Day 15 of the 2nd Annual Advent-ure Calendar
Day 15: Samuel Smith Winter Welcome Ale
We are switching things up with a British brewery today. We’ve enjoyed Samuel Smith brews in the past. We’ve tried their organic, fruity beers and they are delicious. We are not familiar with any of their heavier, malty beers. From their website: “The full body resulting from fermentation in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’ and the luxurious malt character, which will appeal to a broad range of drinkers, is balanced against whole-dried Fuggle and Golding hops with nuances and complexities that should be contemplated before an open fire.
REFLECTIONS
Beard & Broad
Beard: I’m a fan of Samuel Smith beers so I was looking forward to this, but I think we got an old bottle unfortunately. I was skeptical right from the first sniff, all metallic and sweet smelling. Then upon my first sip my fears were affirmed: like that weird Christmas tradition in the shape of an elf that some people have and I will never know why, this beer’s been sitting a shelf too long and is terrible. It has those unfortunate oxidized notes: wet cardboard and sherry. Bummer, cause I know I’ve had this in the past and have enjoyed it.
Broad: Super sad face. I am so disappointed. With every sip, I only taste a strong metallic flavor, like its a bottle of pennies. Maybe its just old? This does not taste like the normal, flavorful Samuel Smith beers I like and get excited about. I would not drink this again.
Adam & Alex
Adam: Man this beee bums me out. I wanted it to be good bc I enjoy some Samuel smith. Sadly no. It smells sweet and malty and a little fruity but the taste is super coppery again. I enjoy the smell but the taste is a bummer
Alex: Le sigh. I was looking forward to this beer, but it’s just another beer where I can’t really taste anything past the pennies. I didn’t enjoy this at all sadly.
Scott & CT
Scott: The Winter Welcome Ale is the beer closest to the “they’re just too nice” person you’ve dated once and wouldn’t date again. It’s easy to drink, smooth as any we’ve tried and even smells pretty good. It just lacks any distinguishable character, original taste and has nothing to do with winter. It’s easy to point out flaws, but this beer is so boring it reminds you that at least flaws give you something to write about.
CT: I love the bottle. All of it. The Shakespeare quote. The jolly cluster of so many things. But this wasn’t tasty. It smells and tastes coppery, like pennies. I could barely finish. And I suffered through perhaps the worst bus ride in history in Disney world. Complete with a fresh from the womb, screeching baby, a scream talker who wasn’t educated past the 4th grade, and perhaps the worst break rider in history. I would have drank uncut moonshine after that. And this beer was still tough for me.
Lou & Jen
Lou: I’ve seen this beer over the years but never tried, yet always wanted to. I love the bottle and the gold foil top and the gaudy label. I’m always excited to try a beer from across the pond, but this ale was kind of “blah”. I’m not sure why it’s a winter ale, maybe it’s the slight malt and twinge of spice. Too much carbonation for me. Glad I tried it, but it will probably be the last.
Jen: Sorry, Samuel Smith. You are my least favorite winter beer thus far. I wasn’t getting anything on the nose. The taste reminded me way too much of an upscale Budweiser. The carbonation was heavy to the point of stinging my top lip. There were very minimal wintry spices. Yeah, just not a fan.
