Adnams Broadside Strong Original - Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery

champ103

Texas

3.68/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A: Pours a hazy copper/brown color. At first, a large beige head forms, but it recedes to a ring quickly. Light lace is left behind.
S: Sweet toasted malt with some fruity aromas of pears and apples.
T: Sweet toasted malt. Caramel and a nutty flavor. Fruity flavors that follow the nose. Some interesting spices as well.
M/D: A medium body that is well carbonated and creamy. The ABV is only at 6%, but it is still a little hot. Something to sip on.

A good English Strong Ale. Something I would recommend.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2008 04:20:08 | More by champ103

tgbljb

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

beer of the month club selection.
Poured a medium copper with abundant off-white head. Smell is very malts combined with dark fruits (plums, raisins). Taste is fruity mixed with a nice hoppy bitterness. Finishes smooth. Good drinking beer. Thanks to BA mtanji for the sample.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2005 17:35:16 | More by tgbljb

GCBrewingCo

North Carolina

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The beer poured clear deep amber. The head was off-white and lasted quite a while to eventually lace the glass.

The aroma was fruity and malty with cherries and caramel.

The flavor was fruity with cherry flavor and malty sweetness. In the background is a nice bitterness to balance the sweetness and keep it from overpowering the beer.

The finish was dry and bitter, but not unpleasant. The body was medium full.

16.9 ounce bottle. Marked at 6% ABV. Best before 26 Nov 04.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2004 23:38:19 | More by GCBrewingCo

canucklehead

British Columbia (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Brought back from UK this is a beer with a distinctive profile. The beer tasted slightly of caramel with a real semi-sweet malty finish. I really liked the fact that it created its own identity with the toffee richness. Big head on a pretty light brown body this beer is a real charmer.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2005 06:31:06 | More by canucklehead

bobsy

Ontario (Canada)

3.7/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Nicely decorated bottle illustrating an old British Warship. The name commemorate the battle of Sole Bay in 1672, where the English navy faced off against the Dutch. Purchased at the LCBO.

A majestic ruby stream eventually fills my pint glass to the brim, stirring up a rocky tan foam that strains at the edges. The liquid is dark, and very lightly hazy, yet also beguiling. The head leaves gratuitous lacing all the way down. Its porn for foam addicts. Good head indeed. Fruity malt aroma has a good scoop of yeast and some nice spicing to tempt the tastebuds. The only offputting feature is the occasional intrusion of a metallic nature, which doesn't help maintain the pleasant impression I've had so far.

The taste screams full on malt bomb with a barrage of caramel and toffee punching holes through a very thin bitterness to such an extent that it can only really become more prominent in the finish. In fact, the hops seem to be adrift at sea, and I think could play a slightly fuller role to round this one out. Overall the flavour profile reminds me a lot of Fuller's 1845, but with a touch less balance. The mouthfeel is full and satisfying - one would almost say chewy - which compliments the toffee and caramel profile nicely.

Overall, its a satisfying drink for colder weather. The remaining sugars make this a sweet (but not sickly) sipper, with just the right amount of body to provide the depth and meat of a heavy hitter.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2010 00:25:37 | More by bobsy

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

4.35/5  rDev +11%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Adnams Broadside Original Ale- alc 6% by Vol.
1 pt .9 fl oz

Appearance: a beautiful reddish brown with a thick creamy tan head.
Smell: Floral with lotsa hops. A little piney.
Taste: very good! Bitter with a snap of hops.

Overall a very good beer. I'll buy again.

