Mmmm...corn syrup. I was less than complimentary, Donovan, when I wrote a review of this beer last year. But interesting that we in Canada has it before 2004. I recall having it on tap in Charlottetown PEI with a curry served by a rude if genial Australian and I moved from there in March 2003.

The bottled stuff isn't bad. Not especially good, but not bad. I wonder if all of it has corn syrup, or if they just thin out the export stuff to keep costs and prices down.

As far as where it's brewed, the Smithwick's bottle in front of me has "Brewed By Guinness and Co., Dublin, Ireland" printed on the back. It also says "imported irish ale" on the front, so I'd guess it comes from the main Guinness brewery in Ireland. The BATF is pretty strict when it comes to location descriptors, like when they made Stone take the "Russian" out of their stout, so it's a safe bet they're not making it in Canada.

Wish I could find in locally, without having to drive to Austin or San Antonio. Sounds like a nice beer.

Personally, I quite like it. Certainly not top pick of mine, but it's really not that bad.

Long available on tap in St. John's. It used to be a favorite of mine back in the late 80s/early 90s.

I had this on tap in Dublin last year, actually in the Stag's Head, one of the most beautiful pubs I have ever seen. Unfortunately it was too cold, too fizzy and too sweet. I have to agree on Alan's point that this is probably an excample of what CAMRA was established to fight. I haven't tried the bottled versin, though.

I didn't really give my tasting notes for this beer since Alan already covered that. I'm not really a fan of this beer, primarily because there are so many really good Irish red ales available that Smithwick's timid rendition doesn't stand up to the competition. Not that its a bad beer. I've happily had a few pints of the draught and the one bottle since 2004, but that's because the pubs I happened to be in at the time didn't have much of a selection.

A historical note: One of the first places to carry Smithwick's draught on Long Island was a pub in Port Jefferson called The Printer's Devil. My Wednesday pubcrawling krewe met there a few times in 2004 and early 2005. It had a U shaped bar and smartly decorated interior all done up with moveable type and printing press miscellany. The pub fare had publishing themed names like "The Editor in Chief." Unfortunately, The Printer's Devil bit the dust sometime last summer. I don't know the exact date they shut their doors, but I'm sure it wasn't because of the Smithwick's. The last time I was in The Printer's Devil, I was a little put out with them because it appeared they had stopped carrying the local Blue Point lager. For me that is a minimum requirement to qualify as a decent pub---it has to carry at least one of the locally brewed beers.

Smithwick's is my favorite beer! I had it for the first time last summer down in Savannah, Georgia both at an Irish pub and I also found it a beer import store. I have searched for it all since then in other states and I haven't been able to find it -- at least until I came back home to California and I found it on tap in my favorite Irish pub. I also saw it in a store on Memorial Day and I bought a 6'er, figuring they would keep it in stock -- but they no longer carry it! I am so bummed. I have been stuck on this beer for a year! So, I have to stick to my second favorite, Guinness, until Smithwick's becomes more popular. Also, has anyone ever tried Yeungling (I think I spelled it right) that is an awesome beer I found in Pennsylvania, but unfortunately they only market it in certain parts of the east coast! Bummer!

it makes my face red and my hands and feet itch.... what a good beer

You can purchase Smithwick's at "Bev Mo" in California for about $8.49/6 pak. With a Bev Mo card, today's price was $7.49.

Stop and Shop sells Smithwick's in New Hampshire.

AmeriMex Market in Tecate, California (population 26) has it. Right across the border from Tecate, Mexico where I live (...small miracles).

I found this brew in Nye Beach at nana's Irish pub, I fell in deep like. Now I'm looking for it in Portland.

Love this beer! I've been drinking Killian's for years, and I now find Smithwick's to be the superior. Smooth and rich. The Irish make some d*** fine beer...

I discovered this great brew in Ireland about 20 years ago and fell in love with it. Unfortunately, I never knew of its existance in the USA until now. Now I am going to hit all the local pubs & stores until I can find it here (60 miles north of L.A.)