Samuel Smith India Ale

Samuel Smith India Ale. 

5 % ABV, Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Tadcaster, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom. 

Clear, copper colored, slim, off-white head. 

In the nose: Crisp, clean, mineral, herbal, maybe. Slight fruitiness, but not the ones you're looking for. More like apple, pear, melon. Definitely an English ale.

In the mouth: Fresh and fruity, lightly bitter, judiciously hopped. Clean and mellow. Slightly sweet malt flavor. Light bodied and crisp. What should English IPAs taste like? This. It's all about the water. 

I love the beers of Samuel Smith, but this one has never been my favorite. My favor for English IPAs/Ales fell off long ago when I went heads over hills for American IPAs. I still love traditional English porters and stouts, though.

I addressed this when I first took notes on this way back in March of 2003, and I gave a 4.3/5, a good 16% above the average. Here are those notes: Color is a gorgeous ruby red, head is fine, full, and off-white in color. Aroma is overflowing with fruit: peach is on top, but we can also detect apricot, grapefruit, orange, citrus. Very sweet and inviting. So drink it already!

Deliriously delicious! This is a terrifically well-rounded IPA: not too hoppy, with malt providing just enough support. Very little bitterness upon the palate, and surprising for an ale with an aroma so redolent with sweet,delightful fruitiness. On the tongue, more fruit flavors come through, too. I'm picking up cherries, and melons, and good gosh, it's gorgeous. Extreme drinkability. Some minimal bitterness comes through on the palate, but not to trouble the average beer drinker. An excellent introductory IPA. Me, I like mine much hoppier.

A terrifically well-rounded brew, and very drinkable. Finish is simple, sweet, and ever-lasting. Another excellent Smith offering.

Samuel Smith's Organic Pale Ale

Samuel Smith's Organic Pale Ale.

5 % ABV. 31 IBU. Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Tadcaster, Yorkshire, England. 

Over ten years into this blog thing and I'm still working on closing the gap on Samuel Smith's, one of my longtime favorite breweries. Let's drink a fairly fresh pale ale and look back at my long-ago notes later. 

Clear, coppery/bronze coloring, slim white head. 

In the nose: Soft and slightly sweet. A mite bit buttery, butterscotch, even, but not from any flaw. This is intentional for the style. Some fruitiness, touch of citrus.

In the mouth: Crisp and clean. Ever so slight hop bitterness, more malty. Malt and hops make for excellent balance and supreme drinkability. Medium bodied, very smooth and mellow. Perfect example of an English pub ale, pale ale par excellence. 

That's what I think now. But I had different thoughts in February of 2003, when I posted this to BeerAdvocate.com: Pours a huge, and well-retained creamy head, with a pale amber color. Aroma is soft, slightly floral, faint fruitiness, some citrus, but very mellow in the hop department. Overall, a sweetish palate, practically nil on the bitterness scale. 

Light texture, very easy mouthfeel, lacks some substance. Doesn't need any really, for the purposes of this style. It's a pub ale, with not so much flavor to take your attention from the football or the darts. Slightly coppery, tangy taste, a little buttery.

My least favorite Samuel Smith's beer, just too mild and pale for my taste, although perfect for what it tries to be. I compare all "pale ales", sometimes unfavorably, against hoppier American craftbrew versions.

Man, what a jerk I was! I gave it a 3.38/5, 13% below the average. Ignore what I said18 years ago. What a terminal snot. 

A delicately flavoured golden ale in which subtle fruity esters from the Samuel Smith yeast strain interact with a background of maltiness and fresh hops. Brewed with water, organic malted barley, organic hops and yeast; fermented in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’.

Fuller's London Pride Original Ale

Fuller's London Pride Original Ale.

4.7 % ABV, 30 IBU. Fuller's Brewery, London, England.   

This post marks only the fourth time that the beers of Fuller's have been in the Nib. According to Untappd, the last time I had this one was in 2013, but it doesn't say where I had it. At a bar, I'd guess. If I had it at home, I wouldn't have missed the opportunity to include it in Ye Olde Blogge. (but I'd bet that that's what happened, because those things do.)

So, I bought a single bottle at work, and will now drink it while I look back at notes from nearly 18 years ago, 4/28/2003:

Dark bronze color, medium amber at the edges, with a nice 3/4" fluffy white head. 

Aromatics are soft, creamy, herbal, with a touch of spice, and a little hint of fruit, with a hint of apple and citrus. 