Serving type: bottle

12-24-2003 00:18:54 | More by NJpadreFan

grub

Ontario (Canada)

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle, best before 11 JUN 09. label indicates 6.3% abv. sampled dec 17/08.

pours deep red-brown with a thick tan head. the head drops fairly fast, but leaves a thick layer of lace behind.

aroma is good. big and malty. caramel and toffee. biscuit and multi-grain bread. light alcohol. slightly earthy and woody. a bit of spicy hop presence.

taste is good. just over medium bitterness level. touch of alcohol. loads of chewy biscuit and multi-grain bread here too, with the caramel and toffee taking more of a back seat. touch of butterscotch too. the earthy and spicy hops are joined by a floral and almost perfumey component. just a hint of grapefruit and tangerine.

mouthfeel is great. medium-full body from the nice chewy malt. medium carbonation level. i think i'd like this one with just a touch less carbonation, and bet it would be excellent on cask.

drinkability is good. nice balance, solid malty base, and great english hop character. good stuff. even with the moderate ABV, i'm tempted to throw a few of these in the cellar and see how they change. i think that caramel+malt would really come to life once the bitterness mellowed a little, likely approaching more of an old ale character. still, a fine brew as it stands today.

Serving type: bottle

12-17-2008 22:51:54 | More by grub

dsa7783

New Jersey

4.38/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Single bottle copped for $3.99 from Wine and Liquor Outlet in Boonton...
Pours a ruby-red, mahogany-brown hue with a copious amount of lacing and a decent-sized foamy and frothy head that exhibited impressive staying power before slowly dissipating...
Smell was bursting with rich malts balanced by a nice suggestion of hops, caramel, and vanilla...
Taste was very similar to the smell, with noticeable manifestations of honey, vanilla, caramel, sugars, nicely balanced with a touch of hops and malts, grains, and a fresh, crisp, flavor of figs and prunes along with an obvious toffe taste and a hint of bread and butter... More malty than hoppy, but an excellent balance of both, true-to-the-style without a doubt, bursting with quality...
Overall, this one is certainly on-point for an English Strong Ale - one of the best representations I've come across... this one is the real thing - Definitely recommended with an ultra-easy level of drinkability that combined great flavor and taste without any cloying or interfering flavors... Recommended...

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2008 23:21:23 | More by dsa7783

ADZA

Australia

3.75/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The brew pours a see through mahogany hue with decent carbonation that leaves behind a two finger fast vanishing head with sporadic lacing,the smell is xmas pudding,brandy and earthy hops,it has a medium bodied mouthfeel and has tastes of xmas pudding,caramel,burnt toffee,fruit bread and finished with a plum jam dryness and definately moreish and overall a nice drop thats very drinkable and hides its high ABV very well.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2011 07:26:11 | More by ADZA

RBorsato

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Copper brown with a nice light brown head, decent carbonation, and sheets of lace. Sweet malty aroma and a bit nutty. Nutty malt flavors with a bit of cherry-like fruitiness; nicely balanced and not too sweet. Medium-full bodied and smooth with a drying malt finish.

Per BOM notes: Gold - 2003 GBBF - Strong Bitter.
English Maris Otter.
English Challenger, Fuggles and Goldings hops.

Lot #: 5069
Tasted: 11/07/05

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2005 19:40:01 | More by RBorsato

claspada

New Jersey

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Aromas are definitely not the strong suit of this beer. Slight toasted pale and sweet caramel malts. The earthy English hops are most prevalent but not "fresh" if that makes sense.

The tastes begin with a solid Marris Otter English pale malt backbone with complementary lesser caramel sweet maltiness. Hope soon join the picture; strong bitterness from the spicy and earthy English hops. Really one of the better/lingering bitter flavor profile of any English beer I have had lately. As it warms you get some nice English fruit yeast flavor contributions.

Mouthfeel is medium-full mouthfeel that makes the beer a pleasure to drink. Hops add a nice drying finish. Overall this is definitely one of the better English Strong Ales I have had in recently memory. ABV is well masked and the flavors and pleasant bitter finish make up for the average aromas. Recommended over the ESB from Adanams; both are good, but not revolutionary, but that is not their purpose.

Serving type: bottle

05-31-2011 14:29:38 | More by claspada

BretSikkink

Mexico

3.65/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Unusual bottle, best by, blurb about the Battle of Sole Bay in 1672. Longer version is on the four pack container. 6%, good number for an ESB. Pours a little darker than I thought, maroon or ruby highlights. Too dark I think.

S: Very good; darker fruits than the style would normally have: fig or currant. Dark malt, slight yeast emerges.

