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

Poured from 500ml bottle. Dark, red amber. Minimal head, mid carbonation. As red ales go, I think the old classic has been surpassed by others, O'Hara's for example. Better on tap for sure. Mild and nutty, but finishes a little flat and watery. I wonder what a nitro can might add to the experience.

Reddish-brown appearance and pours a good 2 finger white foamy head, nice level of carbonation too. The aroma has a hint of bready malt but it's pretty mild in general. Flavour-wise, a relatively mild sweet malt taste with a very subtle hop bitterness. It's a solid beer whether on draught or out of the can but I have never enjoyed drinking a bottled Smithwick's. Try Sullivan's red ale if you want a more intense flavour profile and something that packs a greater punch with regard to ABV.

 

 

Appearance: Clear dark ruby red, frothy creamy off white head with good retention.

Aroma: Mild caramel, grainy and light toast notes.

Flavor & Aftertaste: Follow aroma, with some added herbal/spicy hops. Restrained bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied. Semi-sweet with a dry finish.

Overall: Nice looking beer in the glass. The bottle perfectly describes it: ruby red brew with gentle hop bitterness and sweet malt finish. Pub strength. Good St. Patty's Day beer that is not an Irish stout.

 

 

 

OK, it was the only dark ale option other than Guinness Stout on an IPA heavy list. Adequate, but not memorable, kinda thin.

 

Light amber with loads and loads of dense, foamy white head. Aroma has some faint malts, but is overall nondescript. Taste is similar. It's easy going down, but there's just not much to it. Good if you want to throw a few back, but mostly unremarkable.

 

 

 

7/2022 Draft, in Ireland

 

The ale is a very clear reddish brown, with a dense tannish head that solidified into a whipped cream-like sculpture.
It had a clean, moderate toasted/roasted aroma, without complexity or particular appear.
The flavor was similar to the aroma, having a light taste of roasted unmalted barley, with a slight hint of malt and sourness. The mouthfeel was thin and watery. The finish was clean, and the dry, bitter, roasted barley taste slowly faded away.
I imagine this ale might appeal to drinkers of Guiness dry stout, but I didn't find any reason to drink this colorful roasted barley water again.

 

 

It looks lovely with the dark, ruby red color and white head.

Tasted malts and biscuit up front and it has a little caramel mixed in with a light hop presence and grassiness. However, found this to be very thin in the mouthfeel and it washed away quickly. Would be nice on a hot summer day.