Smithwick's Ale | Smithwick's Brewery / Irish Ale Breweries Ltd

3.72/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

3.75/5  rDev +10.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

3.29/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.25

3.81/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

3.12/5  rDev -8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3.25

3.77/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

Backlog. 12 oz bottle. Never used to be a fan of Irish Ales (probably due to Killian’s), but these maltier styles are growing on me. Aroma is of roasted molasses. Color is deep, deep red. Tastes of mostly malt, little hop presence. Better than I was expecting.

 262 characters

3.54/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

1.6/5  rDev -52.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 1 | taste: 1.75 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1.5

A lot of carbonation. But taste like water. Miller light has more taste

71 characters

2.84/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

4/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

S: smells rich and malty with light toast and a hint of spice and some dried grass in the background. The malt aromas are medium and the toast and spice aromas are medium low.

L: pours an alluring brilliant copper amber to light copper brown under a moderate sized cream colored foam cap with moderate retention.

T: creamy, spicy palate with moderate malt, a trace of nuts, and moderate malt and hop spice. The malt flavors are fairly complex with a light sweetness and a hint of caramel. The bitterness is mild and spicy and just enough to keep the beer from being cloying.

F: Smithwick's is a creamy beer with a medium light body and slightly below average carbonation.

O: The fresher this beer is, the richer and more nuanced the malt flavors and aromas. Like a fresh cut bouquet of flowers, the malt character dies fast.

 832 characters

3.19/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

3.42/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

3.48/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

3/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

3.42/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Dark reddish brown with white cap and decent lacing.

Aroma of caramely malt with a light whif of floral hops.

Taste is a simple combination of sweet malt, hint of toffee and whisp of hops. Can't say what variety of hops but there are some in there. Mildly rich if that makes any sense.

Rather thin texture.

Overall it's not bad for a universally (almost) available brew that's been around long enough to ride on a reputation. Acquaintances who tell me they like this also carry memories of having been introduced to it on draft or very fresh, neither condition of which is available locally. So these are my thoughts subject to revision and extension if I ever come across a better example in the future.

 713 characters

3.1/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.25

Ahhhh Smithwick's. Takes me back to being a wee lad on the Irish shores of Killgehangy. My mum used ter pour it in our bottles. "Makes the kinder grow tough" she'd say. Naturally, I feel a certain kindred as I sip this fine, premium beverage here in our local Irish watering hole. Lit only by a lone candle, this sultry brown ale saddles its way up to me as if she were to say, "Hey there, got any plans later tonight?" To which I would reply with a wink and a nod, "Certainly mam, with you and 11 of your closest friends."

We made love all night, the bar patrons were appalled. I couldn't care less. Here's to Ireland. As they say on the shores of Killgehangy, "Once you go Smithwick's, you never go backwicks."

 714 characters

3.94/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

3.79/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Draught

7 characters

2.55/5  rDev -25%
look: 2.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 2.5

3.15/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

3.02/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

3.52/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

3.77/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

3.56/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

3.93/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

What in the hell does it matter what a beer feels like? I can understand the look being a nice addition and the smell is really only needed right before the first drink, but all that really matters is first Taste and then maybe feel. There have been instances where a beer was so silky smooth it really stood out and should be noted for no other reason that it really felt good. The bottom line is taste and this beer tastes good. I first had Smithwicks at an Irish pub with corned beef and cabbage and it was an excellent combination. Came from a tap. Now, since then I've had it both straight from bottles and poured into glasses and it remain one of my favorites. Leaves a nice taste in my mouth without overpowering everything else. My wife doesn't like dark beers and although this really isn't dark, it's darker then what she normally drinks and she likes it as well. This is a great middle of the road brew.

 923 characters