Assertive hoppy bite upfront on the palate, which slowly, softly subsides. A touch of copper exists as well. A little caramel malt flavor, too. Texture and body are mild, with a good, lasting finish. For a "pub ale", quite good. Not the sort of brew that I'd write a sonnet upon. It tastes good, but not enough to divert your attention from the dartboard.

This exists solidly between their ESB and IPA. And that's OK.

So, that's what 2003 me said. I'd leave it at that. IPA? I haven't seen their IPA in years, and haven't thought about it in even longer. Looking back, 2002 me ripped that one to shreds. I ranked it 15.4% below the average. For the London Pride, I was only 6.1 % below. 

Brewed under the watchful eye of our Griffin since the 1950s, London Pride is unmistakably London's beer. With its well-rounded flavour and rich history, everything about this authentic, characterful beer binds it to our capital city and the people who love it.

Cask: 4.1% ABV

Bottle, Can and Keg: 4.7% ABV

Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Tadcaster The Famous Taddy Porter

Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Tadcaster The Famous Taddy Porter.

5 % ABV, 32 IBU. Samuel Smith's Brewery, Yorkshire, England. 

There are those times when I page through this blog and consider a certain brewery and think about which beers are represented within it, and which are not. This is one of those instances, looking at Samuel Smith's, the traditional Yorkshire brewery, and the merely seven beers contained herein.  So many missing, and among them, this, a favorite of mine for so many years. 

I will do something that I've done before and will do again. Write new notes, then look at the old, for I know for a certainty that I'd written about this one many years ago. Let's crack this crown and get into it: 

Just about blackness, conplete opacity, short-lived brown head. 

In the nose: slightly sweet, treacle, molasses, brown sugar. Mostly malty. Whiffs of anise, raisins, rum. All this in a traditional English porter? 

In the mouth: Some sweetness again, with a modicum of bitter, to match the black, caramel-y malts. Dark fruits, once more, but altogether well-balanced, smooth and satisfying. Tastes of cola, coffee, cocoa, and some spice, too. Medium body, and easy drinkability. A fine beverage, sets the soul at rest. This is truly as traditional an English porter as you're going to find with any ease at all. (If you ever see Salopian Entire Butt, get some.)

As promised, here's what I offered up to BeerAdvocate back in January of 2003, eighteen years ago (!): 

Tan, creamy head. Pitch black. Intenslely aromatic: rich, roasted coffee, butterscotch, toffee. Great hop presence. but light on the palate. Smooth, well-rounded, a porter full of character, that will remain on the top of my list until the end of time. Absolutely perfect. Light enough in alcohol to stand in as a session beer (but too expensive to actually work that way), and with plenty of body and bite.

A very dark, full bodied ale with a rich, creamy head and an intense dry, tangy character. Brewed with well water (the original well sunk in 1758 is still in use), malted barley, roasted malt, yeast and hops. Fermented in stone Yorkshire squares. The type of beer first brewed in the early 18th century; gained its name from being drunk by porters in the fish, meat and other produce markets.

Samuel Smith's Organic Perry Cider

Samuel Smith's Organic Perry Sparkling Pear Cider.
5 % ABV. Samuel Smith's Brewery, Yorkshire, England.

Clear, light golden hue, no head.

In the nose: Popping with pear. Bright, sweet, delightful.

In the nose: Brisk, crisp, and pear-y-licious. Light-bodied, smooth, and delicious. Nice. Not really much else to say about it. (I freely admit that I am not at all a cider expert, and still lack technical expertise required.)
Highly likable, in every way.

Dry, sparkling pear cider with glowing pale straw colour,smooth body, crisp but rich flavor and the gentle aroma of a summer pear orchard. Serving suggestions: Blue cheese or gorgonzola; arugula or Waldorf salad; sweet potatoes; pancetta or prosciutto; pear tart. Very nice with dishes featuring ginger. Best served at about 44°F (7°C)

Aspall Imperial English Cider

Aspall Imperial English Cider. 8.2 % ABV.

I've had Aspall ciders before, but never taken notes on them. Or, actually, I did, but they never got published. So, let's hear it for the first Aspall cider here in the Nib. Maybe the Sample Man will bring me more, and the little guy can have come company. Did I say "little guy"? No way, he's Imperial.

Clear, bright golden, no head.

Nose: dry, apples. Yep.

