I'm having a very Irish day. Just saw my last name plastered over a street sign, so I went and bought some smithwick's. Here is my breakdown:
Irish ale
Hoppy aroma
Medium to light bitterness
Crisp and flavorful
Dark Copper-coloured tint
Wiki
Smithwick's Draught has a ruby red tone with a stable, but slightly thin head. It is produced using hops and special roasted, malted barley. Its texture is smooth and refined, with a bitter and complex finish. Although of lesser fame than Guinness, Smithwicks is often regarded as the 'local favourite' amongst Irish pubgoers (particularly in South Leinster, the province in which, Kilkenny City and County are located). Smithwick's is however, in a state of managed decline in Ireland, retaining around 4% market share for beer.[7] In 2004, Diageo PLC began distribution in the USA. Smithwick's had previously been marketed in Canada with great success.
Also worthy of note:
Regional Pronunciation
Due to the differing accent and dialects of Ireland, it is generally pronounced /ˈsmɪθɨks/, /ˈsmɪtɨks/, /ˈsmɪdɨks/ or /ˈsmɛθɨks/ there. When ordering in the USA, /ˈsmɪθɨks/ or /ˈsmɪdɨks/ is preferred, while /ˈsmɪdɨks/ is the most prevalent pronunciation in Canada.
"In the Old Kilkenny Review, year unknown, Peter Smithwick, K.M., Solicitor, wrote that the tradition of Kilkenny is that Sullivan’s Brewery was founded in 1702... Daniel Sullivan, allegedly a Protestant, bought the property in trust for Pierse Bryan of Jenkinstown, who was Catholic but prohibited by the Penal Laws from buying land... Twenty years later a Protestant informer got a decree declaring himself the owner of the property...The property was on the West side of High Street, "standing backward in James’ Street." It is believed that this was the site of Sullivan’s Brewery, the forerunner of Smithwicks."
