Samuel Smith Underwhelming

Which explains why Britain always fares badly against Belgium and Germany in recurrent threads like Other than the US, what's your favorite country for beer? Not that there's anything wrong with Fuller's but their bottled versions really pale in comparison to their cask stuff.

 

LOVED the Batemans XXXB! That one was probably my top favorite British brew during the comparatively short time it was available here in the states. Seems unlikely we'll see it here again, as I've heard that Bateman's was cutting back production of it's beers in general.
I haven't seen any of Bateman's ales in the stores here in quite a long time.

 

I second this notion of non-suck.

I'm also guessing that I am probably just about the only person on here that enjoys their Winter Welcome Ale. Only two that I've had from them and think they are both pretty good.

Edit* Just noticed that @SammyJaxxxx and @CheapHysterics also enjoys Winter Welcome.

 

Big fan of Taddy Porter and the Oatmeal stout, been a regular buyer of those for 30+ years. One of the elements of taste in the Sammy's are that silky mouthfeel, I value that highly and rarely find it in others in the style. Aslo the low ABV is a plus at times.

Taddy Porter at 5% with all that tastyness? I'm in.

 

Gosh, I remember these beers so well and they are indeed solid brews. That they had fairly nice distribution way back most likely contributed to the modern beer explosion. I would add that I truly miss Young's of London and those great ales. The Oatmeal Stout was fantastic! It has been an interesting journey, and Samuel Smith and Young's have been instrumental in bringing us along.

 

Yeah, nice beer. It could be my imagination, but it seems like the brands that we get from the UK change more frequently than what we get from Belgium or Germany.

 

top notch after a few years in the cellar!

 

I usually grab one for old-time's-sake every year -- still enjoy it.

 

I am of the opinion that their beers are amazing! Taddy Porter may be the greatest example of a classic English Porter...in fact it may be the benchmark for that style imo. Their Yorkshire Stingo is tops...as are all of their Stout variations.
I've found that a lot of my friends write them off because it's not a west-coast IPA or uber-bitter. They make classic British style beers...love them.

 

Well, if you're talking about what's exported to the states then maybe, but it certainly doesn't stand out in the pubs in Britain.

 

Nut Brown Ale and Oatmeal Stout are solid. Their IPA is apparently an English IPA. I didn't like that on because there was no hop flavor at all. But, I probably don't prefer English IPA's for that reason...

 

The Sam Smith's Nut Brown and Taddy Porter were early gateways to good beer for me, and I still enjoy them. My girlfriend almost always has an Organic Chocolate Stout or two in the fridge.

They've got a solid lineup of well-executed beer.

 

Nah, their IPA is just a shit beer.

 

Taddy porter is good.
Oatmeal stout is good.
Imperial stout is very good.
Organic chocolate stout is the tits. One of the smoothest drinking stouts out there.

 

Had my first Sammy bombers freshman year of undergrad, so 13 years ago? Classic beers, smooth, enjoyable, but nothing crazy. And, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.

 

not underwhelming at all. love everything I have tried from them but usually stick with more fresh local options. Now and then I'll crave the oatmeal stout or chocolate.

If you get a chance pick up Stingo

 

I really liked their cherry beer...And, for those worried about them being 'fresh', the beers no doubt hold up very well, probably (definitely) even after the use by date (which like most British beers, is at least a year after bottling).

 

Almost nothing sold here from the UK is worth drinking after it gets to your local store. Go there if you want to really try the beer. It's a sublime experience and a ticker's paradise.

 

Just this spring I ran into another one that was pulling out of the US- Oxfordshire Ales. I only knew this because the distributor was practically giving away their remaining stock. That Churchill's Best was a very nice beer for $1 per 500ml.

I guess they don't sell well enough with the beer geek crowd to be worth stocking. Bateman's actually made a return 4-5 years ago, but didn't stick around for too long either. If one of these brands could hook up with a chain like Total Wine it might make it all worthwhile, though. As it is I don't see very much from the UK in a store like that (although it's a great place to get Traquair beers, thankfully).

 

I agree with Oatmeal stout being one of the better ones I've had. I also think they produce one of the best ciders too.