Samuel Smith India Ale
Tadcaster, England
ABV: 5.0%
IBU: 46
Style: India pale ale
Colour: Like beer bought from a ray of sunshine
ABV: 5.0%
IBU: 46
Style: India pale ale
Colour: Like beer bought from a ray of sunshine
As we all know, the original spirit of an "India pale ale" has been completely lost in what is now an endless sea of contemporary modern IPA's, which can miraculously range from "subtle" to "what the fuck." The term IPA has been thrown around more than Madonna's shriveled up asshole, and while I'm not going to re-tell the story of what an original IPA actually was, because I've already done that a bunch of times, I will say that if you want to taste what an original IPA actually was, buy a Samuel Smith India Ale.
India Ale captures the true spirit of the style: a standard English pale ale with a bit more of a hop presence and a bit higher ABV. And that is the best and most concise way to describe this beer. It's got the classic earthy and slightly sweet malt profile that you'd expect from a English pale ale, but with just a bit more bitterness than usual, from start to finish. Nothing citrusy and in-your-face like what you'll get from a typical North American IPA, but rather a much more subtle and earthy bitterness that takes over the drivers seat from the sweetness of the malt. There's no huge bitterness on the back end, and there's no massive bitter aftertaste to distract you between sips. This beer will probably seem very tame compared to what you're used to drinking from the shelves of your local LCBO, but if you're looking for an IPA on the lower end of the IBU spectrum, or simply want to experience the true nature of an IPA, then you should grab a Samuel Smith India Ale if you ever get the chance.
India Ale captures the true spirit of the style: a standard English pale ale with a bit more of a hop presence and a bit higher ABV. And that is the best and most concise way to describe this beer. It's got the classic earthy and slightly sweet malt profile that you'd expect from a English pale ale, but with just a bit more bitterness than usual, from start to finish. Nothing citrusy and in-your-face like what you'll get from a typical North American IPA, but rather a much more subtle and earthy bitterness that takes over the drivers seat from the sweetness of the malt. There's no huge bitterness on the back end, and there's no massive bitter aftertaste to distract you between sips. This beer will probably seem very tame compared to what you're used to drinking from the shelves of your local LCBO, but if you're looking for an IPA on the lower end of the IBU spectrum, or simply want to experience the true nature of an IPA, then you should grab a Samuel Smith India Ale if you ever get the chance.
