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

jwc215

New Jersey

3.98/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours clouded deep yellow with a thin white head that hangs on. Some lacing sticks.

The smell of apricot is robust. There is a nice musty-ish, yeasty, "ale" character underneath to let you know it's a beer and not a fruity malt drink.

The taste is of apricot is strong upfront, with some tart balancing the sweetness. The malt, yeast and mild hop touch underneath combine nicely with it. A refreshing dryness pulls through in the finish. The apricot is strong, but not overpowering enough to make it only about the apricot.

It is smooth with a medium body and mild to medium carbonation.

A nicely done fruit beer! If you like apricots and ales, I certainly recommend this. The one 550 ml bottle was enough for me, in a good way.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 18:47:57 | More by jwc215

Damian74Shensky

South Carolina

1.5/5  rDev -61.3%

05-03-2013 23:33:33 | More by Damian74Shensky

ChrisCage

Alberta (Canada)

4.15/5  rDev +7%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- Poured into my English Ale Pint glass. It pours a beautifully hazy golden color that looks a lot like apricot nectar. The head is excellent as well, starting off about two fingers in thickness and retains like a proper English Ale should...down to about a half finger thick...the color of the thick foam is off white with hints of copper lingering within. Lacing looks to be good as well with plenty of sticky stringy bubbles clinging to the side of the glass.

S- This has one very dominant aroma...fresh pressed apricot fruit! The sweet nectar permeates the nostrils with delight, and in the background are whiffs of malt, earthy apricot kernel and a mildly drying hop cone smell right at the end.

T- The flavors of the beer follow the aromas closely with a noticeable exception. While again, the dominating character on the palate is apricot, I find it to have a tang to it that doesn't quite match what eating a fresh piece of the fruit would be like, and this in turn provides a slightly sour flavor. Other than this, the malt gently finds its' way to the palate and the finish isn't bitter at all, but rather like in the aroma, I find the hop profile to be more drying. Not bad overall flavor-wise!

M- This beer is very creamy and easy going on the palate, with very fine carbonation striking my tongue. The result of this is a definite medium bodied beer that had a very refreshing, fruity character.

O- The drinkablility of this beer is quite good, but it's not something that I could drink rather quickly or in large quantities. I think if the weather was really warm, this makes a great patio beer. The alcohol is very well hidden and it's a very smooth drinking beverage. My only knock is that the flavor feels slightly forceful and I'd like it even better if it was a little more subdued....still, a very good apricot fruit beer by comparison! Of course I always like the idea that all ingredients used are organic....something that should be commonplace!

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2013 23:47:04 | More by ChrisCage

JMS1512

New Jersey

3/5  rDev -22.7%

04-27-2013 22:46:27 | More by JMS1512

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

3.99/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle into a Duvel tulip.

A: Pours a hazy amber color. The head is a three finger white shade. As it recedes, it leaves behind plentiful lacing on the glass.

S: Apricots. Okay, there isn't much else to the aroma - but this singular quality is pulled off extremely well. I also notice a bit of cream and cherry esters, as well.

T: Much like the nose, the flavor profile is pretty much an apricot bomb with only an augmenting cream note to break up the monotony. The general flavor profile is 90% sweet and 10% tart, but I'm really glad that it doesn't come off in an artificial manner, too. Simple? Yep. Sweet and not very beer-y? Of course. Enjoyable? Oh fuck yes.

M: The texture is medium bodied and crisp. Some finishing dryness does a good job of scrubbing off any overdone syrupy-sweet linger - still, this one is pretty damn sweet on the back end. I don't really notice the carbonation because of the aforementioned sweetness.

