# AleSmith Brewing Company

AleSmith Brewing Company is an American craft brewery in San Diego, California. It specializes in handcrafted ales in a variety of styles. As of 2015 it produces about 25,000 barrels of beer a year.

## History

The brewery was founded in San Diego in 1995 by Skip Virgilio and Ted Newcomb. Skip Virgilio was AleSmith's original brewmaster. Peter Zien became brewmaster upon purchasing the company in July, 2002. Zien is a BJCP "Grand Master level 1" beer judge, the only one in San Diego County.
The original brewery is located at 9366 Cabot Drive in San Diego's Miramar area. In 2015 the company added a larger brewery and tasting room, also in Miramar, at 9990 AleSmith Court. At 25,000 square feet, the tasting room is billed as the largest beer tasting room in San Diego County. Brewing operations at the new facility will eventually expand the company's brewing capacity ten-fold, according to Zien.
Beers from the brewery have been rated on RateBeer.com website as #1 Top Brewer in the World 2006 and again in 2013. In 2008, AleSmith was awarded "Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year" at the Great American Beer Festival.
In 2015, AleSmith announced that Danish gypsy brewer Mikkeller had partnered with them to turn the original facility, located on Cabot Drive, into Mikkeller San Diego.

## Awards

The company has won ten medals in World Beer Cup competition, including six golds. They won for Wee Heavy (gold, 2020); Belgian Strong Ale (bronze, 1998); Winter YuleSmith (gold, 2004); Vintage AleSmith Old Numbskull (gold, 2008); AleSmith Decadence '05 Old Ale (gold, 2008); AleSmith Wee Heavy (gold, 2010); AleSmith Decadence '09 Weizenbock (bronze, 2010); AleSmith Decadence '10 Old Ale (silver, 2012); AleSmith Old Numbskull (bronze, 2012); AleSmith Old Ale '13 (gold, 2014).
At the 2008 Great American Beer Festival, AleSmith Brewing Company won the Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year Award. By 2013, the AleSmith team had acquired 16 GABF beer medals: Belgian-Style Strong Ale (silver, 1998); Stumblin’ Monk (bronze, 2000); Wee Heavy Scotch Ale (bronze, 2004); AleSmith IPA (bronze, 2005); Wee Heavy Scotch Ale (silver, 2005); Vintage Speedway Stout (silver, 2008); Old Numbskull Barley Wine (silver, 2008); Decadence ‘05 Old Ale (gold, 2008); Wee Heavy Scotch Ale (gold, 2008); AleSmith IPA (silver, 2011); Old Numbskull Barley Wine (silver, 2011); Decadence ’10 Old Ale (silver, 2011); Grand Cru (bronze, 2012); Decadence ’10 Old Ale (bronze, 2012); Old Numbskull Barley Wine (gold, 2013); Decadence ‘12 Quadruple (silver, 2013); Nut Brown (bronze, 2019)

## The beers

AleSmith's beers are inspired by the brewing styles of Great Britain and Belgium. Some AleSmith beers, such as their Cream Ale and Robust Porter Beer, are only offered on draft or in kegs at the brewery. The majority, however, are available in 22-ounce or 750 ml bottles. These brews are listed below.

### Year-round brews

| Name | Style | ABV | IBU | Original Gravity | Serving Temp. | Serving Glass |
| Anvil ESB | ESB | 5.5% | 30 | 1.055 | 45°-50° | Pint |
| Grand Cru | Belgian Strong Dark Ale | 10.0% | 17 | 1.088 | 50°-55° | Tulip |
| Horny Devil | Belgian Golden Ale | 10.0% | 25 | 1.081 | 50°-55° | Tulip |
| IPA | American IPA | 7.25% | 73 | 1.066 | 45°-50° | Pint |
| ‘Lil’ Devil | Belgian Pale Ale | 5.75% | 24 | 1.050 | 45°-50° | Tulip |
| Nut Brown Ale | Brown Ale | 5.0% | 17 | 1.054 | 45°-50° | Pint |
| Old Numbskull | American Barleywine | 11.0% | 96 | 1.106 | 50°-55° | Tulip |
| Speedway Stout | Imperial Stout | 12.0% | 70 | 1.114 | 50°-55° | Tulip |
| Wee Heavy | Scotch Ale | 10.0% | 26 | 1.102 | 50°-55° | Tulip |
| X - Extra Pale Ale | American Pale Ale | 5.25% | 35 | 1.048 | 45°-50° | Pint | .394 IPA | 6% |

### Seasonal Brews

| Name | Availability | Style | ABV | IBU | Original Gravity | Serving Temp. | Serving Glass |
| Decadence | Year Round | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | 50°-55° | Tulip |
| Evil Dead Red | September/October | American Amber | 6.66% | 24 | 1.073 | 45°-50° | Pint |
| My Bloody Valentine | January/February | American Amber | 6.66% | 24 | 17.5°P | 45°-50° | Pint |
| Olde Ale | Spring | Old Ale | 11.0% | 25 | 1.110 | 50°-55° | Snifter |
| Summer YuleSmith | July/August | Double IPA | 8.5% | 105 | 1.080 | 45°-50° | Pint |
| Winter YuleSmith | November/December | American Amber | 8.5% | 48 | 1.090 | 50°-55° | Pint |

### Barrel-Aged Brews

| Name | Style | ABV | IBU | Original Gravity | Serving Temp. | Serving Glass |
| BA Grand Cru | Barrel Aged Belgian Strong Dark Ale | 10.0% | 17 | 1.088 | 50°-55° | Tulip |
| BA Old Numbskull | Barrel Aged American Barleywine | 11.0% | N/A | 1.106 | 50°-55° | Tulip |
| BA Speedway Stout | Barrel Aged Imperial Stout | 12.0% | N/A | 1.111 | 50°-55° | Tulip |
| BA Wee Heavy | Barrel Aged Scotch Ale | 10% | N/A | 1.096 | 50°-55° | Tulip |

## Artwork

AleSmith's bottles are often accompanied by the trademark AleSmith anvil.