Adnams Broadside - Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery

Radome

Spain

4.08/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Served from a 500 ml bottle into a goblet. The beer was bought off the shelf in England.

A - The color is a rich, deep garnet brown, the deepest copper you could have before being called pure brown. It is crystal clear. The head is tan, thick and sticky; made up of large, oil-sheened bubbles that leave lots of lacing.

S - The aroma was surprisingly hop oriented after the initial pour. I was surprised because I expected more malt balance. As the beer warmed and breathed, more malt came out and the earthy, woody hops faded a bit. Warm bready malt and raisins balanced the hops eventually, making it very inviting.

T - The taste is balanced as well, but leans slightly toward malt. The malt is Warm and bready, with some raisin, brown sugar and even molasses notes. The hops are there, but at a lower level, with earthy and woody being the best way I could describe them. The finish is slightly sweet, but not too cloying.

M - Medium to heavy body, which is appropriate for this flavorful beer. The carbonation is smooth but noticeable. Some low to moderate hops bitterness. Alcohol is detectable, but not at a hot level.

O - This is a nice ESB with plenty of aromas and flavors running around in it. It is a bit too thick and chewy for me to want to drink more than one, but it's a nice sipper.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 21:12:33 | More by Radome

mizx

United Kingdom (England)

3.99/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle (Best Before dated: 30/11/13)

Very nice clear dark ruby colour with an off-white one finger head, quickly subsiding to a thin cap with just a little spotty lacing. Aromas of sweet malt, some dark fruit and breadiness. Sweet malt taste with some spice and fruitiness, balanced hop bitterness comes through in the slightly dry finish, nice lasting aftertaste. Medium mouthfeel and carbonation.

I've not had Fullers ESB for a while, and that might just be better; this is a moreish beer I'd definately buy again.

Serving type: bottle

02-11-2013 20:52:00 | More by mizx

Idris

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I am self-confessed big fan of the ESB style. I find it to be a highly underrated style, with balanced and, I dare say, often nuanced flavor profile. This beer presents as a clear ruby-tinged brown brew with an off-white head that quickly retreats, leaving a billowy island in the center of my tulip glass I utilize for evaluation. Sweet malts, very subtle dark fruit, and a hint of breadiness commands me to take a sip. Malt sweetness, a hint of hop spice, and candied fruits abound in the palate, with a finish a touch dryer than anticipated. Medium mouthfeel, no obvious flaws, and the desire to have another (which really is the hallmark of a good beer). Well done.

Serving type: bottle

01-24-2013 10:24:59 | More by Idris

sommersb

Tennessee

4.21/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Tasted On: 01-20-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 500ml. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Tulip pint
Purchased: Single from Brawley's Beverage, Charlotte

A: Clear beer, with a bright ruby color. The head is a good size and off-white in color. Retention is good and the lacing is very attractive.

S: Sweet malts, with caramel, nut, and bready aspects. Aromas are clean and very pleasant - makes me want to take a sip!

T: Taste is firstly malty sweet, with the caramel and nut flavors as noted in the aroma. I also get some bitterness of earthy hops and a slight orange/fruity component.

M: Body is medium, with an average amount of carbonation. The finish is more dry than you get in the initial tasting, but still is big on the caramel malts. The English hops keep everything in check for a nice balance.

O: Overall I really enjoyed this beer and would recommend it as a solid session ale.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2013 00:54:47 | More by sommersb

FLima

Brazil

3.55/5  rDev -8.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured a nice two finger head that quickly left a thin constant lacy.
Dark brown ruby color.
Mild malty aroma with a hint of piney hops.
Medium body and low carbonation with tiny bubbles.
Sweet malty taste with some refreshing hops and hints of caramel. Hints of dried fruits.
Sweet and bitter aftertaste, a bit dry.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 23:30:00 | More by FLima

ramseye4

Virginia

4/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a pint glass at 6:40 Am on thanksgiving after working 12 hours in a first responder capacity... and man is it tasty.

A=Simply one of the best looking beers I have ever seen. A beautiful amber mahogany color with a finger of head that slowly leaves lacing oozing down the glass

S=Tons of malt, a bit of toffee

T=Sweet, slightly fruity with toffee and pronounced malt in the finish

M=bit thin for my liking, but nothing that detracts from the overall experience

O=Great all around beer, and one definitely worth trying

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 11:44:25 | More by ramseye4

Oakenator

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an ruby-brown - a really nice color. Head is decent at pour but disappates somewhat quickly - somewhat expected with this style of beer. Smell is bready malt and spices. Mouthfeel is good for this traditional English beer but from a bottle. Taste is like a English bitter but with a deeper depth of flavor - stronger malts, some mild hoping and in addition to the notes picked up on aroma the taste adds a bitter/sweet finish - a honey or a nice dark sugar. Good beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2012 01:16:13 | More by Oakenator

OtherShoe2

Massachusetts

3.68/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours dark amber with a slight bubbly head. Just a ring left, spotty lace.

