Samuel Smith Organically Produced Ale

[steveh]

Certified by the CCOF (??), 18.7 oz. brown bottle. No ABV on label, BeerAdvocate reports 5.0% - Does Sam Smith not have a web site? Merchant DuVin probably has info.*

"Soil Association" Organic Standard Seal on back label, "The malt and hops used to grow this beer have been organically grown without the use of chemical sprays or artificial fertilizers."

Poured a hazy, deep gold color with a thick, egg-shell white head that settles to a thin cap.

Mellow, butterscotch, diacetyl nose with citrus notes and some mild biscuit malt back.

Mild biscuit and caramel malt flavor balanced with mellow lemon citrus flavor. Bitter, mellow herbal characters in aftertaste.

Light body with a smooth, not quite creamy, mouth feel.

The label doesn't state bottle conditioning, but the character of this brew is very cask-like in an Best Bitter profile. Fans of Conniston Bluebird will enjoy this ale - refreshing and quite drinkable great English ale in the full definition of the style.

S.


*But not much...

[ADR]

Clear golden appearance with a whitish medium-bubbled head of about 1/4 of an inch and decent duration. Nice slightly thick and complex laces. Fairly un-aromatic and surprisingly grassy for a Pale, almost like a Grolsch in aroma. Malt is straightforward, minimal brown sugar and a bit of freshly-baked white bread. Hops are minimal, slight sense of paprika and re-inforced by the aroma close to the swallow. This brew has a tight balance, but unfortunately, the body was pretty lacking to me -- a teeter-totter balanced by little weight on either side. Too expensive to be a session brew of choice for me, but it is certainly drinkable.

[steveh]

Clear and a Grolsch-like aroma? Sounds like we got 2 different beers. There is a Sam Smith Organic Lager that I could see having similarities to Grolsch.

My bottle was $2.99*, what are they going for in Minnesota?

S.

*Edit - checked the bottle before it hit the recycle bin last night, $3.49

[ADR]

Over 3 bucks...not a bad beer, I think I gave it a 3.4 out of 5...grassy aroma, hops seemed almost like Hallertau...

I've had the organic lager also, have to look at my review of that again...

Cheers!

[chazwicke]

HMMMMM........... I may have to do my own research :D . Truth is that I have not had any SS beers in far too long. Once again there is usually something new that I have not tried that gets preference. The Taddy Porter was a fine beer and the one which used to be my favorite.

[ADR]

Well, its a boring world if we all taste the same things...its actually a good beer, less fruity and estery aromatic than other Smith Ales, to me...there's a "spiciness" to many of the Samuel Smith brews that I think plays out very well in the Taddy Porter and the Imperial Stout...

Any haziness I've got from the Organic Ale was chill haze that clears when it warms...

[HarkJohnny]

i just paid $3.49 for what's probably an 18oz bottle... haven't had it yet... so good timing on your notes! i'll post my thoughts in a few days once i've tried it.