T: Not exactly what I associate with Extra Special Bitter. This is definitely a strong bitter, although not particularly bitter. The hop profile is largely in the background, I get dark fruits, some citric hop but not much [not much citric either; the packaging says marmalade, who am I to disagree], and mostly roasty malt.

M: Rather thick, more so as the beer warms. Unusually for an ESB, I would recommend serving cold. Good quote from an occasional beer drinker: "It tastes like cough syrup."

D: Not great, the end of one makes you not really want another. Not crisp and refreshing or particularly true to the style. It's a good beer, but not really what it says it is. Recommended for dark Belgian ale fans moreso than British IPA/bitter fans.

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2007 03:01:02 | More by BretSikkink

lackenhauser

Maryland

4.55/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

Poured a deep amber color-on the border of brown.Huge foamy head that slowly receeded and continued down the glass.Big malt aroma-hints of caramel.Somewhat spicy.Great flavor-malty with notes of chocolate and caramel.Big,full mouthfeel.Velvety smooth.Great residual sweetness.A great beer I could drink all night.Some of the recent British beers I have had are really lacking something-this makes up for all them in a big way.

Serving type: bottle

07-05-2004 22:47:16 | More by lackenhauser

thierrynantes

France

3.85/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer bottle (50 cl.) purchased from Bières & Chopes, and tasted in 2011.

Appearance : reddish amber color, with white foam head.
Smell : malty aromas.
Taste and mouthfeel : roasted malts, with notes of wood and bitter finish.
Drinkability : a good beer in the style English Strong Ale.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 20:27:51 | More by thierrynantes

Offa

California

4.93/5  rDev +25.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

This is a wonderful example of a characterful English ale that achieves great richness and complexity on relatively modest strength.

Deep reddish brown – but bright – it has a medium off-white head that slowly thins to foamy ring and some lace.

Aroma is wonderful, rich caramelized dark bread rum-soaked dried fruits – raisins and figs – hint of gingerbread, jammy fruit, hints of metal and earth. It is very English.

Taste is similar, extremely rich and complex, engaging and lively. It has rich spicy-sweet caramelized dark breads, rum-soaked dried cherries and caramelised jam, a hint of plum pudding, strong earthy-toasty finish and earthy-spicy bitterness. It has amazing richness of character whilst remaining light and engaging. It is somewhat similar to another favourite of mine, Fuller’s 1845.

Serving type: bottle

06-15-2012 07:02:40 | More by Offa

DogFood11

California

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a deep shade of copper, medium carbonation. Forms a decent white head that has some girth to it. Lacing is minimal.

Not alot to the nose. Some dark fruits and sweet malts are about all that come through in the smell. The taste? Boy oh boy what a nice fruitiness to this beer. A deep berry type presence mixed with a lighter more citrusy pineapple and buried in a mix of charred malt and caramel. Alcohol grows as it warms and is a welcomed change from the rich malty goodness.

Notes: Tasted pretty damn nice. Missed alot of the other categories in my opinion. Rather heavy for the style in the mouthfeel, kinda syrupy at times. Bit of a tinny presence as well. All told this is probably the last I'll have of this. In order to pay import prices I'll have to have a stunner to keep up the purchases.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2006 03:55:33 | More by DogFood11

Absumaster

Netherlands

4.2/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A dark brown, copper beer with a creamy crude head.

Smell is malty with nutty, caramel layers. The yeast is fruity and it has some hoppy, earthy flavors.

Taste of palemalt, nutty, light roasted, a bit husky, and earthy. The top layer of caramalts only enforce the great depth of maltiness. Bitterness is high for style, it balances the sweet malts. Fruit notes given by the yeast of grapes and peach. Body is a bit sweet, but well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2008 09:12:19 | More by Absumaster

