Smithwicks Ale

Pros: A tasty Irish Red, may be the best of them all.
Cons: Only on draft initially.

Hey there, good man. Put down that pint of Killian’s Irish Red and take a sip of this. That’s right. It’s the real thing. No, it’s not Coca-Cola. It’s Smithwick’s Ale, a classic Irish red that comes from, well, ...

Pros: It's good tasting overall
Cons: A little too light; Overpriced

When Ireland and beer are mentioned in the same breath, most people invariably think of Guinness Stout. And this isn’t surprising, given the popularity of this dry Irish classic. But Ireland brews other products besides Guinness and one of them is ...

Pros: good balanced brew; very drinkable
Cons: I would like a slightly creamier ale

Since St. Patrick’s Day had just passed I thought I’d write a review of one of my favorite Irish beers… Smithwicks, pronounced Smidicks was originally brewed in the St. Francis Abbey in Killkenny, Ireland. It is Ireland’s oldest ...

Pros: Drinkable; fairly well-balanced; goes well with bar fare.
Cons: Priced too high for what it delivers; relatively forgettable.

It is nearly midnight on Saint Patrick's Day and I'm sitting at F innigan's Wake, my favorite Irish pub in Philadelphia. It's 500 degrees and the cigarette smoke hangs like carcinogenic cumulus clouds just overhead. Now ...

Pros: Decent taste, inoffensive
Cons: low abv, high price

I’m not generally a fan of red ales, but I do like Beers from the British Isles, including Harp, Tennent’s and Guinness. So, when I saw this Irish ale had arrived and was brewed and distributed by Guinness, I figured I would try a six pack. I ...

Pros: Smooth taste, easy to drink, excellent flavor
Cons: not distributed coast to coast yet

It has been some time since I was in the British Isles. Life just seemed a tad more relaxed there, especially back then. It seemed less structured – less demanding. I know that that is a fallacy, but climbing out of a hole on a submarine tends to warp ...

Pros: nice, smooth flavor, good session beer
Cons: a bit basic

I think most people who drink beer are at least aware of Guinness. It is one of the most popular and most highly advertised beers in the world. Of course, the stout is not the only beer in their rotation. They are also responsible for ...

Pros: drinker-friendly flavor; light body
Cons: mostly bland palate; rough finish, gassy

Here’s irony for you: Ireland is known for its stouts (a type of beer I love) and it’s red ales (a type I’m unimpressed by). How can the same country make such different beers? Or even the same brewery within that country? Guinness is ...

Pros: Good price, Very good quality, easy to find.
Cons: None yet

Although this is not my favorite Irish red beer, it has a very good taste, is very affordable, and is readily available at almost all the respectable bar establishments in my area (MD/DC Metro). This is a good beer to sit back and relax with, maybe enjoy ...

Pros: Smooth and eminently drinkable
Cons: Limited availablity

Smithwicks (pronounced Smiddicks by those in the know) was first brewed back in 1710. For nearly three hundred years this marvelous ale was not available in America. Now, thanks to Guinness, which currently owns the distribution rights, Smithwick's is finally available at your local liquor store.

Smithwicks Ale pours a light clear mahogany color with a long-lasting creamy head that leaves some nice lacing on the glass. The rich and abundant nose of this beer contains hints of light caramel, biscuits, light stone fruits and brown sugar, all of which entice you to take a sip.

Flavors of sweet malt, biscuit, delicate floral hops and ripe peaches roll gently over the tongue. The finish is dry, malty and only slightly bitter.

This is a beer for all occasions. It is smooth and very drinkable, qualities that make it a welcome accompaniment to any food, from potato chips to barbecued chicken to a fancy crown roast. It is also a wonderful beer to drink on its own on a lazy weekend afternoon.

I enjoyed my bottle with a roast beef sandwich on whole wheat bread and a generous handful of tortilla chip.

Sheer bliss.

Pros: Tasty medium-bodied delight
Cons: I don't have a tap in my house

This was my favorite beer after drinking all the domestic stuff, then a bunch in Ireland on several trips. It became a treat to have some when I was there. Then, surprise, I saw it on tap here in the good ol' US of A - Woohoo! To top that off, it then was released in bottles. It's just a great all-around winner in flavor, texture, color, and aroma. About the perfect balance for this American.

Pros: Great out of the tap! Coming out in bottles and widget cans in October.
Cons: It hasn't been available until this year.

This Ale is fantastic!! I don't use this word very often as it gets used too much and get watered down, unlike Smithwicks. I first had the experience of enjoying a couple of pints in Ireland 10 years ago. Since Smithwicks wasn't exported to the U.S., I had to go across the border to Canada a few times to get it in bottles. It's the only beer my father, brother, and I agree on. Father-Budweiser, brother-Miller Lite, me-Guinness and Bass. We have been waiting, hoping it would come to the U.S. Well, it's here!! First, in pubs around March and now it's coming out in Liquor stores. I heard it's coming in bottles and in the widget cans, like Guinness. I think the cans will be better, especially pouring it in my Smithwicks Ale pint glasses. This will be the only beer in my fridge, with exception of a few Guinness for Black and Tans. Go out and buy a case!! You won't be disappointed!!

Pros: It's not Coors Light
Cons: Horrible

I was very disappointed in this beer. It's horrible. I love my Guinness and Beamish and Murphy's so I figured the Irish must know beer. Wrong. The Irish know stout. My first Smiwthwicks was in an Irish pub. It was so bad that I figured maybe the keg was stale or something. So, I tried it another time in another Irish pub in Philadelphia. Same horrible taste.

I've had over 1000 beers and consider myself quite the beer geek. I don't like this Smithwicks stuff.

Pros: I have found my favorite beer
Cons: Can't seem to find it outside of the pubs just yet

I traveled to Ireland in April 2000. I spent many days testing out this product and I found it to be extremely tasty and a fine beer!! I was laughed at the first time I went to order a Smithwicks at a pub in Dublin, didn't know it was pronounced Schmiddicks! My father and I went to a local pub over this past weekend and he fell in love. His choice of beer for the past 5 years has been Yuengling. He found Smithwicks to be a much smoother tasting beer without the aftertaste. I completely agree!!