Beer of the Weekend #372: Adnams Broadside
Since I will be away for a family reunion this weekend, I am knocking off this week’s BotW tonight. The beer of the weekend is yet another beer that seems to have bombed at my weekly beer group (mostly because it has not been aged and is not a rare find only available outside of the state): Adnams Broadside, brewed by Adnams PLC, Sole Bay Brewery of Southwold, Suffolk, England.
I just realized that since I painted my room I do not have a white background for pictures. (See what I mean about Vast Sky not being deep? I wish it were darker. The flash makes it look lighter than it is, though. Oh well.)
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.
Fun facts about Adnams Broadside:
-Style: BA classifies it as “Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB).”
-Price: $3.99/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op on Van Buren Street in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 6.3 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The label suggests strong cheddar. BA recommends barbecue, buttery and nutty cheeses, pork, and game.
-Here is the story behind Broadside, from the Adnams’ website:
There are all sorts of goodies and movies on the beer’s webpage: http://adnams.co.uk/beer/our-beers/adnams-broadside/. However, the back label features this little tidbit about the Battle of Sole Bay:
-When I say the beer bombed at my beer group, I mean it did not generate much interest. Only the salty pros were left when it was busted out last night — me being the novice compared to everyone else. It was basically used to cleanse palates and the bottle was left half full. (I guess I am an optimist.) I seem to strike out almost every time I go; nobody cares about the beers I bring.
-I did pick up a good tip last night: the Hy-Vee stores in Rock Island and Moline are stocked with stuff we cannot get on the western side of the Mississippi. (I cannot believe I never realized that before. Duh!) I think a road trip to the dirty side of the Quad Cities is in order.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
I just realized that since I painted my room I do not have a white background for pictures. (See what I mean about Vast Sky not being deep? I wish it were darker. The flash makes it look lighter than it is, though. Oh well.)
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.
Fun facts about Adnams Broadside:
-Style: BA classifies it as “Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB).”
-Price: $3.99/bottle at the New Pioneer Food Co-op on Van Buren Street in Iowa City.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 6.3 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: The label suggests strong cheddar. BA recommends barbecue, buttery and nutty cheeses, pork, and game.
-Here is the story behind Broadside, from the Adnams’ website:
Brewed to commemorate the fierce Battle of Sole Bay fought against the Dutch Republic in 1672 off the Southwold coast, Broadside has enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame. It’s a fine heart-warming English beer, rich in flavours of malt and hops which enjoys a special place in many people’s hearts.
There are all sorts of goodies and movies on the beer’s webpage: http://adnams.co.uk/beer/our-beers/adnams-broadside/. However, the back label features this little tidbit about the Battle of Sole Bay:
The English fleet was moored in Southwold with Admire Edward Montagu & most of his sailors drinking in local ale houses when called to action!
-When I say the beer bombed at my beer group, I mean it did not generate much interest. Only the salty pros were left when it was busted out last night — me being the novice compared to everyone else. It was basically used to cleanse palates and the bottle was left half full. (I guess I am an optimist.) I seem to strike out almost every time I go; nobody cares about the beers I bring.
-I did pick up a good tip last night: the Hy-Vee stores in Rock Island and Moline are stocked with stuff we cannot get on the western side of the Mississippi. (I cannot believe I never realized that before. Duh!) I think a road trip to the dirty side of the Quad Cities is in order.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
