Adnams Broadside Strong Original

Brewed by Adnams
Style: English Strong Ale
Southwold, England

Nice English beer, and looks impeccable in an English dimple mug. Perfect head and lace that hangs around for the whole ride. Nice brew.

Note: The beer I drank was 6.3% abv. The colour is dark red-brown, and the foam is medium thick, yellowish and quite soft. The smell is sweet and filled with fresh hops. There are flavours of hay and mint, too. The carbon dioxide is kind of strong for ale, and it fades away quickly. The taste is somewhat metallic, dry, burnt with hints of apricot. The taste of alcohol is not hidden very well, and the straightforward, dry bitterness is almost too powerful. The aftertaste is plain bitterness with burnt hints, but it is surprisingly short. After just a few minutes, there is nothing left at all. I must say that this beer makes me a little disappointed: I expected a well-crafted, complex and generous strong ale, but what I got was just an aggressive yet plain bitterness with a taste of alcohol that belongs to much cheaper beers.

Sampled at Brew Ha Ha 2004. Dark orange with a small white head. Sweet malts, molasses, and raw sugar aroma; not as hoppy as other ratings mentioned. Moderaltely sweet flavor is nicely balanced with some mild hops. Very good.

Dark dark brown color with a moderate roasted malty aroma. Smooth in the mouth with the malty and hoppy just hanging out and having a good time in my mouth.

Broadside has a typical British ale color. Also has a weak head, perhaps largely based on American tendency to chill the brew more thoroughly before drinking (admittedly weakening its flavor elements). Hoppy aroma with vague metallic tints - not really in a negative sense though. Quite typical peat-malt-cinnamon flavor for this style, with a prominent yeasty aftertaste. Light in body, heavy in calories I’m sure - yet surprisingly _refreshing_, as if it’s something I’d want after a hard day mowing grass, which is more than I can say for most beers I know of offhand that are this dark, thus I’ve given it a higher proportional Overall Impression compared with the sensory ratings. (P.S. This is the first tyme I've hurt me nose a wee with by pulling too close to the brew during aroma testing)

Pours a middle of the road brown color (not too dark, not too light) with a short head. Kind of a malty aroma and taste, but nothing very notable about it. Bitter finish.

A very pleasant strong ale.in the bad old days when the supply of bottled beers was very limited this was one that was always available.A nice brownish colour with plenty of malt present.Nice mouthfeel and a good balance of tastes.When you shop in the supermarket this one should jump out.

15 May 2004 - Sweet spicy malt aroma. Good clear dark brown colour, but low white thick head and good lacing. Sweet bitter aftertaste and a good mouthfeel.