Sam Smiths

For anyone not in the know, Samuel Smiths is a brewery located in the town of Tadcaster, just down the road from York. It's aways struck me as a bit of an enigma. For one, Sam Smiths pubs only sell Sam Smiths branded products. This includes not only Sam Smiths beers, but also Sam Smiths branded spirits and Sam Smiths branded snacks. Second, Sam Smiths pubs are exceptionally cheap. They often sell a pint of beer for less than half the average amount charged at other pubs (how do they do it?). Not that I'm complaining, mind. Sam Smiths beers are generally very good. For a small brewery, they are also very varied, covering the whole gamut from lager to bitter to brown ale to porter to stout, and back again to wheat beer, fruit beer and cider. Many of the more niche products only come in bottles - which is probably a good thing, since it allows pubs to stock a wide range without worrying about them going off. The Oatmeal Stout and Imperial Stout are outstanding, and widely regarded by beer enthusiasts. I have a particular fondness for the Nut Brown Ale, but then again I do have a fondness for brown things in general.

Given its close proximity to the brewery, York is unsurprisingly home to a large number of Sam Smiths pubs. This includes the King's Arms, perhaps York's most famous (and most flooded) pub. It also includes the Wellington, a tiny gem of a pub hidden between terraced houses in a picturesque street just outside the city centre. Yes, I know, the words terraced and picturesque don't usually occur in the same sentence, but this street is an exception, and so is its pub. It's also handy for the river, and has recently started opening all day and allowing children in.

Should you wish to explore further, there are plenty of other Sam Smiths pubs to choose from. The Hansom Cab, in the city centre, has a nice olde worlde interior. However, being in the city centre, it does get busy and does attract all sorts - one of the downsides of cheap beer I'm afraid (aka the Weatherspoon effect). Still in the centre, but less central, is the York Arms, which also has an interesting interior. The Sea Horse Hotel is worth popping into if you're in the area (which you will be if you've just been to the Wellington), and has a rather nice front-left room. The beer garden looks suspiciously like a car park though. I've only been to the Brigadier Gerard once, but this might be worth visiting if you want to see an example of a larger Sam Smiths pub. It's named after a famous horse, not a chap with a moustache.

I've heard the brewery tap, the Angel and White Horse, in Tadcaster is well worth a visit. I've been meaning to go there for a long time. The brewery has dray horses, apparently.