Smithwick's anyone?

kittyeatzjdubs

I have never been much for dark, foreign beers. Mostly just Miller Lite, maybe a Heineken or two.

One day Matt and I were downtown and went to a pub here in Nashville to have a few beers. Feeling a bit adventurous, I asked the bartender if she had any suggestions. So she poured me a dark beer into a tasting glass. I said, ''No. I don't like dark beers, sorry.'' She said that she didn't either, but she loved this one.

Hmmmm....

So I tried it, and LOVED IT! It was Smithwick's. And much to my despair, it seems the only place in the world to find this wonderful brew is either at that bar, or over in Ireland. I am absolutely in love with this beer! I look forward to every weekend so I can go downtown and have myself a pint or two of Smithwick's.

Are any of our European friends or any beer conoseuir's familiar with this lovely brew? Like it? Love it? Don't really give a damn?

~luv, jojo

Finally-Free

I first discovered Smithwicks in a local (Toronto) bar in 1994 and it's been a favourite of mine since then. You can find it in liquor and beer stores here too. I love dark beers, and another one of my favourites is Black Wych.

W

kid-A

Jojo, if you ever get the chance, try LEFFE BRUN. The finest dark lambic beer in the known universe and worth flying to Belgium for! (but I know its available

in North America)

kittyeatzjdubs

I'll have to try that KidA. I'm always open to trying new beers, I just haven't found a dark brew outside of Smithwick's that I like......plus it's a really fun name to say when your drunk. smmmmithhhhwicksss...smmmiticksss....swwwwithmmmicks...lol.

~luv, jojoof the i love beer class

cyd0099

It's on tap at Bellingham's newest pub, Uisce. One of the owners gave me a sip and like you, I was smitten.

kittyeatzjdubs

One of the owners gave me a sip and like you, I was smitten.

Smitten for smitty's! hahahahaaa.....errr...hmmm...

Here's a wikipedia article...

Smithwick's is an Irish red ale style beer from Kilkenny in Ireland. It originated from and is still brewed at 'St. Francis abbey Brewery' in the city. Known as 'Smithwicks Brewery' until c.2000, it was founded 1710 by the Franciscan monks and later the name Smithwicks came from John Smithwick. It has the ruins of the original Franciscan abbey in its grounds. It is the major ale producer in Ireland. It was purchased from Irish Ale Breweries in 1965 by Guinness and is now, along with Guinness, part of Diageo.
From the early '60s until the mid '80s, Smithwicks was probably the second most popular beer in Ireland after Guinness.
When pronouncing the name, the 'W' is silent. In Ireland, it is generally pronounced as 'Smithicks', 'Smitticks', 'Smidicks' or 'Smeth-icks'. The variation of pronunciations is mostly due to differing accent and dialects of the Irish. When ordering in the US, 'Smithicks' is the preferred method, while 'Smiddicks' is the most prevalent pronunciation in Canada.
Smithwick's Draught has a ruby red tone with a stable, but slightly thin head. Its texture is smooth and refined, with a bitter and complex finish. Although of lesser fame than Guinness, Smithwicks is often regarded as the 'local favourite' amongst Irish pubgoers. In 2004, Diageo PLC began distribution in the USA. Smithwick's had previously been marketed in Canada with great success.
Smithwick's Barley Wine is now brewed by Macardle Moore Brewery another Guinness-owned brewery.
Kilkenny Cream Ale is a similar beer to Smithwick's Draught, however it has a cream head similar to Guinness and has a stronger taste (more bitter than Smithwicks). The 'Kilkenny' name was originally used during the '80's and '90's to market a stronger version of Smithwick's for the European and Canadian market due to difficulty in pronunciation of the word Smithwicks; but it now refers to a similar yet distinctly different beer.

**sigh**....7 more hours till the weekend starts....

~luv, jojo

delilah

Hey Jo-jo...I love Smithwick's, Kilkenny, Guinness, 80 Shilling, Hobgoblin, Waterloo Dark.We have a few pub's around here that offer these and others...yummy....I refuse to drink anything else, when drinking beer and ale.

Cheers.

quixote

Mmmmmm.... I could go for a cold one about now.

Where I live in PA, there is an Irish pub named SHIMSHA (Something like that anyway) Smithwicks on Tap. The best !

I took some of my friends there 2 weeks ago and sugested they try it. They liked it, wouldn't you know it. Also Yuengling is pretty good too.

Cheers....burp (oh, excuse me)

Quixote

daystar

You are such a tease. How about you let us in on all sorts of other wonders that most of us will never be able to partake of?

alt

Narkissos

Smithwick's is a(n excellent) red ale! (Yeah, I know, now they have a dark stout too.)

As to Irish stouts (beside Guinness) try Murphy's.

Smithwick's anyone?

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