Samuel Smith's Brewery Apricot Ale

**Aroma:** “Sweet caramel, toast, and toffee notes with a floral and earthy hops character. Esters evoke fresh cut Red Delicious apples or an orange grove after the rain. Not much hops aroma, but other components more than make up for its absence.” **Flavor:** “Caramel and toasty malt sweetness with a touch of floral and spiced hops notes. That blend of fruity yeast esters plays off the complex and delicious malt profile. The apple and pear flavors work wonderfully with the bread crust. Lingering bitterness is just a touch harsh. **Overall:** “Very enjoyable malt-forward pale ale with subtle floral and earthy hops. The bold fruit flavors and sweet malt make this both a warming and refreshing treat. Finishes medium sweet with some tartness in the aftertaste. Great beer to have for lunch while skiing! Tastes like caramel apples—a wonderfully complex and tasty beer with flavors not often found in this style. Unusual, well done, and welcomed.”

**Aroma:** “A big blend of red and green apples with light sugar, a bit of alcohol, and low spicy yeast elements. It’s very bright with light hints of grape and floral notes. Slight chardonnay-like fermenta- tion esters and a touch of malic acidity.” **Flavor:** “Super clean fermentation char- acteristics and big apple flavors lead to a medium-dry slightly tannic finish with lingering tart/sour notes. Slightly bitter in the finish, but not off-putting. Appropriate low alcohol warming and moderately low carbonation mitigates the bitterness. Light apple, fruity, with a touch of that grape from the nose.” **Overall:** “Full-flavored cider with big apple flavors that still tastes ‘crushable.’ Simple and straightforward, the apple is so clear and obvious, but finishes crisp with a cleansing carbonation and acidity. Strong apple aroma and other esters make this a pleasant drink that you can drink for some time.”

__Aroma:__ “Pronounced vanilla, milk, chocolate, and molasses on the nose, and it’s sweet and inviting, like a chocolate candy bar or milkshake. Some cherries and coconut are also present. A wonderfully fragrant beer.” __Flavor:__ “So smooth and creamy, like adult chocolate milk. Vanilla and chocolate hit up front, giving way to the sweetness. It’s very sweet, with big chocolate, fruit, vanilla, coconut, and cherries, with some roast and a very small floral hops presence that give a clean balance to the finish. Dangerously smooth.” __Overall:__ “This is a very easy-drinking beer that tastes just like chocolate milk. The sweetness, cream, and chocolate dominate, and a touch more roast would have perfectly balanced the sweetness. Overall, it’s a great beer if you are interested in a sweet stout that really showcases chocolate, cream, and slight vanilla.”