Adnams Broadside - Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery

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

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

3.63/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Golden-copper body, fairly clear appearance, with a small, though sustained white head.

Smell: Fruit cake aroma of raisin pulp, dried apricots, and chopped red apples with a sweet-scent of caramel and bready malts.

Taste: Sweet maltiness at the start, with tastes of caramel, light treacle, and (English) toffee. Fairly bready throughout. Varied fruits. Leafy, lightly grassy hops with a medium degree of bitterness. Very slight chalky quality. Drying, malty finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-thin body. Light carbonation.

Overall: Fairly nice, balanced ale.

Serving type: cask

02-03-2012 16:47:13 | More by ChainGangGuy

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

rarbring

Sweden

3.4/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A clear chesnut colored beer, ann off-white small head, little lacing.

The smell is rather modest, some nuts and pears.

Tasting initially of seet brown bread, then ripe apples and pears, modest bitterness.

Light carbonation, a refreshing/watery texture, a small body, a slightly dry finish.

Well balanced, no surprises.

Serving type: on-tap

08-05-2011 14:59:09 | More by rarbring

jcurtis55

Indiana

3.13/5  rDev -19.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I had this one on tap at The Plough in London. This is a fairly average ESB. It has a decent aroma of hops and fruit. The mouthfeel is light. Tangy taste but not much body there. More to the aroma than the flavor, but it was also served pretty cold. It did go pretty well with the fish and chips.

Serving type: on-tap

07-05-2011 01:26:47 | More by jcurtis55

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Had on tap in the Kings Head pub, Southwold, one of Adnams own pubs.

A great beer, bitter and complex, quite a sharp taste of hops though not such a refreshing obviously hoppy taste.

Perfectly complemented the fish and chips I also had. Will definitely order again.

Serving type: on-tap

06-26-2011 13:34:37 | More by CwrwAmByth

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

beerdrifter

Germany

3.53/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked this up at the biggest beer store in the UK, Beers of Europe Ltd. Clear mahogany, ruby red pour with two finger head, nice lacing and decent retention. Strong fruity, malty nose overpowers any hint of hops. The taste is much the same. Dark fruit dominates along with molasses and maple syrup with hints of nuts, vanilla, cherries, rasins, and just a touch of chocolate. I get a little hop bitterness on the finish, but overall it's a bit too sweet for my tastes which really hurts the drinkability. Not a bad beer, just not my cup of tea...

Serving type: bottle

03-27-2011 14:42:54 | More by beerdrifter

xylophonica

Australia

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

Poured from a 50cl bottle into a tulip.

A - Dark, solid colour. Good finger or more of head. Lacing is great.

S - Sweet wheat and herbs. Coffee & toffee.

T - Fairly light, burnt cacao flavour at first. Rich chocolate flavours as well.

M - Very mild on the tongue. Slight carbonation and burnt flavours to keep the tongue awake.

D - Quite easy to knock back. Nice on a winter's eve.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2011 14:24:57 | More by xylophonica

champ103

Texas

4.43/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a hazy copper/orange color. A two finger tightly packed head forms with excellent retention. Spicerweb looking lace is left all the way down the glass.
S: Toasted malt, toffee, and lots of fruit. Apples and pears are dominate. Floral hops linger. Really inviting.
T: Follows the nose. Lots of fruity flavors of pear and apples that are great. Floral and grassy hops are asertave and balances everything out. This finishes a little sweet with some very nice toffee. Excellent.
M/D: A medium to full body with good carbonation. So creamy and smooth. Not watery at all. Very enjoyable and easy to drink. I can quaff a few with no problem.

This is an excellent ESB. The ABV of this on cask is much lower than the bottle. The bartender, and brewery clip said 4.7. Still far outside the traditional session beer range, but much more managable than what is listed here. Overall, just a wonderful beer, and a perfect example of an ESB.