Mouth: Lightly tart and largely tangy. Big and fruity. And dry, very dry. Strength is building a bit, as well. Light bodied, but just a bit heavier than the average cider. Smallest amount of sweetness here. Just about dry as dry can be.

Oddly, I can only find information about the "Vintage" version of this, of which this is not. There's no vintage on the label, and it does not resemble the description found for the vintage version.

We called this cyder Imperial in honour of our great grandfather JB Chevallier's success at the Imperial Fruit Show in 1921. Every year we craft a special vintage. This is our 287th. 

Fuller's London Porter

The sample man came around again. Sometimes, they like to remind us of things we've known of for so long, and perhaps tend to forget. This is a beer that I first reviewed on BeerAdvocate.com 14 years ago, on April 28, 2003. Clearly, I haven't had it in a while. Let's look at those old notes:

Fuller's London Porter, Rich, Dark and Complex. The World's Finest. 5.4% ABV. Brewed beside the Thames sine 1845. There's more on the back label, but the type is too tiny, and I can't read it. (This is written in 2017. I didn't have that complaint in 2003.)

Color: a somewhat clear russet brown, head: 1/2" of toasted tan. Nose is on the burnt side, very roasty and sharp, bitter, hot, with flavors of pepper and espresso.

Mouthfeel is warm, texture is smooth, hops are hard to notice. Malt stands up proudly, though, in all it's lushly roastedness.

This is quite a consumable porter, a very flavorful session ale, to say the least. Finish is sweet and nutty, and lasts just long enough.
A darn good porter.

Still is. 

Morland's Old Speckled Hen (Nitro v. Bottle)

In November of 2003, I had a bottle of Old Speckled Hen presented to me as a sample. I wrote these notes on that clear glass bottling:


Bronze color, nice white head.
Aroma: not to my liking, puts me off, cloyingly sweet, tinny, flinty, just not right...
Taste: small hops, mellow mouthfeel, light body, some slight maltiness, drinkable, downable, but altogether unexciting.
Not my cup of tea at all. I can get why it's so popular (been showing up on numerous taplines these past few years), for those who enjoy the untroubled and the uninteresting, but I can't forgive that awful smell, and will pass on this one from here on out.

So, now let's try on on nitro-tap, lo, some 11 1/2 years later...

Clear and copper-colored, creamy head, looking great.

soft aromatics, herbal and slightly floral, hints of what I called "flinty" in the bottle. Is there diacetyl lurking below? Just a little bit of buttery.

Taste: A little buzz of hops. A brief bit of malt. Sweetness, bitterness, moisture. It's wet and you can drink it. Hints of fruit, grass, flowers....glimpses of caramel malt. Body is medium, finish is brief, forgettable.

Reading the old review, I remember my disappointment in that bottle. On tap. I get what it's supposed to be, but it's just not my cup of tea. (wait, I already said that). A very mild version of an English pale ale that I can't get excited about. Somebody likes it, though, or it wouldn't be here.

Newcastle Werewolf

Newcastle Werewolf. What is this? What on earth is a Werewolf beer? Is it a halloween season brew, and does that mean, that purchasing it in the second week of December, that it's out of season? I've never seen this for sale, oddly enough, until I found it among the single bottles at Lake Wine and Spirits. I've never had any Newcastle beer that wasn't Newcastle Brown Ale, so we've got to start somewhere, don't we?

"Escaped From Britain" (not imported, you see.) Alc 4.5% Vol. The One and Only Newcastle Werewolf Blood Red Ale.  And that it is. Clear, crimson, with an off-pink head that lingers some.

Aroma: major sweetness. Odd. Weird, even. Malty. Mineral-y. Flint-y. Not unpleasant, but not very pleasant, either. I don't know what to think.

Taste: Smooth, malty, still sweet, only bitter enough to beat back the sweet. Swift finish. Lightly fruity. Inoffensive…-ish. Light-medium body. Blah.
What makes it so weird? The mineral-y-ness, the flint-y-ness? The just not that nice-ness? Blah.

I want to read the label now. "Formidable Beast. What better way to toast the fall than to have a bottle of this formidable, dual character brew. At first smooth, with mellow overtones of sweet berry fruit, a bite of bitterness slowly cuts through, long, deep, and lingering. Brewed with rye malt, it is naturally 'blood red' in color. Unlike the mythical wolf-like creature said to roam the bleak moorland surrounding Newcastle, this is real, so consider yourself warned!"

