Based in Yorkshire, England, Samuel Smith is probably my favorite brewery, accounting for 3 of my top 20 beers (Oatmeal Stout, Imperial Stout and Taddy Porter). Founded in 1758, it is an uncompromising brewery deeply believing in traditional brewing methods. The most famous of these is the huge slate fermenters known as Yorkshire Squares, which contribute an unparalleled soft, almost buttery, roundness to the beers.
India Pale Ale (IPA)
IPA is usually a more bitter and higher alcohol version of pale ale, at around 6-8%. In the good old days of the British Empire, these were brewed, specifically to ship to soldiers and other colonials of India. Porter, the most popular ale of the time, was virtually impossible to ship, arriving all shook up and undergoing several temperature changes. IPA was invented to meet the purpose; high in alcohol and hops, the movement of the ship ensured maximum fermentation, and upon crossing the equator the beer gained two warm ferments.
Samuel Smith’s India Ale
I don’t know the exact reason for the omission of the word pale, as this is certainly in the style of a pale ale, but it does bear some difference to what we might expect from an IPA. The first thing to note would be the relatively low alcohol content at 5%.
I am unaware of the history of this beer, but the label does differ a little in style to other Sam Smith’s (so too does the Winter Welcome). It still bears the same Victorian style, but the amount of text, does lean towards a higher marketing effort. I have a feeling that this is a newer product offering.
The beer pours well, nice and foamy, resulting in a good two-finger head. The white foam is firm; resulting in layers of lace long after the glass is empty. The main body is something of a golden amber, a little cloudy at first, but slowly settles down to a fairly light clear body. There’s good evidence of carbonation with persistent rising bubbles.
The first thing to note in the aroma is a strong maltiness, a little prune-like, followed by a hint of peppery spice. The hop, however, is not particularly strong so far. There’s a nice medium-bodied, foamy mouthfeel, which carries a little fizz. The initial front flavor is a heavy malt. It cleans out towards the middle with a brief hint of smooth caramel malt, followed by a good hop in the finish. While the finish is bitter, and does develop a little more orange-like tang with time, it’s not as hoppy as you’d expect from an IPA. I’m used to something a little more grapefruit-like.
As with all Sam Smith’s brews, this one benefits from the soft smoothness of the Yorkshire Squares. The flavors blend together nicely, and judged alone is a very satisfying brew. The limited hop however will probably disappoint a few IPA fans. It does however make for a pleasant brew and is fairly easy drinking.
This should be ideally suited to drinking 2 or 3 before bed, but would also be very versatile with food. With a slightly sweeter than normal flavor, I’d recommend it with pork chops, or ribs, but I don’t think you could make too many mistakes as far as food goes.
The Last Word
Not as IPA-ish as you’d expect but personally I don’t like to be too overwhelmed by citric hoppiness, so it’s another great beer as far as I’m concerned. It should work as a good introduction to IPA’s.
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