leaving a film of bubbles covering the surface.
S: There are moderate aromas of fruity yeast in the nose.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste is rather fruity and has some initial sweetness.
M: It feels light-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is very easy to drink and quite sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2011 02:03:05 | More by metter98

JMad

Texas

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

I poured a bomber into a glass mug...

The beer pours a pale golden color with a thick, fluffy white head. The smell is strong with yeast, sweet, nutty malt, with earthy and herbal hop tones. The taste is a little metallic, but it's not bad at all, there are flavors of raisin bread, nuts, and lemon. It's medium bodied with perfect carbonation and a dry finish. This is a good beer, easy drinking and refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2011 23:43:02 | More by JMad

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -15.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer poured out as a medium shade of amber with a tan colored head on it. The head fizzles away pretty fast leaving just a few spots of foam on the top of the beer. The aroma of this beer is mostly malt to me. Not too much hop aroma or anything coming from it besides maybe a little yeast. The flavor is grainy and buiscuty with some light hop bitterness in the mix. The mouthfeel is pretty good, its not overly watered down or anything like that but it's not heavy either. Not a bad brew to try.

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2011 03:25:36 | More by Knapp85

chiccabeer

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured this beer into a bottle. Poured with a decent amount of head. The beer looked very good with a murky light amber look to it. It smelled sweet with a fruit smell and a light hint of bananas. I was very disappointed when it came time to taste the beer. It has a lot weaker of a taste then I was expecting and wanting. I did not rate the beer down too much for this, because I would have been rating the beer on my expectations and not the quality of the beer. The after taste is pretty smooth with a interesting after taste that I cannot place. Final thoughts, I think the beer would be good during the summer while relaxing in a chair outside. Maybe too descriptive on that one. Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2011 01:58:43 | More by chiccabeer

yeoldeale

Oregon

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

Bottle poured into a pint glass.

The only reason why I didn't give this all 5's is because I haven't reviewed enough English pale ales to have a baseline. That said, this was an unbelievably delicious, drinkable ale.

A: Golden, the smallest touch of cloudiness, a dense white head that sticks to the glass.

S: Malts, caramel, a hint of citrus/hops, and honey

T: Like it smells. Delicious. Clean finish.

M: Surprisingly full mouthfeel.

D: Wonderful. A top-notch session beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2011 07:20:27 | More by yeoldeale

eric5bellies

Australia

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

A - Pours a nice amber colour witha tight white head that retains well.

S - Buts of malt, grain and sweet caramel

T - Nice sweet malts up front with some buttrey notes. finishes in a bitter way.

M - Light to medium body and carbonation

O - Very sessionable beer that would go down well at any time

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2011 16:23:00 | More by eric5bellies

mltobin

Connecticut

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

Appearance is a light amber tone with a thin white head. Smell is light, some floral as well as citrus there. Taste is a bit sweet, some caramel, orange, low-key hops, malt in the finish. MF is leaning towards light, some carbonation there. This is a nice beer and goes well with almost any meal.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2011 23:59:01 | More by mltobin

KajII

North Carolina

2.9/5  rDev -27.1%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

[Best served in an English Pint]

The pour was a clear light orange with a small (less than 1 finger) white fizzy head which diminished almost immediately after being poured with very poor lacing.

The aroma was of a light bread malt, a slight floral hop and a very mild cobweb yeast with a light fruity ester and a mild hint of caramel.

The taste was a bit malty with a light sweet caramel presence and a slight fruitiness throughout, with the finish becoming mildly bitter towards the end. The flavor faded very quickly from the taste buds with a faint bitterness left behind.

Mouthfeel was light in body and creamy in texture with an average carbonation.

Overall this was a brew that had a decent enough flavor, although it was definitely nothing special. It would however be a decent brew for a hot summer’s day...

http://www.facebook.com/KAJIIsBeerReviews

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2011 17:20:43 | More by KajII

dansmcd

Australia

3.55/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - great label. a pale orange colour without much sediment, some head, good lacing

S - citrus peel

T - a bit lacking in bite, but pleasant flavours nonetheless.

M - low carbonation, little bit watery

D - certainly a beer that you could put away a few of in quick time. Being a new fan of the brewery I had high expectations so this was somewhat disappointing overall.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2011 08:00:26 | More by dansmcd

KDeLibero

Colorado

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

This week for the Samuel Smith Salute, we will be featuring their Organic Best Ale. This beer is a close example of the early 20th century English Ales, and it is still brewed with well water from their original well, sunk in 1758. Also, it is of course, still fermented in the famous Samuel Smith stone Yorkshire squares. British Ales such as this one derive a distinctive flavor from the use of Fuggle and Golding hops. This hop combination balances well in a beer because Fuggles are strong and earthy, while Goldings are a bit milder, and slightly sweet. Not only is this a really interesting beer because of it's history, but the label is in line with that of an Old English Ale, and it is made with organic malted barley, organic hops, and organic yeast.

Organic Best Ale pours a bright amber body beneath a thin, snow white head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is just lightly fragrant of sweet malt, and floral English hops. The flavors in this beer are complex, yet very delicate. Subtle fruit characteristics such as tangerine, apricot and lemon have developed from the Samuel Smith yeast strain. I am also tasting a nice light, grassy, sort of vegetal flavor. In the background, and on the finish, there is a respectable amount of maltiness and a mild kick of fresh hops, classic for an English Pale Ale. This is an awesome beer, it is really refreshing, and should not be overlooked as one of Samuel Smith's best brews.

