-
Stop lurking! Log in to search, post in our forums, review beers, see fewer ads, and more. — Todd, Founder of BeerAdvocate
Smithwick's Imported Premium Irish Ale
Guinness Ltd.
- From:
- Guinness Ltd.
- Ireland
- Style:
- Irish Red Ale
Ranked #101 - ABV:
- 4.5%
- Score:
- 79
Ranked #26,651 - Avg:
- 3.47 | pDev: 14.99%
- Reviews:
- 926
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Sunday at 11:09 PM
- Added:
- Apr 01, 2006
- Wants:
- 80
- Gots:
- 706
Smithwick's is a clear beer with a rich ruby color and creamy head. Clean and delicate aroma with different individual notes: from the top fermentation by the Smithwick yeast come aromatic esters creating a fruity aroma. The Aroma Hops added late in the boil contribute clean fresh floral notes. Ale Malt contributes aroma hints of biscuit and caramel.
Refreshing and clean taste with a gentle balance of bitterness from the hops added early in the boil, sweet/malty notes from the ale malt, and hints of roast/coffee from the roasted barley.
Refreshing and clean taste with a gentle balance of bitterness from the hops added early in the boil, sweet/malty notes from the ale malt, and hints of roast/coffee from the roasted barley.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana
3.93/5 rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.93/5 rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
14.9oz can stamped L3317GE002 (around 5 months old) poured into a tulip pint glass at fridge temp 4.5% ABV. The beer pours bright, dark red in color with khaki colored head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island leaving plenty of lacing. The aroma is sweet barley malt with just a hint of earthiness. The taste is semisweet toasted malt with mineral and earthy notes of offset the sweetness. Mild bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Overall, great balanced red ale. Not overly sweet like most American reds.
Sunday at 11:09 PMReviewed by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey
3.71/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.71/5 rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Medium bodied,about the same for carbonation.
Aroma is mild but malty,mild dark fruit and oddly nuts
Taste is malt forward but a nice amount of hops to keep it in check
Friday at 08:17 PMAroma is mild but malty,mild dark fruit and oddly nuts
Taste is malt forward but a nice amount of hops to keep it in check
Rated by mpk2020 from Illinois
3.75/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Can from trader joes.
Mar 06, 2024Reviewed by odannyob from Colorado
4.02/5 rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
This is better than just an "OK", me thinks. It's attractive. Smells sweet, slightly. Tastes like a fulfilling red ale is supposed to. Feels fine and over it all, for me, it just tastes really good.
Feb 24, 2024Reviewed by Ernald_Elbertson from Delaware
3.31/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
3.31/5 rDev -4.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Avoided this one for a while just because I love Irish Reds and I didn't want to experience any disappointment regarding them, but I was gifted some so here we are.
As expected (based on its general reputation), Smithwick's is about as mediocre as it comes. Not particularly pretty on pour, doesn't have much of a nose (mostly sweet malt), the taste is just barely acceptable but very one-note, and the feel is anemic and watery, almost feels like an NA beer. Reminds me a little of macro amber mexican lagers in how simple the flavor profile is, basically just a mild malt sweetness with the lightest hint of hops.
Really sad that this is most likely what people think of when discussing Irish Red ales. You can do a lot better than this.
Dec 28, 2023As expected (based on its general reputation), Smithwick's is about as mediocre as it comes. Not particularly pretty on pour, doesn't have much of a nose (mostly sweet malt), the taste is just barely acceptable but very one-note, and the feel is anemic and watery, almost feels like an NA beer. Reminds me a little of macro amber mexican lagers in how simple the flavor profile is, basically just a mild malt sweetness with the lightest hint of hops.
Really sad that this is most likely what people think of when discussing Irish Red ales. You can do a lot better than this.
Reviewed by foamy-afterglow from Canada (ON)
3.76/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
3.76/5 rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75
Lovely colour, mild nose.
Smooth and creamy with a nice malt flavour and a reasonable overall balance. Great mouthfeel. Not much bitterness or finish.
Quality red ale.
Dec 15, 2023Smooth and creamy with a nice malt flavour and a reasonable overall balance. Great mouthfeel. Not much bitterness or finish.
Quality red ale.
Reviewed by KLHBB from Arkansas
3.79/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.79/5 rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
Darkest red with the sun shining through, A nice head. Smells of graham crackers, taste follows with some hop bitterness, Very light, overall quite pleasant.
Sep 03, 2023Reviewed by Fordcoyote15 from Pennsylvania
3.98/5 rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.98/5 rDev +14.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
For the abv this is pretty flavorful. At 4.5% it drinks like a light beer but packs significantly more flavor. Nothing extraordinary here but all things considered a very solid beer.
Jul 30, 2023
Smithwick's Imported Premium Irish Ale from Guinness Ltd.
Beer rating:
79 out of
100 with
3215 ratings
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!