Big candied, sweet dried stone fruit and toffee aromas.

What you smell is what you get. Huge candied flavors that dissolve into lightly bitter malt. Dried fruits, some apricot, some prune, toffee, then smooth lingering bitterness. I really like the complexity, but this one is a big fruity mess. Big malt at the end, if it helps, but sugary fruit still peeks thru.

Medium bodied, a bit on the flat side, but that is ok.

Not bad. I don't hate this, and the brew isn't flawed with a bad decision...just too many elements. As rich as this is, the entire fruit basket kinda kills this, even with the bitter at the end. Decent beer, but not the best ESB I've had.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 20:31:59 | More by OtherShoe2

DoubleJ

California

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Going down the Adnams road again. 500 ml bottle, on to the beer:

Beautiful polished amber color, topped with fine head and retention on top. The nose is fruity, nutty, and has some "raw" malt sweetness. That leads to a flavor which is dominate of a duet of malty and fruity notes. Accents of pineapple work into the profile. Some butterscotch and toffee crisp appear as the beer warms. The flavor is a little raw at first, eventually smoothing out to become more pleasant and and more fun to drink. Overall, it's a fine choice to drink broadside.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 21:33:43 | More by DoubleJ

TheQuietMan22

Iowa

3.68/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Serving type: 500 ml bottle. There is a batch code but no freshness date.

Appearance: Poured into a half-liter Hobgoblin glass. The color is ruddy, deep copper. Two fingers of dense, buttery, light tan head dissipated slowly and tantalizingly.

Smell: Lots of nice, sweet grassiness and dark fruit. It also has bold aromas of caramel, nutmeg (maybe), and toffee. It smells a little like a doppelbock.

Taste: The malts dominate except for a hint of booze and a bitter edge that comes on late. Overall, though, it is well balanced and flavorful: grass, dark fruit, caramel, nuttiness, and toffee. It also has a metallic aftertaste.

Drinkability: A very good brew. British bitters are not my specialty and I would much rather have it from the cask. But I suppose this will do across the pond.

Serving type: bottle

07-20-2012 04:38:36 | More by TheQuietMan22

emerge077

Illinois

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

A pretty classic ESB. Served cool at 55º into a tulip glass. Tawny reddish copper color, an attractive jewel tone color. A half inch of off white foam rises and leaves behind a good coverage on the surface, with random spotty lacing.

Lightly fruity and mildly sweet apricot nose, hints of sugar cookie and fruitcake as advertised on the back label.

Sweet grainy flavors with a hint of hop bitterness in the aftertaste. Some light fruitiness, apricot and melon rind notes. Supple feel, mellow and smooth, not too sweet. Simple but well put together and enjoyable. Overall a solid ESB, lives up to it's benchmark reputation.

Serving type: bottle

07-16-2012 02:43:37 | More by emerge077

Philousa

California

2.43/5  rDev -37.5%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Dark chestnut brown and clear against the light, this was hard to get a head from the pour, but came out easily with a stiff swirl. I think my fridge is too cold. Syrupy caramel, big nuttiness, some coppery metallic aroma. No hops to speak of and the yeast is present in a slightly tangy way. Some biscuit comes out with a swirl. Solid malt body hits the lips first. A big nuttiness is there again and the metallic taste is more pronounced. Malty like a bock, but mild like an English Bitter. Feel tends towards the watery, finish is balanced.

Nothing stands out in this beer. It's balanced, but it has nothing to hang its hat on. Needs some spice and maybe steer it back towards the style a bit.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2012 03:28:16 | More by Philousa

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

4.2/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Adnams Broadside
Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery
Style: Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
ABV: 6.30 %

Pours a clear light brown with amber tint. Off white head forms with good retention. Aroma of toffee, caramel, raisin bread, strong tea like, herbal hopping. In the flavor, delicious malty notes with more quality toffee, butterscotch and burnt caramel around the edges. A single hop variety (first gold) is used and adds a great richness and depth of herbal flavor, as well as a palatable bitterness. Finishes clean with a slight notion of toffee and hop. Mouthfeel is medium bodied, delicate but moderate carbonation and a moreish finish.