Yikes. I thought Newcastle was mainly known for coal and bland brown ales. And also bad blood red ones. The things you learn through beer.

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale

We're going back in time again, re-visiting an old favorite, and, in this case, perusing 11 year old notes. From February of 2003, here are my notes on the Nut Brown Ale of Yorkshire, England' Samuel Smith Brewery, a 5% ABV English Brown Ale.

Dark brown color, with light getting through around the edges of the clear bottle, and a thick, sizzling tan head.

Aroma is nutty, herbal, with a notes of caramel, butterscotch, and almonds, and the lush feel of the deep woods.

On the palate: sweet and buttery, with a mellow and medium body. Small hop presence here, more a malt emphasis, and a great balance between. Sweet enough to please the folks, but with a solid enough body not to disappoint the serious ale lover.

Quite unlike the ever-present, flimsy and bland Newcastle.
Very pleasing, and rewarding.

As for now, I like it as much as ever, though I'm rarely in the mood for a brown ale. I'd ordinarily choose a porter or stout.

Thomas Hardy's Ale

I thought for a second when I wrote the title for this post, should I title it after the year the notes were taken or the year of the bottle I recent consumed? And here's why that's an issue. I often use my old notes taken years ago when I consume a beer today. That's one of the cardinal rules of this beer blog. I have a back log of almost 12 years of beer reviews, and I don't want to re-write notes every time I try a beer again. Also, beers won't be in this blog if I'm not currently drinking it. If I wrote notes in 2005, and will never try it again, or won't have a session where I take a picture of the new drink, then it will not appear here.

So, the other day, I had a 2008 Thomas Hardy's Ale, and did not takes notes. Here's why. It was the final bottle out of a case I bought for the Blue Nile the year it was released. After the penultimate bottle was purchased last year, I pulled the last one aside and reserved it for my final drink on my final night. And I was certainly in no shape for taking notes on that wonderful ale.

Here you have a photo of that bottle that lasted nearly 6 years in the coolers at the Blue Nile, but we're checking out the notes I took in 2005 on a bottles from 2003 that I somehow amazingly saved for 2 years. I haven't gotten any better at aging beers at home. Managed to do it at work, though.

From November 2005, notes on 2003 Thomas Hardy's Ale:


2003. #07043. Somehow I manged to hang onto this in the ol' closet for nearly 2 years.

Dark mahogany with crimson edges, slim toasted tan head.

Intense aromatics, big prune, sour cherries, bright, shining burgundy, leather, wood...a complex collection of flavors. Peppers meet raisins. Very port-like.

Immense in the mouth, rich, thick, juicy and wet. Floods the mouth with dark fruitiness, well-conditioned. Intensely flavorful. Tangy and tangible, a wonderful thing on the palate, coating goodness with every drop.
Amazing.
Astounding.
And very mellow, compared to the new bottles. I've got to exhibit such patience more often. (Hear it's a virtue.)

Full-bodied, long, sweet, languid finish.
Smooth and relaxing, luxurious.
Well worth the asking price.
And finally, if there's a finer wine than this ale, I want to know.
(Doubt it.)

Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome

I've got something to say that will not surprise you: This post is far too late. Right now, winter has worn out it's welcome. How about a Winter Goodbye?

Okay, on with the beer...


Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome. Here's a brew that once upon a time, way back when, I would look forward to every year, and anticipate the changing of the labels. I haven't touched a bottle in years. Why not revisit it? And will it be another case where my 11-year old notes are still satisfactory? I decided it was not.

So, I'm opening a recent bottle, and taking new notes…here we go…

the 2013/2014 edition once again, as always, features the quote from W. Shakespeare, "Blessing of your heart you brew good ale." New this year, a depiction of one the shire horses of Samuel Smith, being fed.

Clear, light amber/caramel-toned appearance, under a lush off-white head.

Aroma: Uniquely British. Fuggles? East Kent Goldings? wormwood? It's a malty nose, yeasty, caramel and toffee notes. Hops are low.  Nicely balanced.

Taste: Hop bitterness comes to the fore here in the taste, shines for a moment, then fades as malt takes over. From their, it's nothing but balance. Nothing dominates, nothing goes forward. Sweet malt and bitter hops keep things going on the tongue.

Now, the problem I'm having is that this is an utterly English ale, but it doesn't seem especially special, and hasn't any particular qualities that set it apart as a winter seasonal. I feel that it ought to be bigger in one way or another, maltier, hoppier, stronger in some way.

