1. 25 October 2010 · 08:28 PM ·

    Samuel Smith - India Ale

    It’s that time of the year again.  School mid terms are looming overhead for all the students in the world, while the market is already flooding the shelves with gift sets and nic nacks.  Today was only one of my mid terms.  A very long multiple choice test on the basics of sociology.  I managed to make it though the test with enough time to get home by 2pm.

    I arrived home only to realize that I was hungry and more importantly, thirsty.  So my roommate Terry and I made a quick trip to ValuMarket.  Of course I cannot help but browse though the pretty amazing  beer selection and subsequently the shelves of beer and glassware sets for the upcoming holidays.  Terry and I left the store with a bag of saffron rice, black beans, and a Samuel Smith sampler pack with a brand new shiny glass.

    Obviously, we can see how my budget is divided.  Anyway, I digress.  Terry and I went home to cook up some rice and beans, and of course drink some beer.  The first of the sampler pack was the Samuel Smith India Ale.  As I poured this simpthele IPA into my brand spakin new glass, and immediately noticed the aroma.  A very light clean aroma of hops, with subtle spice and citrus.   It made me think of how I should be eating a fresh summer salad instead of the four dollars worth of rice and beans. 

    The color was a clear amber with swift moving bubbles rushing to the top.  Top that off with a light tan head with strong retention sticking to the sides.  Tasting it reminded me of that salad I was craving.  A very dry malt flavor with perfect notes of spicey hops.  Perhaps I should start budgeting much better with my grocery shopping.  A salad would have been much better, although more expensive, then simple rice and beans, but there is no way in hell I’d budget out any beer.