John Smith's Extra Smooth - The Caledonian Brewery Company Limited

SmashPants

Australia

3.58/5  rDev +12.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Can: it's a big green can. What's more to say?

Appearance: deep copper with a two finger creamy head. Enticing.

Aroma: very light, almost non-existent aroma. Subtle malt aroma.

Taste: a straight-forward malty ale, light toffee notes, fruit and mild bitterness.

Aftertaste: lingers well. I am impressed that the flavour of what appears to be an English Mild lasts so long.

Mouth feel: medium body with lower carbonation. Carries the flavour well, where over-carbonation would detract.


Overall: very nice English ale, I would love to try it on tap. Malts, fruit and light bitterness, quite flavoursome for an English Mild. Only way I would have it is if it was on sale though - AU$80 a case (2012) is way too much.

Serving type: can

10-01-2012 00:22:24 | More by SmashPants

JamesMN

Minnesota

3.33/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Appearance: Dark honey hue with a slight chill haze and a nice puffy off-white nitro head.

Aroma: A touch of pale malt giving a bready aroma with hints of caramel. Surprisingly aromatic for a nitro-can.

Taste: Pretty watery (and at 3.8% ABV what do you expect) but some actual flavor in there as well. A nice caramel malt presence as well as a light hoppy bitterness on the back end. Aftertaste of light bitterness and watery caramel with a touch of a metallic off-flavor.

Mouthfeel: Just below medium in body and super smooth due to the nitro. Sessionable.

Final Thoughts: John Smith's Extra Smooth proves that a low ABV beer can pack in some flavor and be enjoyable. Would like to see more brewers pushing below the 4% ABV mark and making true "session beers." Would I drink it again? Yes.

Serving type: nitro-can

05-11-2013 02:37:59 | More by JamesMN

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.28/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

Pours medium amber with a nice thick creamy head from the widget. Nice thick cream clinging to the glass.

Some malt and herbal notes in the nose. The head does block alot of aroma.

Mild and easy to drink, Lightly bitter malt, some medicinal or tea-like qualities, some malty grain, and a long mild bitter finish. A little lean, but not watery.

Mild tingle and slight astringent notes.

Overall, this is one that you can drink gallons of in the pub. The nitro helps a ton. Ok brew.

Serving type: nitro-can

04-27-2013 00:06:04 | More by OtherShoe2

Peyton5410

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +25.4%

03-13-2013 03:42:50 | More by Peyton5410

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev +9.7%

01-29-2013 07:18:40 | More by Bouleboubier

mungus

Australia

3/5  rDev -6%

01-23-2013 14:08:44 | More by mungus

Beerman1977

Austria

2.5/5  rDev -21.6%

01-19-2013 00:28:42 | More by Beerman1977

rcatalano

New Jersey

3.5/5  rDev +9.7%

01-11-2013 22:32:20 | More by rcatalano

Trrogm

New Jersey

4.25/5  rDev +33.2%

01-07-2013 01:51:53 | More by Trrogm

Offa

California

3.38/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

This is not great or complex, but it's a good solid beer, esp for the low abv. It's similar to a number of other British nitro-can bitters/pale ales, better than some and not as good as others.

Bronze/dark gold, it has a creamy white head typical of nitro and long lasting.

Aroma is nice slightly buttered toast, wet leaves.

Taste is nice bread, slight toffee element, hint of metal, a woody-tea bitterness quite noticeable, strong in the finish and lingering. It's simple and straightforward, but is very drinkable and pleasant while being interesting enough - it's got more character than, say Boddington's Pub Ale.

I note that I ignore the can's instructions to "serve cold" and serve at proper British ale temp.

Serving type: nitro-can

12-19-2012 00:43:48 | More by Offa

rangerred

Tennessee

3.38/5  rDev +6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

440ml nitro can into a pint glass.

Pours a rich clear copper with a cascading tan had that settles into a two finger cap. Really good lacing and head retention.

Aroma has a definite metallic twang but otherwise is pretty light. Some pear and caramel but nothing really sticks out too prominently.

The taste is quite nice. Caramel and bready grain along with pears and some peaches. Caramel and toffee along with toast provides a light roasted character. Bitterness is sharp but pleasant although it comes close to being acrid. Finish is crisp and clean giving this beer tons of drinkability.

Overall, an average nitro English bitter. Not on the same level as Old Speckled Hen or Tetley's but better than Boddington's. At $7.99 a 4 pack, the price is alright and I can see myself picking this up again.