O: Admittedly, the sweetness means that that the first half of the bottle is more pleasurable/drinkable than the second half. Nonetheless, as a fruit beer, this one is hard to beat. I would absolutely buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 20:07:12 | More by ThisWangsChung

DrunkenMonk

California

4.5/5  rDev +16%

04-12-2013 09:19:39 | More by DrunkenMonk

jsurfs82

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

04-05-2013 23:55:46 | More by jsurfs82

marlinsfan4

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +9.5%

04-03-2013 04:33:24 | More by marlinsfan4

duceswild

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +16%

04-03-2013 00:00:20 | More by duceswild

aasher

Indiana

4/5  rDev +3.1%

03-29-2013 15:29:11 | More by aasher

Texasfan549

Texas

4/5  rDev +3.1%

03-26-2013 22:02:06 | More by Texasfan549

kjkinsey

Texas

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-26-2013 21:59:20 | More by kjkinsey

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.99/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

LOOK: Pours a cloudy peach color, sporting a creamy white froth that leaves some lace. Appears almost like a smoothy of some sort.

SMELL: Fruity nose of honey apple crisp, apricots and faint grain chiming in to remind that this is still a beer.

TASTE: The apricot notes apparent in the smell are even more pronounced in the taste. Tart, juicy apricot, with a bit of pit like mineral note, but it is very subtle. A touch of biscuity malt, grain and yeast lend all of the beer like character, and there is a very small bittering note. Other than that its tart, juicy apricot all day.

FEEL: Light to medium bodied, medium carbonation. This brew drinks easily and effortlessly.

OVERALL: A proper early-day beer, this apricot ale has genuine flavor and quality character. Fruity, but still balanced and full, making it very drinkable. I had this paired with a spicy tuna and crab salad sushi roll, and it paired decently, making for a quite solid lunch. Good beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 17:03:50 | More by Stinkypuss

Ankur

Maryland

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-24-2013 13:47:09 | More by Ankur

scratch69

Missouri

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured a bottle into a mug.

Appearance- Cloudy yellow-orange with a fingers worth of off-white head. Fair amount of lacing.

Smell- Fruity apricot aroma.

Taste- Sweet apricot flavor with a faint hint of floral hops at the finish.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied and sticky with an average amount of carbonation.

Overall- Great tasting fruit beer. It tastes more like fruit juice than beer, but it is still delicious.

Serving type: bottle

03-24-2013 03:26:15 | More by scratch69

alelover

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-19-2013 01:42:32 | More by alelover

Metalaero

New York

3.5/5  rDev -9.8%

03-17-2013 18:30:55 | More by Metalaero

Kerrie

Michigan

4/5  rDev +3.1%

03-14-2013 01:01:19 | More by Kerrie

RobertColianni

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +3.1%

03-13-2013 02:41:11 | More by RobertColianni

KTCamm

New Jersey

3.79/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured from the Sam Smith signature bottle into a pint glass.

Pours murky hazy cloudy yellowish brown with no foam. Malty fruit nose. Apricot comes through. The taste is a tart fruity apricot. The fruit is punchy - malt tries to hold it back, but it keeps popping through. Strong citrus. Nicely blended. Works for what it is.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2013 13:53:33 | More by KTCamm

match1112

Illinois

3.75/5  rDev -3.4%

03-03-2013 00:29:19 | More by match1112

thebends1

Michigan

4/5  rDev +3.1%

02-25-2013 16:28:41 | More by thebends1

Gavage

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: pours a slightly hazy orange color with a 1" head that slowly falls to a thin surface covering.

Smell: apricots and more apricots.

Taste: the apricot flavor is very strong and quite pleasant. Some grass and wheat tones linger in the background. Very little bitterness here as this beer is very sweet.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer. Very crisp and prickly throughout with a dry finish. Long lasting apricot aftertaste.

Overall: one of the better fruit-centric beers I have had in a while. If you enjoy apricots, this one is worthy of a try.

Serving type: bottle

02-22-2013 17:37:02 | More by Gavage

brock146

Minnesota

4.13/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Looks like an apricot! Cloudy and murky.

S - Smashed apricots, sweet fruit scent.

T - Like biting into a fresh, ripe apricot with a slight sourness. Sticky and a little bit of booze in the middle.

M - Apricot flavored smoothie. Thick and bubbly.

O - Another very good fruit beer by Samuel Smith

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 20:52:35 | More by brock146

Resuin

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +3.1%

02-09-2013 06:00:44 | More by Resuin