Adnams Old Ale
Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery

Adnams Old AleAdnams Old Ale
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From:
Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
Old Ale
Ranked #39
ABV:
4.1%
Score:
86
Ranked #19,938
Avg:
3.72 | pDev: 10.22%
Reviews:
7
Ratings:
11
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 08, 2022
Added:
Jul 08, 2004
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
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Rated: 3.34 by hopley from Massachusetts

Oct 08, 2022
Photo of JonnoWillsteed
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

3.79/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
It's 10th rating in the 17 years since it was originally added here. Mind you this is my 31st review of a different Adnams beer and I'd not heard of or seen this one before... 'Old Ale' and 4.1%; I not at all sure to expect here...
L- Reassuringly? dark. Very closely resembles cola in colour plus brief part-cap of tan bubbles that soon clears to a small patch.
S- I'm a bit congested but this is mild too. I just get some light toasty notes.
T- Initially follows the Smell^, then I get a treacle/mollasses note, not at all sweet though, in fact some light dry hops come in at the finish. The treacle/mollasses^ just refers to a deeper complex sense of malt than is typical.
F- Good CO2 in the mouth. I can sense it's low ABV%. The taste is pretty robust adding to the overall Feel.
O- Enough flavour to reward a hungry palate esp in say winter, with a low enough ABV% to be sessionable. It's unusual a beer of this low an ABV% and this robust a dark flavour somehow holding together and working. They (IME) usually seem to have a gap in the overall where the low ABV% is clearly a lacking; but not here. - I'd drink this again, perhaps with a pie or stew at lunchtime, esp in winter. It's something really quite different in style - 2 thumbs up for being interesting.
Review #2039. 500ml BB: Dec 2021 £1.99 bought from the excellent Adnams shop in Norwich city centre. ps. Though thinking about it that price for this ABV% bought direct from the brewer price is relatively expensive. Maybe it's harder to brew...
- Now reading the lables 'Dark winter brew'. 'First brewed in 1890'. 'Mild Ale style, dark red-brown in colour, aroma of caramel and nutty chocolate'. Ingredients include 'Caramel (E150C)' - wonder if they added that back in 1890?
Oct 04, 2021
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Reviewed by vinicole from England

3.83/5  rDev +3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Bottle. Very deep chestnut colour. Thin tan head.
Rich malt and nut aroma.
Tastes of mild marinated dark stoned red fruit and malt loaf.
Soft carbonation. Medium body.
Could do with more oomf.
Jul 16, 2021
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Reviewed by josanguapo from Spain

4.25/5  rDev +14.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
De Labirratorium. En copa de pinta inglesa. En almuerzo, con filetes de pavo con papas fritas. Si bien el nombre incita a confusión en cuanto a estilo, es una buena cerveza, con un trago que resulta muy ligero pero no flojo, un amargor bien ajustado, mineralizada y notas a frutas pasas que le dan bastante interés. Proporciona experiencia original
May 29, 2021
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Reviewed by EmperorBevis from England

3.55/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Cask conditioned offering hand pulled at the Piccadilly tap on the way home after birthday drinks at the beer Nouveau brew tap
It’s a dark beer it’s toasty noted
Jan 31, 2020
 
Rated: 3.5 by KevinRailton from England

Jun 30, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Sam-VW from England

Apr 17, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by Dracook from England

Dec 29, 2012
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Reviewed by Ruds from England

3.23/5  rDev -13.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
On cask at the Flying Horse, Gatwick Airport

Pours a mid chestnut brown into a UK half pint glass with an 'off' white frothy head

Head maintained its presence fairly well throughout drinking and plenty of lacing on show

Dried fruit and malt aroma

Tastes of dried fruits, raisen, malts, light spice, perhaps liqourice?

Thinnish body to this beer

An OK beer but not one I'd purposefully seek out in the future!
Jan 23, 2012
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Reviewed by BlackHaddock from England

3.35/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3
Half pint, hand pulled in the excellent ‘Castle’ (Cambridge). The Adnam’s own pub had 8 different beers of their own available in cask form, so half pints were the order of the day.

Mahogany/reddish in colour, with an off-white head that left some good heavy lacing.

Malty caramel notes in the nose, lightly toasted nuts and some dried fruit in there too.

Sweeter than an old ale should be (in my opinion) and young feeling too! Those caramel notes in the aroma are too strong in the flavour and although full bodied, it just doesn’t seem right to be known as an ‘old ale’ let alone called one.

Second time I’ve written something like this about Adnam’s: disappointed to be honest, nothing wrong with it really, just not what an old ale from Adnam’s should taste or feel like.

I think the brew has been 'played with' and isn't the same as years ago.
Jan 06, 2012
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Reviewed by CRJMellor from Arkansas

4.35/5  rDev +16.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Pours a deep claret red and brown with a bubbly tan head. The bubbles disappear quickly leaving a ring of lace on the pint glass.
Aroma of rosted barley, hint of chocolate and nuts some heavy drak wheat bread.
Flavor is very toffeeish with some chocolate and roasted nuts. Bitterness is very resiny nad piny but mild enough to just cut sweet notes to the appropriate length. Well-balanced flavors.
Mouthfeel was puckering sweet for a bit then moving to a roasted and long, smooth residual bitterness. Great transitions, Great beer.
Drinkability was fantastic, best Adnams I've ever had.
Jul 08, 2004
Adnams Old Ale from Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery
Beer rating: 86 out of 100 with 11 ratings