Try it with a snack of unsalted nuts and Stilton, or with prime rib. Very dark, almost opaque, with an unusually silky texture and a complex, medium-dry palate. Bittersweet perhaps, with a delicious sharpness coming from a mixture of roasted barley and oatmeal. This old, country-style of beer has been revived by Sam Smith's with much care. It is a sustaining beer to serve after a country walk on a cold day and is delicious with pasta, Indian and Mexican foods.
Pale ales are the premium, bottled counterpart to English draft bitters.
Sam Smith's multiple award-winning Pale Ale is a recognized classic, especially known for the roundness of palate associated with Yorkshire technique of stone fermentation. Like a great claret, it is superb with red meats, especially roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Not bitter, it is an excellent beer for cooking. It has a rich golden color, delightful floral bouquet and light, fresh flavor. Fairly full body, and packed with flavor, yet not overpowering like some dry and bitter Dublin stouts.