Adnams Innovation

Brewed by Adnams
Style: English Strong Ale
Southwold, England

This is a beer that looks good. Stylish box and bottle, environmentally friendly or not it looks damn good. The Bugatti Veyron is another example. The colour that exudes from the bottle is something else. Full golden, refractive and glowing - a lively colour that makes your stomach settle and your heart lift. Aromas of floral, citrus, peachy hops and a glimpse into that grain that provides Adnams classic malt base, firm and assertive - a platform for all the rest of each beers flavours. And so it is, bursts of hops and malt, citrus flavours, earthy flavours and a hint of warmth; a slight sweetness of honeyed toast leaves for a dry, bitter end, the finish is poised and well timed, yet could last a little longer to be right up there with the few beers of noteworthy comparison. Serve in a riedel pilsner glass to garner even more sense of occasion at about 8/9 degrees. Price tag justified, it seems we are starting to have good bottled beers worth paying money for popping up all over the UK at the moment. Some really should be left in cask though - just as others shouldn’t be put into one. And it’s damn good with belly pork.

Bottle at chris o’s teabag for 2009 tasting. Alround rating: Wow totally unexpected here. Great hoppy ale, citrusy, awsome stuff, and very very drinkable. I heard they are making more since we took to it so well, so thats good news, as id like more!

Bottle. The hops hit you hard an full on.Some floral flavours are also present. A bit if adventure from Adnams,Very impressive.

500ml bottle #9421, from Adnams Cellar & Kitchen shop in Richmond. Best before 10 April 2009. Mid gold colour, with decent condition and a lasting of-white head. There are plenty of hops here, introducing a spicy orange zest and tropical fruit element to the aroma and a firm bitterness on the palate but they are refined rather than exuberant. Coupled with a modicum of fruity malt and biscuity overtones this produces a beautifully balanced and deliciously drinkable beer. Subtle but assertive is a difficult balance to strike but Adnams have managed it here. More than the sum of the parts and probably the best Adnams beer I’ve had. Shame it seems to have been one-off in bottle only. Wouldn’t have called it an IPA myself but what does it matter anyway?

Bottle # 740. A clear gold coloured beer with a minimal head. Easily the hoppiest beer I’ve ever had from Adnams, and really good for it. Delicious orange and grapefruit notes in the nose. and the same citricity in the mouth together with a gentle stinging spiciness and a good malt backbone and decent bottle. I don’t know if Adnams have ant intention of repeating this beer. They really should, although as Craig says, leave out the unnecessary cardboard packaging and drop the price a little.Score 4
Subsequent rating scored 3.8. Average becomes 3.9

I like this. I bought a bottle of this in Tesco. I have been told that you can buy it in a special card box. Mine was just a regular very simple bottle. The beer is very Adnams and I think better than Adnames "The Bitter" very fresh summer drink and I would buy this again. (will do the next time I can get to Tesco)

Bottle that came in it’s own presentation box, numbered and with a signature by Jonathon Adnam, picked this beer up in Waitrose, Thame, Oxon and consumed 02-01-08 This beer poured as clear as a bell deep warm golden perhaps heading towards an orange glow,with a nice white head atop. The carbonation was actually quite high and made one a bit burpy after a few sips. The aroma was very good, quite floral and hoppy with some peach and/or apricots. On reflection there were very slight similarities to one of those highly aromatic Badger beers. A distinct honey sweetness with a really good hoppy bite, the hops have some staying power as well, again this beer reminds me of another maybe it’s a bit like a Hooky Haymaker on steroids, not sure? Whatever it’s really rather good, not excellent mind as there are a number of faults but a really nice drop and one which I would happily search out again. I’m not 100% sure that this should go down as an IPA but at the time it seemed possibly the most appropriate style to place it under, I’m happy to be corrected if others think differently.

Bottle 50cl. [ Bottle #9421 ]. @ [ Chris O’s pre NYE Tasting ].
[ Courtesy of chriso ]. Clear medium yellow orange color with a large, frothy to creamy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white to white head. Aroma is moderate to light light heavy malty, moderate to heavy hoppy, sweet fruity, excotic fruits, sweet citrus, lemon shell, pine notes. Flavor is moderate to light light heavy sweet and bitter with a average to long duration. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20081230]