Samuel Smith Old Brewery, popularly known as Samuel Smith's or Sam Smith's, is an independent, British brewery and pub operator based in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire that traces its origins to 1758, and claims to be Yorkshire's oldest brewery.[1]
It is known for being traditionally run, still using dray horses for some beer deliveries, and banning music, television and mobile devices in its bars.[2]
History
Tadcaster had been a centre for brewing since the 14th century because of its gypsum rich wells.[1] The Old Brewery was established as the Backhouse & Hartley Brewery in 1758.[3][1]
In 1847, John Smith supported by his father,[4] a butcher and cattle dealer from Meanwood, purchased it and built his new John Smith's Brewery close by. John Smith's brother William, who ran the business after John's death in 1879, left the Old Brewery to his nephew Samuel in 1886. However, Samuel inherited an empty building and well, with all equipment having been moved next door. Nevertheless, he refitted and opened his brewery.[3][5]
In 2000, the "publicity-shy" company began to remove branding, making its public houses distinctive by their limited signage or artwork.[7]
The Old Brewery
The Old Brewery is the smallest of three current Tadcaster breweries and one of the few remaining British breweries to employ a traditional, 19th century, Yorkshire Square fermentation system constructed of Welsh slate.[1]
Brewing water for ales and stouts is drawn from the original 85 ft (26 m) well, sunk when the site was established in 1758,[2] and the fermentation yeast has been used continuously since approximately 1900, making it one of the oldest unchanged strains in the country.[citation needed]
The brewery's team of dapple-grey shire horses are among the last working dray horses in the world and deliver beer around Tadcaster.[8]
Beers
Since discontinuing Museum Ale in the early 1990s, Samuel Smith's has brewed only one cask beer, Old Brewery Bitter (OBB). This is unusual in the British brewing industry, as most brewers will either produce a range of real ales or none at all.[citation needed]
The brewery produce a range of conditioned beers. All, with the exception of Old Brewery Bitter and Yorkshire Stingo, are vegan.[9]
In the United States, Samuel Smith's bottled beers are imported by Merchant du Vin.[citation needed] In Norway, by Strag AS.[10]
Samuel Smith's Organic Cider is available in bottles, while Cider Reserve is sold on draught in the UK. The brewery offers two draught milds, Dark Mild and Light Mild. The brewery used to produce a super strength Barley Wine called Strong Golden at 10.2%. A range of bottled fruit beers are available, flavoured with cherry, apricot or raspberry.[citation needed]
Best Bitter and Sovereign are the brewery's keg bitters. It introduced Double Four in late 2013, a 4% standard strength lager between Alpine (2.8%) and Taddy Lager (4.5%). A wheat beer has been added to the draught product range, although few pubs stock it.[citation needed]
Until 2006, Samuel Smith's used the brand name Ayingerbräu for its lagers and wheat beers, from the Ayinger Brewery. The pump for Ayingerbräu Lager featured a model of a Bavarian "man in a box".[2]
Pubs
Samuel Smith's operates over 200 pubs, including 20 in central London, which are maintained traditionally. Most have multiple bar rooms, often with a spartan public bar and plusher lounge.[2] Many have frosted windows and stained glass decorations. The interiors often have either brown or beige painted walls, or elaborate wall paper. Some have notable interiors such as the Crown Inn in Wetherby which has furniture by Robert Thompson or the Princess Louise in High Holborn with booths around the bar.[11][12]
The brewery still delivers multiple-trip, reusable bottles in beer crates.[citation needed]
The pubs only sell the brewery's own branded products.[13]
In 2004,[failed verification] the brewery banned music and televisions in its pubs, reportedly to avoid paying PRS fees.[14]
The brewery has a "zero-tolerance" policy to profanity, requiring its employees not to serve customers who use offensive language. It was reported that this was part of a policy to present a traditional, "uncompromisingly Victorian" aesthetic in the brewery's pubs.[15] The pubs also ban the use of mobile phones, tablets, e-books and laptops within indoor areas, with the stated aim of encouraging conversation.[16]
In July 2017, the brewery banned motorcyclists from one of its pubs. It was later reported this was to keep "undesirables" out. One established customer was refused entry because they had arrived by motorcycle, but had no legal recourse.[17][18]
Dismissal of staff
The GMB trade union has criticised the brewery for its dismissal of pub managers.[13]
On New Year's Eve 2011, the brewery closed the Junction Inn in Royton because staff were dispensing too much beer in the glasses, and subsequently issued a retrospective surcharge for lost stock over a 12-year period.[19][20]
In August 2020, after the Cow and Calf pub in Sheffield failed to serve his favourite dessert, Humphrey Smith dismissed the managers and closed it.[21]
Controversies
The brewery is a major landowner in Tadcaster and concerns were expressed in a 2009 edition of BBC Inside Out about its long-term empty properties, and excessive influence in the town.[22] In January 2016, the brewery opposed construction, on its land in Tadcaster, of a temporary bridge over the River Wharfe, which would have allowed residents to cross, following collapse of the 300-year-old bridge. The brewery stated the £300,000 cost was a waste of public money. Local councillors urged the brewery to reconsider.[23]
In 2010, the brewery took legal action against Cropton Brewery over the latter's use of the Yorkshire white rose design[24] for its Yorkshire Warrior beer.[25]Mr Justice Arnold ordered Cropton to remove the emblem but criticised both breweries for not settling the matter sooner.[26]
In April 2011, a gay couple were ejected from the brewery's John Snow pub, in Soho, for kissing.[27] The pub was subsequently targeted by protestors holding a "kiss-in".[28]
The brewery and owner Humphrey Smith were prosecuted and fined for failing to provide information regarding staff pension funds.[29][30] Smith was accused of being "deliberately inflammatory" in his response to a request in 2015 from The Pensions Regulator, calling their request for evidence of the brewery's fiscal responsibility to its staff pension fund "tiresome".[31]
In 2021, residents and their representatives in Darley Abbey petitioned the brewery to protect its 15th century, Grade II listed Abbey pub that was falling into disrepair. It had been left empty for over two years.[34][35][36]
^"VEGAN BEER & CIDER". Lists of certified vegan beers including Imperial Stout: Samuel Smith Brewery. Archived from the original on 14 January 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013. Samuel Smith's was the first brewery to register with The Vegan Society—we did so in January 1998.
^"Strag AS". Strag.no. Archived from the original on 18 December 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2012.