marc77

California

3.83/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Slightly murked ruddy chestnut hue. Mountainous, fluffy light tan head leaves frothy lace. Mellow notes of singed toffee and licorice in aroma, accompanied by earthy hop and trace butterscotch. Just a touch too soft aromawise, but welcoming nonetheless. In flavor, prevalent in malt character is an impression of treacle sweetened burnt biscuit and raisin. After a deliberation, dryish, baker's chocolate melds with butterscotch and dark crystal malt tones to lend a cocoa dusted caramel candy impression. Hop bitterness creeps in, soundly offsetting caramel sweetness and lending overall balance. Undertone of candied fig augments as the beer warms. Mild woody hop flavor complements bitter chocolate notes. Agreeably dextrinous in mouthfeel, but not overly so. Finishes with a surprising surge of hop bitterness that yields to a continution of burnt malt tones. A flavorful, rather complex ale that's seemingly a hybrid of a true ESB and English old ale. Not every flavor component coalesces, however, thus precluding excellence. Regardless, Broadside is certainly worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

06-14-2004 00:40:59 | More by marc77

wedge

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz.

Dark burnt reddish copper hue - creamy head is modest in size. Rich aroma of sweet toasted caramel, bread, and a fruity alcohol character. Taste is quite bready at first followed by sweet barley malt and toasted caramel. Little to no hops but pleasant woody, apple and cherry flavors. Mouthfeel is pretty full and textured with a dry finish.

All kinds of hefty malts in this beer. This would probably make a great Fall season ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-05-2006 02:50:48 | More by wedge

granger10

Wisconsin

4.3/5  rDev +9.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Really nice deep auburn color with a creamy tan head. Fruity aroma with some hops but a little vegetable note in there as well. Taste is very creamy on the mouth with a rich caramel sweetness and good English hop hit on the backside that provides a fruityness. Slight buttery note actually helps the smoothness of this really thick, chewy bready body. It all works here. Depth is an issue and the richness could be overwhelming after a few but overall this is simply a really well made English ale.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2005 14:54:01 | More by granger10

allergictomacros

Ontario (Canada)

3.55/5  rDev -9.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Dark and hazy ruby red, really good tan foam. Rocky and creamy.

S - Hoppy and malty. Typical EPA qualities. Slight sharpness with a hint of grain and coffee.

T - Kind of a heavy beer. Slightly metallic and nutty with coffee and fruitiness. Fairly bitter finish.

M - Medium-heavy without being creamy. Medium carbonation.

D - Somewhat complex. Not a sessioning beer. Fairly tasty and worth trying.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2008 02:51:46 | More by allergictomacros

daliandragon

North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Another one I remember trying during my time in the British Isles but that was long before I really learned to appreciate beer aso lets give it a more scientific effort. Most obvious initial feature is sticky lacing but also exhibits a thick, rocky head and a dark brown color with an orange tint at its extremities. Nose is spice, hops and malt. Looking very good indeed.

A broad river of English hop flavor. Refreshing, but followed by a slightly metallic aftertaste. Mouthfeel carries the body well enough and has minimal carbonation.

This was very good but I still feel somewhat disappointed after the almost amazing appearance. Stiill, a highly regarded English pale ale.

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2006 05:05:19 | More by daliandragon

Monkeyknife

Missouri

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured a bottle a cloudy, dark red-amber with a creamy beige head and a touch of lacing.

Aroma of sweet malts, raisins, and caramel.

The first thing I note in the taste is an abundance of raisins followed by a sweet maltiness. Alcohol is hardly noticeable.

Medium mouthfeel with a slight oiliness and moderate carbonation.

This is one of the better English strong Ales I've had. Easy to drink and enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2008 21:34:02 | More by Monkeyknife

aracauna

Georgia

3.5/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This is a beautiful color, a deep ruby that’s fairly clear. The head is a bit fizzy, and fades incompletely pretty fast. This is a malty beer. A little wood and a good bit of caramel, brown sugar and cherries. Not a lot of hops present and a bit sweet in the finish.

Serving type: bottle

05-08-2004 06:31:18 | More by aracauna

tmoneyba

Ohio

3.48/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle.

Poured dark brownish hue with medium off-white head that diminished slowly with fair lacing. Good aroma of malt and sweet fruit. Medium body with flat carbonation. Medium sweet flavor with small bitter finish of moderate duration.

My expectations where met.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2008 14:06:08 | More by tmoneyba