Samuel Smith Organic Lager 550ML

Samuel Smith Organic Lager 550ML is a certified organic bottom-fermented lager brewed at 5.0% ABV in a generous 550ml bottle by Yorkshire's oldest brewery. Rated 86 out of 100 ("Very Good") on BeerAdvocate, this English lager stands apart through its exclusive use of organic malted barley and organic hops, producing a clean, brilliantly conditioned beer with genuine depth of flavor.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.0%  |  Origin: Tadcaster, Yorkshire, England  |  Style: Organic Lager  |  Brewery: Samuel Smith Old Brewery  |  OG: 1.045  |  IBU: 25

Production & Heritage

Samuel Smith Old Brewery in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, holds the distinction of being Yorkshire's oldest brewery. The brewery is also the last in England to employ the classic Yorkshire Square system of fermentation — stone vessels carved from solid slabs of slate — though that method is reserved for its ales and stouts. This organic lager takes a different path: it is brewed with bottom-fermenting yeast and matured at low temperatures in the traditional lager method, using only certified organic malted barley, organic hops, water, yeast, and carbon dioxide. The result is a lager that reflects English brewing heritage while adhering to strict organic production standards.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Floral hop character leads, followed by light bready malt and a subtle herbal undertone. The nose is clean and inviting without any aggressive bitterness.

Taste: The entry is smooth with pure barley malt sweetness that immediately registers as well-rounded rather than sharp. Mid-palate, herbal hop flavors emerge in careful balance with the grain, while a gentle carbonation keeps the medium body lively. At its peak, the beer achieves an equilibrium of malt and hops that avoids leaning too heavily in either direction.

Finish: Soft and moderately dry, with a delicate hop character that fades cleanly. Lingering notes of pale grain and a faint herbal bitterness leave the palate refreshed.

How to Drink Samuel Smith Organic Lager

Pour into a pilsner glass or tulip pint glass to appreciate its bright straw-gold color and lively carbonation; serve chilled between 4–7°C (39–45°F). This lager is at its best consumed fresh and cold, where the clean malt and floral hop profile can express themselves fully.

• Shandy: Its balanced malt-to-hop ratio blends seamlessly with fresh lemonade for a classic British summer drink.
• Michelada: The clean, medium body holds up well against lime juice, hot sauce, and Worcestershire without being overwhelmed.
• Beer Cocktail with Elderflower: A splash of elderflower cordial highlights the lager's existing floral hop notes for a fragrant, low-ABV serve.

Best For

• Introducing someone to organic craft beer with an accessible, well-known heritage brand
• Pairing with a casual weekend barbecue or garden party
• Building a curated Samuel Smith tasting flight alongside their Organic Pale Ale and Organic Cider
• Gifting to a beer drinker who values sustainable, certified organic ingredients

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Samuel Smith Organic Lager taste like? It delivers pure barley malt flavor balanced by herbal, floral hops with a clean, crisp character and medium body. The finish is soft and moderately dry with no harsh bitterness.

How does Samuel Smith Organic Lager compare to Pinkus Organic Helles? Both are certified organic lagers from heritage breweries, but Samuel Smith's version is English-brewed with a slightly rounder malt body at 25 IBU, while Pinkus Organic Helles follows a German brewing tradition that tends toward a drier, more mineral-driven profile. The 550ml bottle format also gives the Samuel Smith offering a distinctive serving size advantage over the typical 330ml German bottle.

Is Samuel Smith Organic Lager good for beginners? Absolutely — its 5.0% ABV, balanced hop bitterness at 25 IBU, and clean malt flavor make it highly approachable for anyone new to craft or organic beer.

Where is Samuel Smith Organic Lager made? It is brewed at the Samuel Smith Old Brewery in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England — Yorkshire's oldest brewery, which has been producing beer from the same site for generations.

What foods pair well with Samuel Smith Organic Lager? Grilled chicken or fish, where the lager's crispness cuts through charred fat. Fish and chips, a classic English pairing that lets the malt body complement the batter. Light salads with vinaigrette, which mirror the beer's herbal hop notes. Mild cheeses such as young cheddar or Wensleydale, where the carbonation cleanses the palate. Sushi or sashimi, where the clean finish avoids competing with delicate fish.

What sizes does Samuel Smith Organic Lager come in? The standard format is a 550ml bottle, consistent with Samuel Smith's traditional English bottle sizing across most of their range.

Is Samuel Smith Organic Lager worth the price? It positions as a modestly premium organic lager, and the 550ml format provides more beer per bottle than the standard 330ml or 355ml offerings from many competitors. The certified organic ingredients, heritage brewery provenance, and consistently strong community ratings (86/100 on BeerAdvocate) support its positioning well above mainstream lager pricing.

Why Samuel Smith Organic Lager?

What earns this lager its reputation is the rare combination of certified organic ingredients and a brewery with genuine historical significance — Samuel Smith Old Brewery remains Yorkshire's oldest and the last English brewery still using slate Yorkshire Squares for its ales. The organic lager itself is brewed with a focused ingredient list of just five components, letting the quality of the organic malted barley and hops carry the flavor rather than relying on adjuncts or additives. With an 86/100 BeerAdvocate rating and over 41,000 ratings on Untappd averaging 3.5 out of 5, this is an organic lager that has earned broad credibility among beer enthusiasts rather than relying on its organic label alone.