Overall, this is a great beer. A perfect example of an English ESB, with true to style flavors and a time tested recipe. Broadside is one of the best English ales that comes to the states, and honestly can be enjoyed for almost any occasion. Top notch.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 01:26:38 | More by Stinkypuss

tony223366

California

4.4/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Beautiful burgundy color with dark brown streaks. A really gorgeous color with a light tan 3+ finger head. Perfect clarity. Beautiful lacing and pretty decent retention. I love the way this beer looks!

S: As far as aromas I get mostly caramel malts with some more raw grain type aromas. Maybe a little brown sugar as well as some fruitiness. The hops come out mostly in a spicy way.

T: Oh man, this is excellent. What a great ESB. Some caramel and rich malt. Just a hint of that graininess. The hops are definitely bitter and on the finish. I get a little of the dark fruit but not much. The finish is so clean.

M: Just spot on. Really rich and creamy. Low carbonation. Just wow.

O: Crazy. This was so much better than I thought it would be. Honestly I saw the labeling about world's best brewery so I assumed it wouldn't be great... but it is. This (for me) constitutes a pretty perfect afternoon drinking beer. Rich, but not heavy, with a good kick and easily quaffed. Love it

Serving type: bottle

06-09-2012 05:17:08 | More by tony223366

smakawhat

Maryland

4.45/5  rDev +14.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from the bottle into a nonic pint glass.

A real great ruby red just like the bottle says, of dark red ruby and brown color. Hues of mahogany brown toward the top and orange on the bottom. Head has about two fingers and a faint whipped light caramel color lots of retention. Some hazy bubbles stick to the side just under the head. Real nice.

Great toasting grains and dry ripping barley. Fruity sense a bit of dry figs and dates, with a good hop dry bitterness. Very nice and impressive.

Taste has a real nice balance. Crackery dry malt, mixing with a good roast AND milky sweet softness. Slightly thin body, maybe even a little carbonation, comes with still enough richness to coat the palate. Faint hints of dried out toffee on the finish. Nice coating rich faint dark sugar sweetness on the swallow and even some banana.

A real pleasant beer, I've been wanting this for awhile and glad to have finally tried it. Fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 22:57:02 | More by smakawhat

Halcyondays

California

4.48/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

The legendary Adnams Broadside, haven't had this in about 6 years, a 500 mL pour,

A: Pours a deep reddish brown with a medium white head, good retention, some soft lace.

S: Gorgeous full malt character, with a lot of minerality, toffee, real nice.

T: Gorgeous (I feel redundant) malt flavour with definite notes of dark chocolate and walnut skin. Strong hop character on the back end, earthy with some grass. Nice balance.

M: Full-bodied, creamy frothy feel, big for its style, long aftertaste.

O: It was great to revisit this legendary effort. Still just as good as I remember it, well worth the $4 for a pickup, glad they came back to the States.

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2012 04:45:48 | More by Halcyondays

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.48/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Good blanketing lace from the modest head. Deep copper color, nearly brown. Appears clear.

Very mild, almost neutral aroma. Mostly malty, slightly metallic.

The flavor is an improvement with some darker malt elements. There's not much hop in the finish and the aftertaste is short lived. The body is above average like a typical British ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 00:45:07 | More by smcolw

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.05/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

When I think about ESB's, I think about a strong English balance of hops to malt with a passionate masculinity, yet restrained character on both sides to make the beer as drinkable as it is complex. Where a tug-of-war is expected, a symphony of flavor is delivered.

The anticipation of garnet and ruby stained ale is met with an absolute and resounding burnish brown ale with tawny copper and amber, but the beer is much darker than I expected. But the slow release of foam amounts to a dense and thick blanket of foam that consists of finely knit carbonation and caps the beer for a long, long haul. with each tilt of the glass, the beer's creme clings to the glass and laces with intricate patterns and rings with each drink taken.

Firm and stately aromas of bread, brown sugar, toffee, and pastry crust are met with fruity scents of dried and pitted fruits that span cherries, apples, apricots, pineapples, grapes, dates, and figs. A dash of cinnamon and nutmeg allow the well melded aromas to sculpt a notion of fruitcake and rum-soaked breads.

The taste is delivered with a delicious and moderate strength of toffee sweetness, toated breads starch, and fruity esters for a taste that's alive, vibrant, yet restrained. Lightly aged notes allow for a slight wine vinous character to stem from fruit and into the woody taste of hops that seem of pine needles, grass, and earthen soil.

Richly textured with it's creamy and understated carbonation, but it's release of creaminess is met with the most pleasant of toast dryness, hop bitterness, and mild alcohol warmth.

