Smithwick's - Guinness Ltd.

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: pretty nondescript, or rather nothing distinguishable.
Smell: again, a hint of tea and burnt toast, but understated to be sure.
Taste: as the nose suggests.
Overall: a beer I would have been much more impressed with enforce discovering founders, dfh etc. not bad by any means but merely passable.

Serving type: bottle

07-01-2012 10:47:32 | More by cindyjeffsmith

srv33

2.63/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Dark brown pour, large bubbles, decent lacing. Not many overarching scents, soy and a hint of chocolate. Mouthfeel is rather smooth, though nothing special. Lots of malt in the taste, and a bit of chocolate rounds out this average brew. It ends with a strange aftertaste I can't quite put my finger on.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 22:35:09 | More by srv33

Rantingfury

North Carolina

3/5  rDev -14.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

I poured from a bottle into a jigger. I got a four fingered head of creme colored head that faded to some lacing. The color was of an amber/tea color and very clear. The nose was sweet with malt and a hint of grass and lemon on the back end. The flavor was sweet with a tiny bit of bitter from the hops and a dry finish. The mouthfeel was nice, being bready and good carbonation. Overall a good solid beer, but not outstanding in any area. I will buy this again from time to time as it's very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 20:26:49 | More by Rantingfury

brureview

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Served in a pint glass. Pleasantly surprised- this was better than a bottled Guinness. Poured a one finger head. The smell was a very faint lemon.

The lightly carbonated mouth feel matches well with the finish: some fruit, smooth, and refreshing. A solid beer. It's a good choice-easy to drink with good character.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 01:00:24 | More by brureview

stephenjmoore

Maryland

3.2/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Amber body with some reddish color. Light tan highly carbonated head.

S- Caramel malt, faint sweet aroma.

T- Caramel malt comes through, with some sweet malt as well. Bitterness and malt on the finish.

M- Medium bodied, medium carbonation.

O- Not bad, good choice when only options are other macros.

Serving type: bottle

05-17-2012 01:52:33 | More by stephenjmoore

SmithwicksGuy

4.33/5  rDev +23.4%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Just got a four pack of awesome Smithwick's glasses from http://www.e-celtic.com, so I grabbed a six pack and Im ready to review. Beer always seems to taste better when its in a perfect glass so I might be a little impartial.

Smithwicks has a perfect head when poured correctly with dark red brown body. Nice hoppy ale taste with no aftertaste. All in all goes down smooth and a great pick if you want a little taste of Ireland

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2012 03:42:03 | More by SmithwicksGuy

acevenom

Louisiana

3.03/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Poured into a Guinness pint glass. Pours clear dark reddish copper with an abundant off-white head. The head dissipates slowly, leaving some lacing on the side of the glass. It's a faint smell. It smells of bread and it has that nutty/grassy type of aroma. The flavor is fairly neutral. There are flavors of caramel and it's slightly nutty. There's a slight back end bitterness. The flavor is fairly average. The body is light to medium and it's moderately carbonated. It's fairly easy to drink. Overall, this is a mostly average beer. I purchased this as a single and would not purchase this again as a six pack.

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 18:27:42 | More by acevenom

mactrail

California

2.28/5  rDev -35%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Flat and dishwatery are the flavors that come to mind. The faintest beer-like smell. Why do I think of bricks and concrete basements? There is something like used tea bags and spoiled fruit here. A hint of sawdust in the nose. Sharpish club soda flavor takes over. No hint of anything hop-like, nor any hint of malty sweetness. The head is big and rather coarse, but pleasant enough.

This is such a wretched beer, I don't think being an allegedly Irish style is any excuse. I went back and looked at my review of bottled Guiness with the new harp logo. The Diageo legacy seems to be making their beers into even more unpleasant industrial concoctions. I feel a rant coming on.