Because it is medium bodied, yet simple and easy-drinking, Organic Best Ale can pair well with a variety of foods. Last night I enjoyed it with a warm Israeli Couscous dish that was flavored with lemon and loaded with veggies. The pairing was perfect! This beer would also go well with roasted chicken, a variety of seafood dishes, or Indian food. Sometimes, the best beer and cheese pairings are easy to find if you stay local to the region. Try this beer with a mild, English cheese such as Caerphilly. The earthy, creaminess of this cow's milk cheese will pair beautifully with the citric qualities in the beer.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2011 18:27:19 | More by KDeLibero

mikesgroove

South Carolina

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

Poured a nice deep hazelnut brown. Great color on this, looked like hickory wood or something. Ample carbonation streaming up from the bottom of the glass throughout the session, with a small amount of side glass lace around the edge. The head was not too impressive, maybe an inch or so on the pour and fading quickly down to only a thin layer across the top. Looked pretty much like an English ale. Aroma was very grainy, almost musty in smell. Lots of malter bread, and a lot of caramel as well. Had a definite roasted nuts kind of back to it. Very full aroma and very pleasing as well. Not something to be taken lightly, but at the same time also not very heavy. Nice for a good pub ale and quite a bit stronger then most I have smelled in this category..Very nice here, lots of caramel and malt tones that were littered in the back with a tiny bit of English bittering hops. Nice sweetness balancing It all out very very well. I was quite impressed with this one. It was a very full bodied flavor with lots of earthen grain and malt tones. Super smooth and clean would be the best way to describe it. Not too heavy and not very carbonated but still very very good. It was really a nice combination of factors that led to a decent mouthfeel.Great I could have had ano ther with ease when I was done. A rich full feel was just about perfect for drinking. Not a sipper this was a good sit down with the game ale.



Overall I was very impressed with this little brew that I really did not even know that I had. It was quite good and defiantly something worth taking a shot at. I would defiantly recommend trying this one If you can, it might surprise you a bit as it comes through with a lot more quality then I thought it would.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2011 00:03:09 | More by mikesgroove

adam42381

Florida

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

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a New Belgium globe.

Appearance: Pours a hazy light golden amber with orange highlights and a 1 finger sudsy white head. Very nice lacing.

Smell: Pale malt, sweet grains and caramel with sweet herbal hops and a touch of candied fruit.

Taste: Sweet malt and candied fruit followed by caramel and buttery biscuits in the middle and ending with mildly bitter English hops at the finish. Aftertaste is somewhat dry with a taste of cereal grains.

Mouthfeel: Light-to-medium-bodied with a decent amount of carbonation. Goes down very smooth.

Drinkability: High drinkability. You could a few of these without much difficulty.

Overall: Very good beer overall. This is a style that I'd like to see more of. Another fine offering from Samuel Smith's.

Serving type: bottle

02-19-2011 22:33:07 | More by adam42381

scootny

New York

4.85/5  rDev +21.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Huge off white head with scads of lace and great retention. Small amount of haze in a golden amber fluid. A toasty nuttiness greets my nose sitting atop a bed of light sweet malt and somewhat lemony hops. Simple but so well done and pleasing to the nose.
Taste is full grains and and toasted biscuits. Hops are perfectly balanced in this one and feature light lemon and herbal leafy notes. Finish is very clean and dry with bread crust and a hint of earth. Feel is soft and supple with a gentle, fine carbonation. Another super session ale from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

01-29-2011 07:35:38 | More by scootny

damndirtyape

Ohio

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

550mL single bottle (no date I could find) poured into a Tulip stout glass. Had again on July 1, 2012.

Appearance: Hazy orange-gold colored beer with a dense white head. Hard pour gave a 1/2" big bubbled head, which died down to a ring around the edge of the glass and a thin film across the top. Islands and small strands of lace here and there. Lacing mostly gone by the end of the glass.

Smell: A mild honey-like malt smell combined with some mild fruity ester smells. Hint of butter in there as well.

Taste: Honey-like malt with fruity notes (definite hint of apple, some other fruits I can't quite pull out) taste up front moving into a mild tea-like bitter finish mixed in with some toffee and butter notes. Classic English ale. Well on the malty side of things, but not so sweet as to be cloying. Quite tasty.

Mouthfeel: Good carbonation. Slick with a thickness just a bit thicker than water. Some lingering sensation on the teeth.

Drinkability: Good smell and taste and very much a classic English ale taste....but I think one is enough for me. Went well with a meal (curry chicken) but satisfying in its own right. Right tasty and unlike the last one, I feel like another pint. I think the last one I had truly was older - this one is quite good.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2011 23:41:24 | More by damndirtyape

wcudwight

North Carolina

3.83/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Amber in color with a nice 2 finger white head that fizzes down to a tight rim of lace on top of the beer. Very floral in the aroma. Not as sweet smelling as the non-organic version. Good biscuity malt base with some lemon zest. Tangerine, butterscotch with an orange marmalade finish. Interesting. The organic version seems more complex but you can't beat the balance of the origional pale ale. Feels a bit full in the mouth for a Pale Ale but that is a minor complaint. Samuel Smiths are easy drinking beer that is great to share with some good conversation.

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2011 05:40:04 | More by wcudwight

jibbyvonjibb

California

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

A: Golden color.
S: Biscuity. Slight tart.
T: Like the smell - caramel, lemony hops. Slight astringency from hops in aftertaste.
M: Medium body and carbonation. Smooth.
O: Less earthy than the non-organic version, and more sour. Also ends up tasting a bit sweeter (or is that astringency?). I think I prefer the other one more, but this one is also very well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2011 03:15:06 | More by jibbyvonjibb