Although this ale is a bit toastier and richer in malt character than I'm used to in most ESBs, especially my benchmark- Fuller's ESB, this beer seems of a stronger mild ale or a hoppy and soft brown ale of England.

Serving type: bottle

05-26-2012 07:54:40 | More by BEERchitect

damndirtyape

Ohio

3.85/5  rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

1pt, 0.9 oz bottle poured into a Tulip stout glass. No date I can interpret on the bottle, but there is a stamp which reads "1347 01:09".

Appearance: Clear deep copper on the table, clear ruby-red to copper when held up to the light. Persistent 1/16" thin off-white head across the top with some persistent strands and sheets of lacing noted.

Smell: When cold, the First Gold hop as indicated on the back of the bottle dominates the aroma, coming across as earthy with a hint of skunk. As it warms up, the malts come out to play, with some toffee and caramel notes mixing in with the Single hop aroma.

Taste: Quick bitterness up front, then moves into a malty middle which has some buttery and toffee flavors in there. The hop bitter finish at the end is notable, but not lingering - counters the malt middle nicely. A beer simple in flavor profile, but it works very nicely.

Mouthfeel: Typical English ale - some carbonation on the tongue, a tiny bit watery but still smooth. Nothing special.

Overall / Drinkability: I suspect the simplicity of the one malt, one hop combination here would really stick out if this was on cask. Don't let it get too warm though - gets flat and a little too sweet towards the end. So with a full pint, I think one is enough to savor and call it done. Worth revisiting though.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2012 22:42:07 | More by damndirtyape

metter98

New York

3.98/5  rDev +2.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: The beer is very dark reddish amber in color and has a moderate amount of carbonation. It poured with a thin yet dense beige head that died down but never completely faded away, leaving rings of lacing down the side of the glass.
S: There are aromas of earthy yeast in the nose along with notes of bready and grainy malts and hints of raisins.
T: The taste is similar to the smell and has a bit more fruity flavors, particularly as it warms up. There is a slight amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The beer is easy to drink and is quite malty and flavorful for the style.

Serving type: bottle

05-09-2012 23:14:04 | More by metter98

claspada

New Jersey

3.68/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | 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

04-14-2012 18:05:46 | More by claspada

popery

California

3.43/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours dark ruby with a thick, sudsy head of beige foam. Transparent, filtered. Good lacing.

The aroma shows a lot of fruity malt with raisins, prunes, toffee and toast. Some English hoppiness contributes a grassy, peachy note. Lots of sweet fruitiness.

The taste is sweet and malty. Lots of toffee, sweet dough and fruit. The hops get a bit vegetal but also provide more spice/grass/light stone fruit. Light bitterness keeps some of the sweetness in check, but it gets a bit cloying for me.

Mouthfeel is decent, though I preferred Southwold Bitter's mock cask feel. Carbonation is on the light side but pretty normal. Coats the mouth, for better and worse.

It's a decent ESB, but something isn't quite clicking for me. The fruitiness is a bit too all over the place, and the sweetness needs a creamier mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2012 06:14:36 | More by popery

fx20736

New York

3.68/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a British Pint Glass. Served cool.

Deepish reddish copper with 2 fingers of a cream colored batter texture head which leaves scraps of lacing.

aroma of toasted malt and plummy fruit.

Chewy, viscuous mouthfeel.

malty, bitter with hints of burnt toast and plums.

Notes: tastes as much like a Strong Ale as an ESB. The bitterness, while not overpowering, clearly dominates this beer. It is a satisfying sipper.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 18:01:19 | More by fx20736

EmperorBevis

United Kingdom (England)

3.88/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours a beautiful root beer brown with a thick big bubbled but quickly disappearing cream coloured head.

Wonderful aromas of brewers mash, molasses, fudge, hops and malt, coffee and bitter chocolate.

The taste is no less complex with toffee nots with a sweetness running throughout to the bitter end where the hops bite with peppery teeth.

Chewy mouthfeel good low carbonation

A rich, fruity good tasting beer.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2012 22:02:32 | More by EmperorBevis

heygeebee

Australia

3.88/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle Pours deep copper with little head, but good lacing.

Aromas of toffee and malts, sugar, some pear.

Tastes well balanced, very smooth (very) and a pleasantly bitter aftertaste. Very creamy as mouthfeel, given moderate ABV. No noticeable alcohol. Toffee comes though as it warms.

Could go a few of these in one sitting. The malts are really quite nice as the beer progresses.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 08:49:01 | More by heygeebee