Smithwick's - This Drinking Life

Smithwick’s Red Ale

www.smithwicks.com/

Brewed by Guinness (Diageo)
Style: Irish Red Ale
St. James’s Gate, Dublin, Ireland

Smithwick’s is an Irish red ale-style beer that is widely available throughout the length and breath of Ireland, popular as it is amongst the drinking fraternity of the country.

Synonymous with the ancient city of Kilkenny, was founded there in 1710 by John Smithwick , but these days it is produced out of St. James gate in Dublin, as part of the Guinness/Diageo group (spit!). This means that the old Kilkenny brewery no longer makes the famous beer of the city, shut down as it was in 2013 but remains today as a “The Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny”, a visitor attraction and tourist centre. The brewery is on the site of a Franciscan abbey, where monks had brewed ale since the 14th century, and ruins of the original abbey still remain on its grounds.

John Smithwick was an orphan who had settled in Kilkenny in the early 1700s. At that time Ireland was under the harsh Penal laws, which meant Catholics couldn’t own property or run for elected office. A bit of an annoyance if wanting to run a brewery, but with the help of a Richard Cole, together on a piece of land that Cole had leased from the Duke of Ormond in 1705, the duo set about opening a brewery for the locals of the city. Five years later, John Smithwick became the owner of the land, albeit all off the radar as to not notify the authorities.

Following John Smithwick’s death, the brewery temporarily fell out of family hands. John Smithwick’s great grandson, Edmond bought the brewery land back, proudly putting the Smithwick name over the brewery gate, and worked hard to reshape its future. Edmond concentrated on discovering new markets and successfully building export trade. Drinkers in England, Scotland and Wales developed a taste for Smithwick’s brews and output increased fivefold.

Ownership passed through to James Smithwick by the 1900’s and then to his son, Walter in the 1930’s steadying the ship through the turbulent period of two World Wars, and all the rest. With intensive advertising Smithwicks became a very popular brew both in Ireland and across the water in the UK.

By the 1950s Smithwicks were exporting to Boston, where all the Irish lapped it up, looking for a taste of home to get them through their time in the States.

But in 1965, control was finally gone when Walter Smithwick sold out to Guinness and is now, part of Diageo chain. A bit of a shame but I guess that is what it took to keep the company afloat. Shortly after, in 1966, Guinness & Co. and Smithwick’s developed and launched Smithwick’s Draught Ale. It was such a huge success that by 1979, half a million barrels were sold every year.

In 2011 Smithwicks went out of their comfort zone to produce a pale ale, later they added an blonde ale to the collection, thus highlighting how far the company has come in the popularity stakes, with the opening of new markets all over North America and beyond.

On the 31st of December 2013 Smithwicks finally stopped production in Kilkenny, and moved its core to St.James’ Gate brewery in Dublin. A sad day I think, even if they have kept the original site opened up as a visitor’s centre, called the “Smithwick’s Experience Kilkenny”

Review: 500ml can of Smithwick’s Red Ale: 3.8% vol.

Anytime I am back in the old country Smithwicks is my go to drink on tap, love it when I am out and about as it is an easy ale to stomach and you get a lot for your mileage! Albeit it does tend to make one go to the toilet a bit too often!

Important note for foreign guests, the “w” in Smithwicks is not pronounced! Coming all nice and shiny in the famous red coloured colours on the can, with the logo of the castle representing the old city of Kilkenny, “Ireland’s Oldest Ale”

Looks good on the pour, good creamy white head and a dark ruby red colour, as advertised!

Nice enough to look at, with some good lacing and a head that sticks around.

Bit of a disappointment in the smell department, in that it was pretty odorless, just the hint of the grains, the malts and the fruits, but very, very light on the nose.

Light enough taste, soft and light bodied, easy going down the hatch, clean and crisp, nice and smooth.

Getting a nice taste of sweet malts, caramel, the roasted barley and some fruit flavours. Hops are gentle and on the low level. Flavour and tastes are subtle but overall very well balanced to create a beer that is so smooth and clean and crisp in taste and in body.

Light enough, slightly different to what I would normally have on tap which has more of a kick to it and the perfect session ale, a little better to what you would get in the can.

Overall quite smooth and a nice and relaxing beer to have on a slow Sunday afternoon in front of the box. Its simplicity is what makes this beer, no faffing around with mad potions here. The sweet malts and the roasted barely lovely on the tongue. Yes it’s a winner. The top easy drinking beer, albeit, as mentioned, the tap is far superior to the can, but that’s a given I guess. Always love me old Smithwicks, a fan forever!