Beer of the Weekend #167: Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale

Today I am having another (late) liquid lunch for my LV recommendation. It is, if you will, a brown bottle lunch of Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale, brewed by Samuel Smith Old Brewery of Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England.


Serving type: One 550 ml bottle. Why the extra 50 ml? The Brits just do it differently, and I am not going to complain. There is a batch number on the neck, but nothing resembling a freshness date.

Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is as clear, clean caramel brown with copper undertones. Two fingers of thick, slightly tanned head rose and dissipated slowly.

Smell: Very reminiscent of London Pride or ESB, but much bolder. Sweet and toasted caramel malts, dark fruit (mostly plum and raspberry), and a little bit of toffee. The “nut” namesake provides a backbone for all the other aromas; as the pint warms it reminds me of walnuts.

Taste: Similar to the taste, but it has a much hoppier/bitter edge. Sweet and toasted caramel malts, a nutty backbone (sorry for not being a nut expert), and there are hints of dark chocolate and coffee. An adequate hoppy aftertaste leaves the tongue and back of the throat tingling.

Drinkability: Excellent beer. Very tasty and drinkable.

Fun facts about Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale:

-Style: BA classifies it as an English Brown Ale:

Spawned from the Mild Ale, Brown Ales tend to be maltier and sweeter on the palate, with a fuller body. Color can range from reddish brown to dark brown. Some versions will lean towards fruity esters, while others tend to be drier with nutty characters. All seem to have a low hop aroma and bitterness.

-Price: $3.99/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.

-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.

-Alcohol content: 5 percent ABV.

-Food pairings: BA recommends earthy cheeses (Camembert, Fontina), nutty cheeses (Asiago, Colby, Parmesan), pork, and grilled meat.


The Quiet Man’s grade: A-.

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