On a recent trip to Kress Liquors in search of the Duchesse De Bourgogne for my better half, I was shutout. Fortunately, I am one of those take lemons and make lemonade kind of guys so I was able to find a number of mild if not fruity beers to pacify her palate. One of the bottles was an Organic Raspberry Fruit Ale from Samuel Smith. Now, I have made no secret of my love of Merchant du Vin and all things Samuel Smith, so the purchase wasn’t really a stretch.
From the Samuel Smith site:
A dramatic fruit beer with an intense, mouth-watering fruit character derived from the natural acidity of organic raspberries. Slow, complex fermentation lends structure and depth to this special fruit beer. Smooth body, finishes dry, with a soft raspberry note.
I found the Organic Raspberry to have the following characteristics.
- Appearance: Ruby red with a layer of pink foam and a good lacing.
- Aroma: Sweet malt with a blast of berry not unlike the aroma of a juice box.
- Taste: Medium body with a sweet and syrupy texture and a long lasting raspberry finish.
- ABV: 5.1%
This is obviously not something for everybody, but I did find the Organic Raspberry to be a refreshing change of pace. I would pair this with lighter fare, poultry, salads, or a cheese of dessert course.
Categories: Brew Review, Samuel Smith
AMKrouse
The Alemonger
G-LO
limpd
The Wookie
The ROK
Sarah -BeautifulTangibleThings
The Astounding Prism
It's just the booze dancing... 
I agree, Samuel Smith is one of my favorite English breweries. The fruit stuff is not my favorite, but still solid.
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I do love my Samuel Smith; the Oatmeal Stout and the Nut Brown are fantastic. The Raspberry Ale, while not something I would buy over others, was a nice change of pace with the warm summer weather.
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This does sound like a lovely diversion from our usual beer offerings! I’ll have to check it out.
Nice photo by the way. Way to class up the joint!
Cheers!
G-LO
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I know the Wookie will have some sort of comment about a raspberry beer but it was a refreshing alternative to the traditional IPAs we have been drinking lately. As for the photo, my better half took it. I guess she might be trying to elevate my discussions above “Me likey beer!”
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You get no argument from me. Me likey a well crafted fruity beer. It’s good to have a broad spectrum of drinking options.
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I always find it interesting how our ‘little’ smiths brewery always finds fans over in the US. They are a really interesting brewery; very secretive, very ‘old-fashioned’ – but a firm favourite here in Yorkshire, beer -wise.
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And, I have become a fan drinking it out of a bottle. I can’t imagine how good it is on tap in Yorkshire.
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I agree, I love Sam Smith and this is a pretty nifty beer. It wasn’t sweet with little depth like some berry beers, and it didn’t have the sour of a lambic (bc it’s not one), which made it a treat.
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You are so right. Some of the berry beers taste more like Smuckers than beer. The Raspberry Ale managed to keep the quality of a Sam Smith with the infused raspberry flavors.
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