Serving type: nitro-can

11-06-2012 02:05:46 | More by rangerred

mmilyko

Nevada

3/5  rDev -6%

11-02-2012 23:21:22 | More by mmilyko

Jetulio

Spain

2.5/5  rDev -21.6%

10-07-2012 15:12:03 | More by Jetulio

thagr81us

South Carolina

3.05/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Served from nitro-can into a Duck-Rabbit nonic. Poured yellow-orange with a one finger off-white head that subsided to half a finger very slowly. The pour really reminded me of a Guinness with the head consuming the entire beer and working its way up slowly to form the final head. Nice. Maintained nice lacing throughout the glass. The aroma was comprised of sweet malt, cream, grain, and wheat. The flavor was of sweet malt, cream, grain, earth, and subtle spice. It had a light feel on the palate with mild carbonation (almost velvety). Overall this was a pretty average brew. I have to say the pour on this one was pretty cool as it looked like a Guinness only it was a Pale Ale! However, that is where the fun stopped on this one. There was really not a whole lot going on in this one which really made it a bit of a buzzkill for me. Very light on all aspects so good for the non-robust beer drinkers out there, but if you like loads of flavor and complexity. Avoid this one. Trust me, you will thank me if you have the option.

Serving type: nitro-can

09-21-2012 10:46:23 | More by thagr81us

Kornoms

Texas

2.75/5  rDev -13.8%

09-12-2012 21:39:56 | More by Kornoms

grumpygerman

Alabama

3.75/5  rDev +17.6%

09-11-2012 23:34:41 | More by grumpygerman

jonb5

United Kingdom (England)

3/5  rDev -6%

08-27-2012 11:37:11 | More by jonb5

Viper29223

4.08/5  rDev +27.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Very smooth and creamy serve best room temp or take out of the refrigerator for 10 mins before serving one of UK finest bitters hard to find in USA but some liquor stores in MN are now carrying my favorite bitter .If you enjoy Boddingtons try John Smiths extra smooth !

Serving type: nitro-can

08-26-2012 23:56:18 | More by Viper29223

flagmantho

Washington

3.53/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from 440mL widget can into a pint glass.

Appearance: nice orange hue with the classic nitro cascading-bubbles look. Head is a thick finger of creamy deep-ivory foam. I think it looks good.

Smell: light, sweet malt aroma with a hint of graininess. Simple but appetizing.

Taste: sweetish malt flavor with a tiny touch of grain and a little bit of earthy hop character. Bitterness is pretty low. The nitro takes a little oomph out of the flavor, but overall it's not bad.

Mouthfeel: medium-light body with a relatively low carbonation. The texture is not particularly creamy, unlike the appearance, but there is a silky smoothness here that I think is decent.

Overall: not a bad beer at all. I feel like this is a session ale I could quaff all day.

Serving type: nitro-can

08-15-2012 02:38:31 | More by flagmantho

beerthulhu

New Jersey

2.63/5  rDev -17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A: Poured from a can with a nitro-widget. A chalky white head is milky and settles to a 1 finger plus size. Ice tea color, clean clarity with no visible effervesce. Head retention is remarkable in terms of stay. Thick milky lacing sticks strongly and long to the vessel walls.

S: An aroma of dried corn and green corn ears come with a light but noticeable level of awareness.

T: Smooth creamy flavor, corn ears greenery, smooth silty malt lacing on the tongue. Low but noticeable bitterness.

M: smooth and creamy, light and medium body, silty malty leave.

O: Overall the nitro-widget enchances the smooth creamy body, has some sility maltiness, and low bitterness levels. Nice beginning though the flavor tends to lean and thin out deeper into the drink. Don't know if i could tackle two in one sitting. Great visual but dives downhill from there.

Serving type: nitro-can

07-30-2012 23:36:02 | More by beerthulhu

falconxman

Illinois

2.75/5  rDev -13.8%

07-19-2012 17:32:01 | More by falconxman

pin

Australia

3/5  rDev -6%

07-06-2012 03:52:50 | More by pin

fionn13

Ireland

3.25/5  rDev +1.9%

06-04-2012 15:45:56 | More by fionn13

avalon07

South Carolina

2.65/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Poured from a can to a pint glass. Had a copper color and a clear consistency. There was a half inch of fairly long-lasting, creamy head. Excellent lacing.

S: Not a whole lot of smell, mostly malt, as you would expect.

T: Tasted of malt, light hops, a little grain, and little else. Very thin, watery, and featureless. Definitely one of the blander-tasting beers I've had recently.

M: A good amount of carbonation with a somewhat bitter finish. Medium-bodied.

O: A completely forgettable, mass-produced beer. Not very drinkable.

Serving type: nitro-can

04-28-2012 12:04:54 | More by avalon07

petluo

Finland

2.5/5  rDev -21.6%

04-27-2012 13:34:34 | More by petluo