Let's pause and read the label: "This seasonal beer is a limited edition brewed for the short days and long nights of winter, the full body resulting from fermentation in stone Yorkshire squares, and the luxurious malt character, which will appeal to a broad range of drinkers, is balanced by against whole-dried Fuggle and Golding hops with nuances and complexities that should be contemplated before an open fire." 6.0% ALC./VOL.

Yeah, except it's not really all that. It's tasty, it's delicious, and satisfying, but nothing more. And I want it to be more. I also wonder what it was in the past. The last time I published notes on this beer was back in February of 2003. I didn't rely on those old notes to represent this bottle, because I can't find any resemblance. Here they are, for old times sake:

2001 bottle, reviewed in December '02. Now why is it I never saw the '02 anywhere? So, the question is :how does it hold up after a year?
Thin white head, dark reddish appearance. Vinous nose, raisin, reminds me of a barleywine, but just a smidge. Spicy, aromatic, with notes of vanilla, sweet and malty. Smooth, and quite downable, with just enough flavor.
This used to be a wintertime staple for me, but I've fallen for the darker, bolder type of winter ales.
Quite good after 12 months, nothing wrong with it at all, though it tastes maltier than bottles I had last winter.

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout

As I continue to re-visit old favorite beers, and look back at old reviews, I keep finding that I said what needed to be said, in many cases. Here are notes from nearly11 years ago, March, 2003, for the Imperial Stout by Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Tadcaster.
impe

Color is black as black can be, and the head is proud, large and a creamy tan color.

Aroma is warm and wonderfully delicious, soft, creamy, notes of chocolate, slightly roasty, and edging into darker flavors, but not quite there.

Palate is deliriously sweet and inviting. Mouthfeel: sursprisingly smooth and untroubled, gentle, harmonious, thick with malt, mellow with hops.

Very smooth drinking for an Imperial. I haven't had one of these in a long time, and have spoiled myself with the bolder, brasher, and far more adventurously flavored (roasted, malted, hopped, everywhichway) American versions, the Old Rasputins, Stormkings, Expeditions, Rogues, and Stones...
But, I can't help liking it. Great stout, delicicious,delightful, but a bit weak, at a "mere" 7%, compared to similar brews from "the colonies". Quite tasty, but I'd love it if they'd ever stretch out some.
..............................
No, they never did, and why would they? Wouldn't be very traditional, would it?
Here's stuff from the label:

Brewed at Samuel Smith's small, traditional British brewery with well water (the original well wink in 1758 is still in use), best barley malt, roasted barley, yeast and hops to create a rich flavorful ale; deep chocolate in colour with a roasted barley nose and flavour that is a complexity of malt, hops and yeast. Fermented in stone Yorkshire squares, this distinctive type of ale was originally shipped to Imperial Russia; it was a favorite of Russian nobility.

Fuller's Vintage Ale 2009

Fuller's 2009 Bottle Conditioned Vintage Ale Limited Edition No. 105160. 1 pint, 0.9 fl. oz. "Best before end 2012." Whoops, really? Then why did I pay $7.99 for it, rather than get it on the cheap? How does a "Vintage Ale" only age for 3 years?
Alc. 8.5% Vol.
There's a lot of gobbledygook on the back, and I may need my glasses for the fancy script label copy.

Very hazed, deep mahogany, dark amber hue. Slim white head.

Aroma: Pungent malty/fruity aromatics. Plums and raisins. Port-like. Terrifically complex and arousing. Very vinous. Slightly sour. Barley-wine country, English-style. Low on hops, big with malt. I'm still only sniffing.

Time to drink: More of the same. Very mellow, cool, even-tempered. A still malty affair, loads of yeast character, very tasty. …I'm going to take a break and try to read the label:
 "I have crafted this very special ale from the finest Goldings hops, Tipple malted barley, and of course our own unique yeast to create  a truly extraordinary limited edition brew. Individually packed and numbered, this bottle of one of only one hundred and sixty thousand produced. Although we are obliged to produced a Best By Date of 2012, like a fine wine or whiskey, this mellow golden ale will improve with age for many more years. {well, that explains that, except…why are they obliged to date it 2012?} Being bottle conditioned, this beer will form a natural sediment, so pour carefully, sit back and enjoy this, the very finest of Fuller's ales."

