Adnams Explorer
Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery

Adnams ExplorerAdnams Explorer
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From:
Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery
 
England, United Kingdom
Style:
American Blonde Ale
Ranked #226
ABV:
5%
Score:
82
Ranked #25,129
Avg:
3.58 | pDev: 13.41%
Reviews:
40
Ratings:
84
Status:
Active
Rated:
Sep 11, 2023
Added:
Oct 01, 2004
Wants:
  4
Gots:
  8
No description / notes.
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Ratings by damndirtyape:
Photo of damndirtyape
Reviewed by damndirtyape from Ohio

3.45/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
1pt, 0.9oz bottle (5% ABV) poured into a tulip stout glass. Date stamp was 2178:13:44.

Appearance: Hazy golden yellow with a bit of orange to it. Thin white head across the top, occasional strands of lacing noted.

Smell: Quite a lot of American hop smell here, which seems to be what they were going for. Mostly grapefruit, but a hint of lemon citrus.

Taste: Very hop forward and hop dominating. Unbalanced towards bitterness with just the barest amount of malt underneath it all. The malt comes across as biscuity, not balancing enough though. Hop flavors are mostly grapefruit, pine, and a hint of skunk at the end.

Mouthfeel: Good in that it cleans the palate, but not fizzy. Just a hair thicker than water underneath.

Overall / Drinkability: Let me tackle drinkability first. Not very drinkable. One is enough as it has too much in the way of hop bitterness and not enough in the way of hop flavor and malt backbone balance. Overall, I think this beer is not in the right category. It's not an American blonde, but rather, a UK take on an American India Pale Ale, but without enough malt. It's too hoppy to be an American Pale Ale, and it's not a Blonde either. Given the hop bitterness of this one with an emphasis on the US based hops, it's more like an unbalanced AIPA. So overall I don't think it works well. Not a bad beer, but not a great one either.
Oct 15, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of Storm_Rryder
Reviewed by Storm_Rryder from Iowa

4/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Much better than what I had of this style before. Although still light body, not super light and remains easy to drink. Plenty flavorful, good hippiness, some citrus. Cloudy golden color, or very light tan. Low carbonation. I like it! Perhaps not true to style?
Sep 11, 2023
 
Rated: 3.61 by hopley from Massachusetts

Oct 05, 2022
 
Rated: 3.78 by Dave1999 from North Carolina

Mar 31, 2021
Photo of JonnoWillsteed
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England

3.34/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
L- Dark gold, clear, pours with 1Cm fine white head. Leaves foam film all down the sides as I drink.
S- Fresh, some tangy/fruity notes... peach?
T- Dry... dryer, really quite hoppy dry. The lable talks of ' grapefruit grove'. I get the citrus notes, but it's balanced, it's in no way a fashionable beard-twisting grimace maker.
F- A half-way house from trad to hipster OTT'ness? Done in a balanced way? It just seems contemporary to me vs trad, but I can drink it.
O- I won't be looking to buy it again, but interesting to see contemporary aspects can be represented in a palatable format.
BBE: Oct 2019. 500ml bottle.
May 10, 2019
 
Rated: 3.75 by freewill35 from Indiana

Apr 30, 2018
Photo of Suds
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri

3.79/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
This beer is a hazy honey-colored liquid with a wispy white head. The aroma is has a little malt, a little distant citrus and some herbal hops. The taste has a slight sweetness and just enough bitterness to balance. Smooth. Nice, straightforward beer.
Feb 04, 2018
 
Rated: 3.53 by afinepilsner from Iowa

Mar 24, 2017
 
Rated: 3.6 by Jerseyislandbeer from Jersey

Mar 02, 2017
 
Rated: 3.5 by mthomp081 from Delaware

Nov 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.75 by bmaggot from Lithuania

Oct 09, 2016
Photo of Ozzylizard
Reviewed by Ozzylizard from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +14.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
$ 3.97 (Including tax)/500 mL bottle ($ 0.235/oz) at State Line Liquors, Elkton, MD
Bottle marked 2178 13:11 at 42 degrees into a hand washed and dried JK snifter
Aroma – weak, faint refreshing citrus
Head small (Maximum < two cm, aggressive pour), off white, creamy with rocks, diminishing to an irregular two to four mm ring and thin partial layer
Lacing – good. Medium rings with both stalactites and stalagmites.
Body – light orange, hazy, some effervescence
Flavor – starts sweet, approaching cloying, some malt flavor with a light citrusy bite (Hops, no doubt). No distinct bitterness from either hops or malt. No alcohol, no diacetyl.
Palate medium, approaching creamy, lively carbonation

Actually quite pleasant. This one is certainly one I would happily repeat, praise indeed since I generally don’t care for “blonde” ales.

Appearance 3.75, Aroma 3.75, Flavor 4.25, Palate 4.25, Overall 4.25
Aug 09, 2016
 
Rated: 3.59 by Euroglot from Belgium

Feb 03, 2016
 
Rated: 3.6 by Dooleysncsr from England

Feb 01, 2016
 
Rated: 3.29 by target88 from Kentucky

Jan 17, 2016
 
Rated: 3.6 by DSWeller from Iowa

Nov 09, 2015
Photo of Brutaltruth
Reviewed by Brutaltruth from Ohio

3.77/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Enjoyed form the bottle in a snifter, this nice ale pours a brownish orange with a solid white head of white foam that settles toa a nice thin layer of fine beaded white film and a nice ring with excellent lacing. Nose of biscuit, lemon zest, orange peel, subtle hops, and light toffee. Flavors follow the nose with heavy citrus notes mingling with biscuit, lime and caramel on all sides that fade in the back with moderately strong hops. Nice mouth feel, great carbonation, and a lightly dry and bitter finish. VERY NICE.

Cheers
Sep 03, 2015
 
Rated: 3.61 by TwiggyCZ from Czech Republic

Jun 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.19 by bitterandtwisted from England

Jun 12, 2015
 
Rated: 3.46 by Richie71 from Ireland

Jun 03, 2015
Adnams Explorer from Adnams plc, Sole Bay Brewery
Beer rating: 82 out of 100 with 84 ratings