Samuel Smith Underwhelming

Meh. I could take 'em or leave 'em.

 

I use to enjoy the Oatmeal Stout and the Nut Brown ale 15 to 20 years ago.

Haven't had them in a long time. I probably should revisit at least the oatmeal stout.

There are just some many really great beers that just keep getting in the way.

 

In a bleak town of hardly no craft beer, I'll take it!

 

I'd buy more Sam Smith if I knew they were fresh. The choice of beer in my local shop is so great, I have no idea what moves and what doesn't.

 

I thought the Oatmeal stout was really good when I had a year or two ago.

 

Oatmeal Stout is classic example of the style. One of my two 5.0s.

 

Organic Chocolate is one if my favorite stouts

There Oatmeal, Imperial and Taddy Porter are very good too.

I think Sam Smith doesn't get enough love because it's been around forever and is so readily available.

 

Much better on cask -- but generally not a respected beer in the UK I don't think. Interestingly, Sam smiths is the pub beer for several classic London pubs -- Ye Olde Cheshire cheese and Citie of York near High Holborn come to mind -- and their beers on cask tend to be cheaper than any other prevalent cask breweries like Fullers or Adnams around the city. I'd take one of their bitters hanging out in one of the 'cheese's odd little side rooms any day.......

 

I enjoy their RIS, and their chocolate stout is super chocolatey

 

Why does everything have to blow us away? Some beers do what they do more quietly.

At the risk of getting a bit tautological, Samuel Smith beers are the best thing we have available when we want that style of beer; there are precious few substitutes, if any. Especially for the dark varieties. When I want that combination of a dark fruity yeast signature with traces of nuttiness and butterscotch, just the right hit of hops, they deliver it beautifully.

 

this. oatmeal stout and pure brewed lager in particular were often my beacons (along with chimay).

and yeah, i think some of their beers totally stand up to modern beer. i've heard the hate from UK BAs for years, and i'm sure there's tons of better british beer on cask / tap in the UK, but like @Hanglow is saying, they bottle some really good beer.

 

Used to pound oatmeal stouts in the lot, an excellent beer. Taddy porter is great, their IPA was my first exposure to the style, imperial stout is good, though it has been eclipsed multiple times by US Breweries, it still serves as a good example of the style. I don't think the brewery is underwhelming, I believe it is underrated.

 

I will defend their imperial stout 'til the cows come home. A fabulous beer that's nuanced and well-attenuated, but taken for granted due to its ubiquity (that, and it isn't imperial by 'Murican standards...)

 

I agree with the above comment about the difficulty in finding fresh Sam Smith's anymore.

But when fresh they have some great beers. I'm particularly fond of the Old Brewery Pale Ale, but the IPA, Oatmeal Stout, Porter, and Nut Brown are well done as well.

 

I wouldn't say they are "underwhelming" per se, but if you are comparing them to American or modern/edgy versions of their styles then yes maybe they are a little underwhelming. A similar topic came up last night about how big and BA stouts are ruining more traditional versions for many people

 

Often the best choice at U.S. bars that aren't trying very hard.

And a better chocolate stout that's widely available would be?

 

Nope. Imperialized to the original standard.

 

I remember organic chocolate being great the first time I had it, but it was underwhelming the last time I had it.

Oatmeal stout was also disappointing.

Don't get me wrong, I've never had a bad Sam Smith's beer, there's just other beers (particularly stouts) I'd choose before them

 

When I lived in London (where you get paid monthly) their pubs were good value for those hard few days before pay day. That's about it merit-wise

 

When I started drinking craft back in 2000, their beers always seem to have weird, off flavors to me. I haven't had a Samuel Smith in probably a decade.