Why we're here...

Beer culture is coming of age. At any store, restaurant, bar, or friend's house you can now find at least a few good brews. In fact, there seem to be so many new beers, breweries and bars it's difficult to separate the good, the bad, and the mediocre.

If you're going spend $10 on one beer, what should you buy? If you're going to drive 2 hours to check out a brewery, what's worth your time? If you're going to plan a Friday night, what has a good selection and friendly atmosphere? We're here to help you answer these questions.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale

Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale is a Northern English Brown Ale brewed by Samuel Smith Old Brewery of Tadcaster, England. Samuel Smith has some good brews, including its Pale Ale and Stout. Brown Ales can be considered the parent of the many other ales. Brown Ales predate malting techniques that allowed for the creation of pale malts and pale ales. A lighter brown ale is a pale ale, a darker/heavier brown ale is a porter. Brown ales are also the most popular beer to use in cooking.



I bought this at Raley's Markery for $3.49 for a 550ml bottle. It has an ABV of 5%.

It pours a dark amber with a thick, foamy off-white head that leaves thin lacings. The aroma is sweet bready malts, with hints of buttery toffee or caramel. The taste is a nice malty sweetness up front, followed by mild, earthy or nutty hops. There is that sweet toffee buttery note through out. The buttery flavor comes from the special Yorkshire yeast used by Sam Smith.  The body is smooth and creamy with light carbonation.


Overall, I really like this beer. Great brown ale flavor, smoothness and very drinkable. If you or your friends are stuck on drinking Newcastle (a macro brew owned by Heineken), Sam Smith will be your brew. Its creamier, more flavorful and has a better finish. For the brown ale crowd this is a Must Have It. Brown ales aren't everyone's favorite, so if you're interested in taste testing what a brown ale should be, try Sam Smith's.

2 comments:

  1. Brown ales are my favorite, and I tend toward malty varieties. Both the Smith and Newcastle are "light" for my taste in Browns. I was at Lost Coast (Downtown is a most-drinkable Brown) this past weekend and tried their Raspberry Brown. I'm ordinarily opposed to fruit in beer on principle... but I've officially created an exception.

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  2. Thanks for the tip! Dowtown Brown is a great beer, I'll their Rasberry brown on the To Taste List

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