Serving type: cask

06-27-2010 18:22:59 | More by champ103

CrazyDavros

Australia

4.03/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours murky copper with a small off-white head.
Aroma shows lots of malt, with caramel, sultanas, golden syrup, brown sugar and figs. Some earthy hops noticeable in the background.
Flavours are very powerful, with loads more caramel, sultanas, dried fruit, nutty notes, sharp alcohol and roasted malt. Old ale territory. Hops seem to show up more here than in the aroma and contribute to a lengthy, mildly bitter finish.
Smooth rich body with low creamy carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2010 10:50:34 | More by CrazyDavros

TurdFurgison

Ohio

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

I had this on tap at the White Horse in London. The beer was bright copper colored with a thin head that laced all over the glass as it emptied. The aroma was nice, difficult to compete with my benchmark for the style (Fullers ESB) but still very nice. Some fresh hops on top with a toasted malt background. The taste was similar, with some sweet and dark fruits (apples, plums, raisins) providing complement to the hops. The creamy mouthfeel from the cask completes the experience, a strong contender in the style.

Serving type: cask

04-24-2010 22:04:57 | More by TurdFurgison

seanyfo

United Kingdom (Scotland)

4.5/5  rDev +15.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

50cl bottle poured into an imperial pint glass.

A- A mahogany/ruby red body with a 2 finger head that is creamy producing good lacing and retention

S- Doughy breadiness. toasted malts.

T- Bavarian Dunkel Lager like toasted malt flavours, faint plain chocolate

M- Medium body, creamy

D- A moreish malty ale. Lovely toasted malt backbone would go delicious with chocolate. Flavours remind me of a dunkel but with the british velvety texture of a creamy ale. Delicous!

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2010 22:46:30 | More by seanyfo

bartle

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a deep copper tone with a thick, frothy white head. Very clear glaze, no haze. This looks very appealing.

Caramel tones from the malt, very noble, almost minty hop characteristics. Some scarce lemon zest. A slight buttery aroma, nothing offensive. Very soothing aroma.

Very sweet caramelized malt sugars, slight warming sensations from the alcohol. Some light apricot flavours which finish with a herbal hop finish. Hay barrels, or a sugared wheat cereal and a touch of nut flavours. Vanilla notes over the caramel and bready yeast. A touch of astringency. Finishes very dry and soft noble bitter. As it warms the apricots turn to golden raisins and figs. Remains on a lighter side of toffee.

The body is full, moderate carbonation that is a little higher than I'd like for the style. Dry, some yeasty character, well attenuated, well crafted. Dry and no extra sugars on the tongue.

This is very refreshing. A clean representation of the style and I'd love to try this cask conditioned. All n' all: a great bitter.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2010 01:29:21 | More by bartle

mfkr

Sweden

3.68/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - A clear red brown liquid, a really small off-white head that leaves no visible lacing.

S - Roasted malt, a hint of caramel, faint hop smell.

T - Lots of the burnt malt and the caramel sweetness is still there and some hop bitterness.

M - Thick body, and little carbonation.

D - Enjoyable and easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2010 14:01:21 | More by mfkr

drpimento

Wisconsin

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

Served with a small cream colored soap bubble head and some lace. Color is a very clear mahoganey. Mild hop, malt nose. Flaors about the same with some toffee and good bittersweet balance. Chewy. Very easy drinking. Great body. Ditto carbonation. Session brew.

Serving type: cask

01-15-2010 22:56:45 | More by drpimento

Newsman

New Jersey

2.98/5  rDev -23.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

On cask at the Fitzrovia Pub just off Goodge Street, in the Fitzrovia/Bloomsbury section of London. (Seriously, how do you deliniate neighborhoods there?)

I had seen this in other places, but figured I'd give it a shot. Poured a nice copper color, thin head, little lacing. Smell was malty, with just a thin hint of hops behind it.

Taste was...average. Compared to other cask-conditioned beers I had on my trip, this was kind of bland. The malt sweetness wasn't overpowering, but hops and other notes weren't remarkable. Mouthfeel was a little watery, too, further lending to the overall indifferent feel of this one.

Drinkable? Sure. I didn't really toss my pint out the door or anything. Went well with my fish and chips. But compared to other brews I had on my trip, it didn't stand out in the least.

Serving type: cask

01-03-2010 17:50:49 | More by Newsman

MeisterBurger

Ontario (Canada)

3.35/5  rDev -13.9%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

This is a damn good looking ale. Dark with lively carbonation. Over one inch head. A clear copper ruby when held up to the light with brilliant head retention and honeycomb lacing.

