Samuel Smith Old Brewery

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.

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.

History
Tadcaster had been a centre for brewing since the 14th century because of its gypsum rich wells. The Old Brewery was established as the Backhouse & Hartley Brewery in 1758.

In 1847, John Smith supported by his father, 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.

Samuel Smith traditional bottled beer styles influenced American craft brewers such as Goose Island and Brooklyn Brewery in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

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.

Brewing water for ales and stouts is drawn from the original 85 ft well, sunk when the site was established in 1758, and the fermentation yeast has been used continuously since approximately 1900, making it one of the oldest unchanged strains in the country.

The brewery's team of dapple-grey shire horses are among the last working dray horses in the world and deliver beer around Tadcaster.

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.

The brewery produce a range of conditioned beers. All, with the exception of Old Brewery Bitter and Yorkshire Stingo, are vegan.

In the United States, Samuel Smith's bottled beers are imported by Merchant du Vin. In Norway, by Strag AS.

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.

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.

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".

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. 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.

The brewery still delivers multiple-trip, reusable bottles in beer crates.

The pubs only sell the brewery's own branded products.

Controversies
The GMB trade union has criticised the brewery for its dismissal of pub managers.

2000
The "publicity-shy" company began to remove branding, making its public houses distinctive by their limited signage or artwork.

2004
The brewery banned music and televisions in its pubs, saving it from paying PRS fees.

2009
The brewery is a major landowner in Tadcaster and concerns were expressed in an edition of BBC Inside Out about its long-term empty properties, and excessive influence in the town.

2010
The brewery took legal action against Cropton Brewery over the latter's use of the Yorkshire white rose design for its Yorkshire Warrior beer. Mr Justice Arnold ordered Cropton to remove the emblem but criticised both breweries for not settling the matter sooner.

2011


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.

In April 2011, a gay couple were ejected from the brewery's John Snow pub, in Soho, for kissing. The pub was subsequently targeted by protestors holding a "kiss-in".

2016
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.

2017
In July 2017, without explanation, the brewery banned motorcyclists from one of their pubs. It was later reported this was to keep "undesirables" out. Established customers refused entry, because they owned motorcycles, were offended but had no legal recourse.

In October 2017, the brewery banned profanity in its pubs. The "zero-tolerance" policy requires 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.

2018
The brewery and owner Humphrey Smith were prosecuted and fined for failing to provide information regarding staff pension funds. 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".

2019
The brewery banned the use of mobile telephones, tablets, e-books and laptops within the indoor area of its pubs, with the stated aim of encouraging conversation.

2020
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the brewery was criticised by councillors in Wakefield for ordering pub staff not to implement a test and trace system in its pubs.

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.

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.