12 oz bottle from Trader Joe's.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2012 05:43:56 | More by mactrail

scratch69

Missouri

3.35/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I poured a bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance- Dark amber color with a fingers worth of foamy white head. Nice lacing.

Smell- Very faint aroma of bread and malt.

Taste- Bread and malt with some nuttiness.

Mouthfeel- On the light end of medium bodied. A little watery with a large amount of carbonation.

Overall- It's alright though I've had better.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2012 23:06:00 | More by scratch69

thecheapies

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Rosy dark amber pour a nice foamy head. Unfortunately, the 33cl bottle only filled my Guinness glass two-thirds of the way. 3.5

Tinny nose with pronounced toasted malts and wispy Euro hop. Almost as many spot-on aromas as off ones. 3.0

Bitter frontside with some burnt grain and some almost fruity grassy hop. Finishes way too clean. Almost dead. Not much lasting flavor. I can't remember why I used to drink so many of these. 3.0

Ah, this is why... they drink so easily. Persistent carbonation over a medium-light body. 4.0

I've yet to have a super-delicious Irish Red, so I'm comfortable calling this my stand-by. Not my favorite, mind you. Just good and easy-to-find. 3.5

Serving type: bottle

04-03-2012 00:12:34 | More by thecheapies

kojevergas

California

3.68/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a conical Guinness pint glass in me gaff in low altitude Los Angeles, California. Reviewed live. Expectations are quite high; I drank more than me fair share of this in the auld country and I know it's good.

Served refrigerator cold. Side-poured with standard vigor as I know it doesn't have carbonation issues.

A: Pours a three finger head of good cream, good thickness, and excellent retention. Colour is a transparent dark copper-amber. No yeast particles are visible.

Sm: Toasted clean malts, some cream, a tiny amount of hops, and hints of fruit esters - maybe cherry or raspberry. A mild strength aroma.

T: A great toasted malt foundation with really light subtle fruit esters, full bodied clean barley, and great amber hops. Built brilliantly. Complex and subtle enough. Efficient and enjoyable. Pleasant. I really like it. Layered. Fantastic.

Mf: Smooth and wet, with enough coarseness and dryness to coax out the flavours. Suits the flavours extremely well. Perfectly carbonated.

Dr: Obscenely drinkable. I've had this countless times and I'd definitely have it again. Definitely best on draught. I love it, but in fairness it is limited by its complexity and subtlety. Well priced. I'd recommend this to friends. One of the better Irish reds; certainly the best macrobrewed Irish Red I've tried.

B

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2012 07:49:30 | More by kojevergas

Dave1999

Virginia

3.55/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured a light amber colour with a foamy off white head.

The smell is pretty much all malts.

Taste is similar to the smell, it's all about the malts. It also has a slight bit of bitterness to it.

The mouth feel is light to medium with a nice level of carbonation.

Overall a pretty good beer, not complex or paticulary outstanding but a decent enough drink.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 20:59:12 | More by Dave1999

kangarooAdam59

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

In a pint glass:

A: amber colored body, small white foamy head that hangs around for most of the beer, nice clingy lacing graces pint glass

S: mostly malts with slight biscuit and bready notes

T: malts, and biscuity and bready notes, there are some caramel hints as well

M: medium with a decent carbonation on the tongue, mostly creamy and smooth, sessionable

O: this is mostly a good brew. I would have this again, perhaps next year's at St Paddy's day with bangers and mash

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 13:47:17 | More by kangarooAdam59

smakawhat

Maryland

2.65/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass. St. Paddy's leftovers I guess.

A sort of dirty tan head fairly foamy and large is made at about three fingers, many large bubbles in the head. Settles very quickly. Body color is a dark red copper brown amber color and quite clear.

Nose smells like soapy malt. Faint grass, maybe a little cinnamon, but first impression is something feels really strange and off putting.

Taste, there is next to nothing on this palate. Mostly just a soily dirt component, not much of a malt backbone, or classic grassy irish ale tastiness. Body seems to have a bit of stability to it, but the flavors just aren't coming out.