Golden ale? Huh. Doesn't taste like one? Was it barrel-aged, or just bottle conditioned to age for 5 years or more? Nonetheless, it fits the profile of a classic English barley-wine, and definitely shows it's 4+ years. Probably doesn't have more left in it, or, as we say, it's reaching it's peak. Pretty nice peak.Makes a wonderful nightcap, this fine, frozen February night.

Robinson's Old Tom Chocolate

Robinson's Chocolate Old Tom. Now, I hope that this isn't like Old Tom Ginger, by which I mean to say that I hope it's not Old Tom mixed with chocolate milk. Or something. "Malt beverage with chocolate added. 6.0 % Alcohol by volume." Made with the World's Best Ale." Okay, not promising. But, away we go…

Dark brown, with reddish highlights, under a light brown head.

Aroma: Malt and cocoa. Not much else. Huh.

Taste: Hmmm. Well. Yeah, chocolate. And beer. But not the best I expect when I see the words "Old Tom". What did they do to it? Is it watered down, when they add the chocolate? There's really no resemblance to the old ale it's named after. So sad. Sigh…

What's the label say? Blah, blah, blah…"In this ale, we have blended OLD TOM with delicious chocolate, specially made by the renowned chocolatier Simon Dunn. The result is a deliciously indulgent drink--warming and velvety smooth. If you like this ale, you should try OLD TOM Ginger."

Well, I didn't and I won't, because I don't. Or something. Yeah, it's "smooth" and "velvety", …sure…sigh…except that it's nothing like Old Tom. And even if it weren't called Old Tom, I'd be disappointed, still. Blah. Phooey. Me no like.


Lesson learned. Kind of. What did I spend on this, $5 or something? I want it back.

Robinson's Old Tom Ginger

Robinson's Old Tom Ginger, Ale with Ginger Root and Pear Juice. "Made with the World's Best Ale.11.2 oz. 6.0% by Vol." Isn't that lighter than regular Tom?

Dark brown, nearly black coloring, smallish, off-whit-ish head.

Aroma: Ginger roars on in, loudly and proudly, with fruit just behind. Yeah, pears, I hear you. Ginger and pears, ain't that something? Well, guess what, I like it.

Taste: sweet and spicy, and …interesting. The fruit and spice lord over all, and dominate whatever is underneath. Can I taste Old Tom under the ginger and pear? No. Do we know what part of Old Tom was used (remembering this is much weaker than real Old Tom?) in infusing the pear and Ginger, here?

I find this irresistible, yet hard to handle. It's not special enough for the price (I think I paid about $5 for a small, soon gone, bottle.), yet it is delicious. However, despite that, nothing too special. I'm interested in the label gobbledygook:

"Old Tom is a legend amongst ales. First created by the Robinson family in 1899, it has won almost every brewing accolade including being voted THE WORLD'S BEST ALE. In this ale we have blended Old Tom with the famous Fentiman's Ginger Ale. The result is a wickedly indulgent drink--silky smooth with surprising ginger burn. If you like this ale, you should also try Old Tom Chocolate."

The style indicated is: "Premium Ginger Ale." So now I wonder, did it lose alcohol content because it was blended with a non alcohol ginger ale, rather than having ginger added to the brew itself? I think so. I should pay half as much per bottle then, I think. The more I drink this, the more it tastes like ginger ale, and the less it tastes like the old ale, the Old Tom that I like. I bought a shandy without knowing it.

(I should have known, though. The label does read, "Made with The World's Best Ale.")

I say Boo on this. Boo.

Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo

Now, here's a beer I really like. Don't care for the price-point, though, at $12 a bottle. For the flavor, it just might be worth it. I had my first one in November of 2010, just a week or so before I started posting reviews here. I had my second one a few days ago, and present those notes from '10 to you now:


Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo, Ale aged in oak ale casks, matured for over a year.

Gimme some sting.

In a nice Imperial pint glass, ruddy brown appearance, crimson highlights...thick, rich, creamy beige head, lace leaving...ni-i-ice.

Aroma: nuts and caramel, big into the malt, deep and rich, dark fruit and leather, burnished wood, brandy...gets bigger and deeper the more we sniff in. This is a barleywine in wolf's clothing, as it takes time to emerge, and reveal it's full flowering.

Taste: all that and more, rich roasted malt, full fruity flavoring,raisins, dates ,fig, cherries, port wine, deep and dark, intense alcohol levels (9% is a bit high for the Samuel Smith's brand) Feels like an English barleywine in almost every way. Full-bodied, full-flavored, and incredibly rich, long lasting finish, unending taste.
Dangittigang, so rich, sweet, deep, and delicious. Too, too tasty.