The aroma is sweet, like pink bubblegum with creamy toffee and some roast in the distance.

The taste is similar, with bubblegum like fruity esters from the British Ale yeast up against a toasty caramel malt balanced by a nice chalky herbal bitterness. Almost tastes a bit burnt and plasticy.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied, creamy with ample carbonation. A tad harsh.

Overall a decent enough beer. That I probably won't get again.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2009 02:36:09 | More by MeisterBurger

mrmanning

Ontario (Canada)

2.63/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Bottle from the LCBO- Deep chestnut pour unleashed a frothy mocha cap leaving pretty spiderweb lace. The aroma that I was first greeted with was caramel and then molasses. Dark fruits (plum, prune) follow with a bit of char and fruitcake. Tastes of sweet fruitcake and sugary nutty malts. Prune and dark plum come in and add more sweetness which is semi balanced by some metallic hops. Problem is, I hate the taste of fruitcake. This is not really good.

Serving type: bottle

08-09-2009 15:48:50 | More by mrmanning

juju7

Australia

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

Looks fantastic; tawny with ruby highlights topped with a massive creamy, off-white head. Left a great lacing all the way to end. Chocolate mixed with some raisin like fruitcake notes. A bit of old hop action going on. Palate-wise it jumps out with a strong malt backbone, flecking chico and coffe and chocolate-cherry ripe. Long finish with a rounded bitterness. Wish I had some chocolate truffles to go with it.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2009 11:11:33 | More by juju7

bryanbrick

California

4.25/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Oh the English cream, how I love thee. There is something about that creamy, mouthfilling, warming texture of English ales that is so comforting.
Nice reddish-brown, mahogany color with little head and no lacing. Nose is simple and malt driven with some more complex notes of cherry and some rose like notes if you really dig deep.

But neither are where this beer really succeeds. Where this really gets good is when you start drinking. Full of rich creamy, medium sweet malt with cocoa covered cherries and a surprising lightness on the palate this is a treat. With its low carbonation and slightly dessert-y nature, it is the kind of beer you always want to have in the fridge and would be even more of a treat at a warm cozy British pub.

Overall Broadside is pretty enjoyable stuff that I could drink on the regular with no hesitation.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2009 05:10:07 | More by bryanbrick

cswhitehorse

Oregon

3.9/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This brew has been looking me in the eye for sometime at the Whole Foods. It poured a mahogany color with a small foam head and some good wave like lacing.

The aroma was a little subdued. Smelled like fruit. The taste was sweet malty goodness with a bitterness that came on down the finish line. In the mouth it was pretty well carbonated and this would be a brew if I lived in England I would sessionize.

Serving type: bottle

12-03-2008 02:06:16 | More by cswhitehorse

tmoneyba

Ohio

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

Bottle on 07/19/2005.

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

Good drinkable brew

Serving type: bottle

11-16-2008 23:30:19 | More by tmoneyba

treyrab

Pennsylvania

2.9/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Took a break from the election tonight to pour this. Bad idea. Poured into a pint glass...

A: Pours a cloudy amber which is opaque due to the haze. Pours with no head and the hops leave a slight lace on this one.

S: Very sour malt smell with cider and vinegar on the onset. It then blends into some sweet caramel, bittering hops, and a metallic hint. Overall, let's say I was not in a hurry to take a sip.

T: Extremely cidery with sour apple and some caramel malts. For a bitter, there is very little hop presence and tons of sweet malt. Vinegar notes come through as well and really overpower any of the good malt aspects of the beer.

Overall, this one looks like apple cider, and doesn't taste far from it. This may be your style, but it didn't do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2008 03:23:53 | More by treyrab

Shadman

Alberta (Canada)

3.83/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Local 'beer club' offering. Quite hazy and a muted cherrywood in color. Poured this one cold out of my fridge and it still held the most impressive non-nitro head I have ever seen. Thick, creamy off-white.

Floral hop and caramel malt manage to break through the thick cloud of head and reach my nasal passages.

Very nice balance between the sweet fruitiness and caramel malt and the slightly citrus-like hop. A tad bit on the overly sweet side affects my score on the downward side.

Quite full, could use a tad more carbonation.

Well worth a try

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2008 01:18:03 | More by Shadman