Smithwick’s Irish Ale (12 oz. bottle)
Item Purchased: Smithwick’s Irish Ale (12 oz. bottle)
Location Purchased: Miller’s Pub / 134 S. Wabash / Chicago, IL
Price: $4.50
Review: Despite being a bit overpriced and filled with the convention/wedding/tourist crowd from the Palmer House Hilton next door, Miller’s sort of became an after-work haunt for me on weekends when I started my weekend restaurant job. There are plenty of reasons to steer clear of this place such as the aforementioned crowds and the stringy-haired regular who always stands around the front of the bar making conversation with anyone who will listen, drinking/spilling martinis and talking at a volume loud enough to make you work at ignoring him. I keep coming back because of the bartenders who are nothing but classy and friendly. Most notably, there is Luke, who usually works at the front of the bar. In my mind, Luke is one of the few bartenders in this city who knows how to be a bartender. He knows when to engage a person in conversation, when to leave you alone and, when you could still smoke inside of Miller’s, always had a light for your cigarette.
Since it was Maewyn’s Day, I decided to have an Irish beer. I’m not one for celebrating severely Americanized holidays, but…what the hell.
Smithwick’s Irish Ale is made by the good people at Guinness breweries. Inspired by a recipe that dates back to the 1700’s, this pale ale has a hint of sweetness to it at first taste. Unfortunately, the bitterness that kicks in afterwards lasts a bit too long for my tastes. Not as bad as most pales I’ve tried, Smithwick would be a good beer to remember if you happen to see it on special at an Irish pub, but as a regular drink, this beer fails. It is too expensive for too common a taste.
Rating: 2.75 / 5
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