Samuel Smith's is one of the breweries most rooted in brewing tradition British and, in particular, that of the renowned Yorkshire, land of endless, gloomy, legendary, and exciting beer hunting. This brewery is living history, just think that in Tadcaster, where the brewery is located, and surrounding areas, beer is delivered daily by a horse-drawn carriage.
Not only that, because Samuel Smith's facility is one of the few that still uses the square stone vessels typical of the region, made of solid blocks of slate, to ferment all the pale ales and stouts (except for the Sovereign and the Extra Stout). Additionally, the same yeast strain has been used since the 1800s. Furthermore, some of Samuel Smith's beers still undergo a "conditioning" phase in oak casks, which are manufactured and repaired at the Old Brewery by a cooper who works full-time for the brewery.