Overall, fairly uninteresting compared to other Irish Ales I've had.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2012 01:19:56 | More by smakawhat

TheCondor

Missouri

3.43/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

From the bottle into a pint glass…come on, I gotta put down some Irish Red for St. Patty’s Day! I’ve been drinking Irish Beer all weekend!

Appearance – A nice medium amber color with a big fat three finger head that hangs around for some time, with bubble rising inside the glass rapidly. Looks like an enjoyable brew! Say this in Gaelic “Is fearr rith maith ná drochsheasamh!” Fun!

Smell – A good stout malt smell comes right through with some biscuit and bready notes as well. Just smells like a good solid brew.

Taste – The malts really make their presence felt here! Again with the malty, bready, biscuit notes, but there is a little toffee and caramel hints as well. A very complex but balanced offering, if I may say so myself!

Mouthfeel – Medium bodied, decent carbonation, creamy and smooth. Try this Gaelic! “Eist moran agus can beagan”

Overall – I really enjoyed this brew. It is complex, balanced, smooth, and highly sessionable. Honestly this may be one of the better Irish Reds out there, and I’m not a huge fan of that style. I’d absolutely drink and buy this again!

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 02:05:48 | More by TheCondor

phishsihq

Colorado

3.03/5  rDev -13.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Smithwick's pours a rusty amber with one-inch of frothy, cream colored head that leaves a good deal of lacing throughout. Sweet malt aromas, mostly biscuit and bready notes, dominate the nose, with hints of caramel poking through as well. The same sweet malt in the nose erupts on the pallet before subsiding into some caramel and hop bitterness that blend perfectly to make this a very well balanced beer. A very crisp and clean finish is a product of a medium amount of carbonation and a creamy, medium body. Exactly what a Irish Red Ale should taste like.

Serving type: bottle

03-19-2012 01:56:53 | More by phishsihq

brewskifan55

Mississippi

3.73/5  rDev +6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Top o' the mornin'! Poured into a plastic cup a couple hours before walking with the O'Tux Society in the Mal's St. Paddy's Day parade, Jackson, MS.

A: dark amber, producing a tan, two finger head that lingers with big bubbles in its wake.

S: nice and malty. A hint of caramel.

T: ...and so goes the malts.A semi-dry finish. Smooth, light; perfect for an Irish breakfast.

M: medium with medium, frothy carbonation. Produced a fine, Irish mustache.

O: A very sessionable Irish ale. Perfect for calming down the demons in a Guiness Extra Stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2012 15:37:32 | More by brewskifan55

metter98

New York

3.53/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is clear dark amber in color and has a moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a half-finger high off white head that quickly died down and consistently left a thin head covering the surface and some lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of tea leaves in the nose along with notes of toasted malts.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste has flavors of tea leaves and toasted malts as well as a very slight amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation. The finish leaves your mouth a little dry.
O: There’s nothing overly special about this beer, but it’s a nice change of pace from just drinking Guinness on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s very easy to drink and I wouldn’t have a problem knocking back a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 14:57:42 | More by metter98

MattyG85

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

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

Appearance: Pours a deep and clear amber ruby red with lots of rising bubbles. Impressive five finger off white head with very good retention. Lots of lacing sticking around the glass.

Smell: Sweet malts that are slightly roasted with plenty of caramel and toffee. A very bready and biscuity aroma. Light hint of earthy hops in the background. A pretty nice smell of bread.

Taste: Sweet bready pale malts with notes of caramel, toffee, and wheat grains. Somewhat roasty like darker bread. Light taste of earthy hops towards the finish. Fairly simple but the malt taste is solid.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. Creamy, crisp, and somewhat drying in the finish.

Overall: A nice tasting Red Ale. On the lighter side but good for the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 05:31:00 | More by MattyG85

BigCheese

Massachusetts

3.85/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz, got a 6pack for St Patricks Day. Gotta represent.

