craft beer

The History of Winter Welcome
For centuries, robust, higher-alcohol beers have warmed winter holiday gatherings, uniting old friends in seasonal cheer. Wassail, a pre-Christian festival honoring winter and its brews, reflects this tradition. Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery’s Winter Welcome Ale, vintage-dated with a unique label annually, debuted in the US in 1990 as the first imported winter seasonal beer. Enjoy it in a Sam Smith tulip or nonik glass during the holidays.

Taste
Honey-amber colored, creamy head of small bubbles, floral aroma and delicious caramel malt flavor with great finesse. Fine hop aroma finish and a fruity note from fermentation in open-topped stone “Yorkshire Squares.”

Serving Suggestion
Roast goose, smoked turkey with oyster dressing, rack of lamb, candied yams, Smithfield hams, fresh pears and apples, Christmas cake. Serve in crystal tumblers, or traditional Yorkshire tulip or nonik pint glasses.

A Frothy Tale of Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery: Yorkshire’s Timeless Brew
Picture this: a quaint Yorkshire town where horse-drawn carts clatter down cobblestone streets, delivering barrels of beer brewed with methods older than the American Revolution. Welcome to Tadcaster, home of Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery, a place where time seems to have sipped a pint and decided to linger. Founded in 1758, this family-owned gem is Yorkshire’s oldest brewery, and it’s got stories, quirks, and beers that could make even a teetotaler raise a glass. Let’s dive into the frothy world of Sam Smith’s, where tradition reigns, and every pint is a taste of history.

A Sip of History
Tadcaster’s brewing roots stretch back to the 14th century, thanks to its gypsum-rich wells that churn out water perfect for crafting crisp, clean ales. Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery kicked off as Backhouse & Hartley in 1758, but it wasn’t until 1886 that Samuel Smith, a tenacious nephew sidelined from the family’s other brewery (yes, there’s a juicy family feud in there), took the reins. He inherited an empty building—his uncle had cheekily moved all the equipment next door—but Samuel refitted it and turned it into a brewing powerhouse.

Fast forward to today, and the brewery still uses water from that same 1758 well, pumped 85 feet from an underground limestone lake. They ferment in Yorkshire Squares—stone vessels made of Welsh slate that give their beers a fuller-bodied flavor. The yeast? It’s the same strain they’ve used since the 1800s, like a family heirloom passed down through generations. And if that’s not old-school enough, they’ve got a cooper on staff making barrels and a team of dapple-grey Shire horses delivering beer around Tadcaster. It’s not just brewing; it’s a living museum.

Beers That Sparked a Revolution
Samuel Smith’s isn’t just about nostalgia—they’re innovators in disguise. Their bottled beers, like the velvety Oatmeal Stout and the rich Taddy Porter, were game-changers. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, these brews inspired American craft beer pioneers like Goose Island and Brooklyn Brewery, who looked to Sam Smith’s for a masterclass in classic British styles. The Oatmeal Stout, reintroduced in 1980, single-handedly revived a nearly forgotten style.

Their lineup is a love letter to variety. From the crisp Organic Pale Ale to the decadent Organic Chocolate Stout, there{Feel free to add your own favorites!} they’ve got something for everyone. Love fruit? Try their cherry, apricot, or raspberry brews. Vegan? Good news—most of their beers (except Old Brewery Bitter and Yorkshire Stingo) are vegan-friendly, brewed with just malt, hops, yeast, and water. And for cider fans, their Organic Cider and Cider Reserve are crisp, refreshing treats.

One standout is the Winter Welcome Ale, a holiday favorite since 1990, when it became the first imported winter seasonal in the US. Each year, it sports a new vintage-dated label, perfect for sipping from a Sam Smith tulip glass while toasting old friends. It’s a rich, malty brew that warms the soul, like a cozy fireside chat in a pint.

Pubs Like No Other
Step into a Samuel Smith pub, and you’re stepping back in time. With over 200 pubs across the UK, including 20 in central London, these spots are time capsules. Think frosted windows, stained glass, and cozy rooms—some spartan, others plush with ornate wallpaper. The Crown Inn in Wetherby boasts furniture by craftsman Robert Thompson, while the Princess Louise in High Holborn has iconic bar booths.

But here’s where it gets quirky: no music, no TVs, no mobile devices. That’s right—Humphrey Smith, the brewery’s eccentric owner, runs these pubs like a Victorian headmaster. Want to check your phone? Step outside. It’s a bold move to keep the focus on conversation and beer, and locals either love it or grumble. Posts on X call it “counter-cultural” and “absurdly popular,” though some find the rules a bit much.

Quirks and Controversies
Speaking of Humphrey, he’s a character straight out of a Dickens novel. Known for his “Yorkshire bluntness,” he’s famously private, once hanging up on a US brewer requesting a tour. The brewery’s publicity-shy vibe is legendary—they’ve even dropped their branding from pubs and delivery trucks. In 1982, they made headlines by switching to an unlimited company, making owners personally liable for debts but freeing them from public financial disclosures.

Not everything’s rosy, though. Humphrey’s management style has sparked criticism. In 2015, he was fined for snubbing a pensions regulator, calling their request “tiresome.” During COVID, the brewery faced backlash for dodging test-and-trace systems in pubs. And in 2022, ex-managers won a dismissal case after being charged for alleged stock shortages, with a judge noting the company’s culture stifles objections. Some X posts and Reddit threads even call the beer “shite” and the pubs a “feudal” mess, though others defend the brewery’s commitment to tradition.

Why It Matters
Despite the controversies, Samuel Smith’s endures because it’s more than a brewery—it’s a stubborn stand against soulless corporate brews. As one X post put it, it’s not another “AB-Inbev-Coors-Marstons” conglomerate churning out “tasteless” beer. Their Shire horses, Yorkshire Squares, and cheap, high-quality pints keep fans coming back. Sure, 120 pubs reportedly sat empty in 2022 due to manager shortages—Humphrey’s strict rules don’t help—but the brewery’s export market, especially in the US via Merchant du Vin, keeps the taps flowing.

Raise a Glass
Samuel Smith’s Old Brewery is a paradox: fiercely traditional yet quietly revolutionary, eccentric but beloved. Whether you’re savoring a Nut Brown Ale in a historic pub or cracking open an Organic Cherry Ale at home, you’re tasting 267 years of craft, quirks, and Yorkshire grit. So, grab a pint, ditch your phone, and toast to a brewery that’s as stubborn as a Shire horse and twice as charming.