Damn! I have been waiting for a Samuel Smith's beer like this for, since forever...just wish it weren't so terribly expensive.

But, still, it's ridiculously tasty. Way too much goodness. Mmmm, give me more, give me more, give me more.

Robinson's Old Tom Strong Ale

Do I love cats? If you know me at all, you know that it's true; but if you knew me before 2000, and knew me never again until now, you might be shocked at contemporary circumstances. I had been told, cajoled, and strongly insinuated that cat "ownership" would be beneficial to me in some way, shape or form, for many years, It took a crazy Cameroonian (seriously certifiable, no joke) to force one of her kittens upon me, and the bond we (little Hepzibah the cat and I) shared was so sweet and special, that, though Hepzibah only lived 5 years with me, I had been burned from then on as a cat man. She crawled up the length of my body to nestle on my shoulders! Who can survive that and not come out a cat lover?
My second cat after Hepzi wasn't quite as sociable, but that didn't make her any less lovable. I named her Naima, after John Coltrane's classic, gorgeous song. Maybe she caught the same disease that killed hepzi, I'm not sure, cat autopsie's are expensive.)
Now, my home is filled with two male cats, Rollie, who was quite a swinging male member when I took him in five years ago, (and only neutered earlier this year) and another orange striped stray, (with me one year now) who is known as Sonny Boy. Fourteen years ago, I would have called you crazy for calling me a cat person, but now, ...you're the crazy one!


Robinson's Old Tom Strong Ale, Frederic Robinson Brewery, Cheshire, England.

I've heard of this beer for so long, wanted to try it for seemingly forever, and finally it's here, and I just tapped a keg of it. An English Strong ale, a recipe from 1899, named for the brewery's cat (someone's got to kill the mice), a brewery that F. Robinson began after purchasing the Unicorn Pub in Cheshire, so long ago.

We're at a period of American Exceptionalism in brewing, locally and nation-wide, and it's both justified and baffling. Yeah, there's a ton of invention and evolution and boldly-going with the current American brewing scene, but this often is celebrated at the expense of what happened before Fritz Maytag ever ordered an Anchor beer or Ken Grossman ever thought of Cascade hops. Those old school originators knew from whence they came, but the current crop? And especially the fans and scenesters? I see the appreciation for English beers dwindling. German, even Belgian. Man, it came from somewhere, people. We didn't think it all up by ourselves, we just tweak it some.

And so, I enter into my first tasting of Robinson's Old Tom Ale. A strong ale (8.5% abv.) from the Robinson Brewery, Cheshire, England.

Very dark coloring, nearly black, with a beautiful off-white, creamy head above. Wonderful.

Aroma: deceptively soft, smooth and creamy. Malty-sweet, but even-tempered and expertly balanced.

Taste: Enters the palate full, rich and in complete domination. Rowdy, ruddy, and taking no prisoners. This brew tastes like an old tom behaves, it throws itself around without regard for societal norms and common regard. Dark fruit on the flavor, some spice, massive malt, some toffee and a touch of caramel. All very well-played and perfectly put. No over-weening hops, no over-bearing malt, but this is still a large beer, just like any Tom Cat strutting it's stuff.

I will now play some Lee Morgan. Great record with McCoy Tyner, Bob Cranshaw, Art Blakey, Jackie McLean, and Curtis Fuller. 1964, Blue Note records. And when that's done, we turn to "Stray Cat Strut" by The Stray Cats. We see it's composer Brian Setzer rather regularly, now that he's located in Minneapolis. He's got cat class, and he's got cat style.

Philosophical question: is the American barley-wine style better because it's bigger, and hoppier? I say, not necessarily. If you can't handle some subtlety, if you  need to be pounded on by every beer you try, …well, you're missing a lot. There is so much to be said with just plain old good taste. This is a barley-wine, but don't expect a ton of American-style over-hopping. Don't expect to be burned by over-…alcoholing…?
What's wrong with the classics, I ask, and I don't expect an answer, because I know what it should be. If you want something delicious, and beautiful, cool, calm and slightly cacophonous, Old Tom's your man. Deee-lightful. Tasty, tasty, tas-teee……

this is so good, so malty, cool, calm, and utterly lovely. My goodness. I like this more and more, as I drink it down. I'm practically in love with it, ...mmmm.