A: Pours a ruby brown, with minimal, head that immedietly dissapears, almost no lacing at all.

S: Not Much, some dark malts, molasses based.

T: "Red/Amber" bread maltiness up front. Has a milky sweetness. Crisp and clean. Has a dry black tea like
finish. Not complex but quite pleasant.

M: Very highly carbonated which is nice. A bit watery, extremly drinkable, (even chuggable).

O: Still my favorite of generic Irish brews (Harp, Guinness, Smitwicks). Nothing complex but makes a great black and tan. I'll probably always get suckered into buying atleast one for St Patricks Day. Would be a great tailgating beer in the fall. Nice on a chilly march night.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2012 02:10:47 | More by BigCheese

fx20736

New York

2.08/5  rDev -40.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a pint at fridge temp.

Tea-like amber with a natural vanilla toned thick head. Impressive lacing.

Aroma: This must be what DMS smells like. Reminds me of a dirty diaper.

Well structured mouthfeel.

Tastes like it smells.

Notes: There was a time when I liked this beer. That was before I delved into craft beer. Maybe I got a bad bottle.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2012 23:08:54 | More by fx20736

DarthNerdus

3.8/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from bottle. Has a nice large soapy head with minimal lacing. A nice deep, dark amber in color. Smell carries notes of caramel. Abundantly carbonated, but not too much. Starts out with a very very light sweetness that leads into a moderate bitterness but finishes with a lingering sweetness that leaves you wanting more.

Serving type: bottle

03-02-2012 06:30:45 | More by DarthNerdus

hiku7

California

3.48/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours hazy deep copper to rust. Off white long lasting head.

Crackery malt aroma, with sourdough like tartness. Light fruity pear esters, tiny hop spiciness and toasted and caramel malt.

Flavor matches the aroma, but with earthy, minty, woodsy moderate to moderately high hop bitterness. Toasted malt more dominant in the flavor than caramel.

Very dry mouthfeel, light medium body, and prickly high carbonation.

Overall, lighter and drier than expected, also more bitter. Carbonation seemed too high. Decent sessionable ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2012 23:54:38 | More by hiku7

NardiByNature

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A frothy two-finger head takes its time settiling down into the pint glass. It leaves behind some spotty lace. Totally dark amber, typical red color. Pretty solid covering and good lacing as I drink this beer down.

Smells are simple: sweet crackers, malts, and that rising-bread smell. The taste has got that distinct English “pub” character – my idea of that being smooth, somewhat creamy, with a bit of a dry finish. A bit of rye-like flavor distinguishes this beer. Mouth has, like most good beers, a balancing amount of carbonation with viscosity. But the alcohol comes through a bit even though the ABV is relatively low.

This is a beer I’d be to drink any day. In fact, knocking back a few pints of this with my bros at the bowling alley or the local dive while shooting some darts sounds ideal.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2012 21:08:06 | More by NardiByNature

DaveBlack

Virginia

3.63/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Aggressive pour yields a finger and a half of light tan, fluffy head. The head has decent retention and leaves a nice amount of lacing.

S: smell is malty sweet with a fair amount of roasted aromas, including some caramel, burnt sugar and a dark raisin fruitiness. A good smelling beer.

T: Taste is a little disappointing after the smell. The flavor has a lot more of a cereal grain taste and much less of a roasty flavor than I was expecting. The roasty flavor is still there, just hidden behind the grains. There is a caramel sweetness and a nice dry finish.

M: This is one of the few cases where the mouthfeel actual detracts from the beer. The beer is overly carbonated for my taste, getting in the way of the flavors.

O: Not a bad beer, quite good. There are some nice roasty flavors, a well balanced sweetness. Not worth seeking out, but it's bound to be a crowd pleaser and you can get it anywhere.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2012 00:00:03 | More by DaveBlack