Adnams Southwold Bitter - Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery

UncleJimbo

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled on cask at the Priory Arms, Oct. 2004.

This bitter poured a very slightly hazy, deep amber color with white foam that settled flat. The smell was minimal: malt with a trace of sulfur. The taste was malty with mild hops, a hint of caramel, and a touch of sweetness and bitterness in the finish. The mouthfeel was dry and a tad "chalky", though smooth. The body was medium with very low carbonation. The finish was astringent and made my salivary glands ache. This was an OK bitter.

Serving type: cask

12-07-2004 04:39:02 | More by UncleJimbo

francisweizen

Australia

4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On-cask at the Market Porter, London

Light orangey amber. Little head to speak of (it's cask afterall). Aromas of fresh citric hops and classic, buttery, british malts. Taste follows suit. Quite citrusy and hoppy for a 3.7%abv brew. Nice maltiness in the mix as well, and a killer finish that is clean as an open sky. Mouthfeel, light and easy to drink. Refreshing even. A classic session ale.

Serving type: cask

11-16-2004 18:38:27 | More by francisweizen

gentlebubbles

Massachusetts

4.55/5  rDev +27.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

NERAX 04

This is what a bitter should be!

A crystal clear amber, with a beautiful fluffy head crowning over the rim of the glass. Very fragrant. Nice maltiness, and crisp hops balanced with subtle perfection.

This one I could drink all day and not feel like I was missing out on anything.

Serving type: cask

04-29-2004 18:56:35 | More by gentlebubbles

Billolick

New York

3.98/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

large bottle with dating, its fresh. Tasty English style ale. Medium body and nice smooth mouthfeel. Nice and malty, bready, yeasty and fresh tasting. Moderate hop bite to add balance and complexity to this brew. Completely English in its sensibilities. Doesnt overpower the ole taste buds, as some U.S. ales can do ( I love those as well dont get me wrong...)

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2004 03:10:51 | More by Billolick

govtmule

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This was my first cask-conditioned beer. So, this could be skewed, but here is my impression...
I ordered this at Eli Cannon's on 3-12-04 while waiting for a table. It was served at slightly below room temp. It was kind of dark in EC's but it appeared to be more of a yellow or light tan than amber like the other reviewers said. There was a nice foamy white head. The taste was nice with some hints of fruit and a creamy feel on the tongue. Good balance. I could drink it all night without feeling too dense.

Serving type: cask

03-15-2004 22:04:31 | More by govtmule

Gusler

Arizona

3.5/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Adnams Southwold Bitter 3.7° – 3.50
Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery in Southwold, Suffolk, United Kingdom (England)

Cask @ Papago Brewery
The beer a cloudless amber color as it sets in my mug, the head portly in size with the color a pleasing light tan and the texture creamy, lace forms a thin sheet to cover the glass. Nose is all malt, sweet and pleasant with the start lightly sweet, nice malt presence and the top light in feel to the palate. Finish is devoid of carbonation as one should expect, mild hop presence, quite dry aftertaste and quite reminiscent of Caffrey’s and Boddingtons’s Cask beers, and a nice change of pace from the hearty IPA’s and dark brooding beers I have sampled of late.

Serving type: cask

03-08-2004 14:24:37 | More by Gusler

sulldaddy

Connecticut

3.83/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Just had this on cask at Eli Canon's.
The brew came to me at room temp and displayed a clear orange/amber color with about a 1cm soft creamy white head. The head stayed around throughout most of the sampling.
Aroma is mild but I get some caramel malt and also a nice mix of earthy and grassy hop.
First sip reveals soft creamy texture and very faint carbonation. I get a sweet malty start which rolls over to a grassy hop finish that lingers on the roof of my mouth rather nicely. Overall the brew is mild on flavor and aroma but isnt that part of what a bitter should be? I could drink tons of these in a sitting I think. Good example of the style!

Serving type: cask

03-08-2004 03:20:28 | More by sulldaddy

TerryW

Ontario (Canada)

3.43/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Amber red pour with a generous head that dissapated to absolutely nothing – not even a film. No lace to be had.

Comes across as dry and hoppy, bitter on the palate. Lingers some, but not overlong. You can sense the dry bitterness in the aroma of this beer as well.

Real simple and straight forward. Good clean taste. Nice beer to accompany a meal.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2004 01:53:59 | More by TerryW

bridgeporter

Washington

4.33/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Just returned home from 2 weeks of beer heaven in the U.K. Had several pints of this wonderful session ale in a beautiful pub in the countryside east of Leicester. A little bit of heaven on earth was the Black Boy pub. ( not very politically correct, but I didn't name it!)

A nice dry, mildly hoppy ale that made you wish for more. Lucky for me I had a non-drinking driver so this was no problem. A slightly sulphuric taste in the background might put some off but this added to the long dry finish that made this a pleasure to the taste buds. Scotty, beam me back!!

Serving type: cask

10-11-2003 21:04:17 | More by bridgeporter

Seumas

Ontario (Canada)

4.3/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Part of the joy of return trips to England is the opportunity to sup pints which remain as tasty as they were at first cut many years earlier.

There's still a nice hop flavour to this East Anglian classic, citrus and seaweed, subtly done.

It was and is good in the free trade in London and Essex, and delightful in a rural Adnams house in its home county of Suffolk.

Serving type: cask

09-10-2003 03:51:30 | More by Seumas

Boto

Connecticut

3.88/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this in the "Sherlock Holmes Pub" just off Tralfager Square. They have renamed it for their establishment as "Sherlock Holmes Fine Ale". It pours a slightly amber color. The aroma is somewhat faint, but you get both malts and hops in it. The taste is slightly bitter at first, followed by a good maltiness. Very smooth.

Serving type: cask

06-08-2003 14:31:49 | More by Boto

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

3.5/5  rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Considering the 3.8%ABV, this was very tasty, very nice hoppy flavour, and on the drier side of the scale, very nice citric hops and satisfying bitter finish, great session ale.

Serving type: cask

08-12-2002 01:17:18 | More by rastaman