Posted by Greg Clow in beer, beverages on October 7, 2008 at 7:52 am

For fans of British ales, especially those of the stronger and/or darker variety, the LCBO's current Autumn Ales promotion is a bit like an early Christmas present. Of the 13 beers included in the promotion, 8 come from England and Scotland, and most those are strong ales, stouts or porters, all beers that are perfect for cool fall evenings.

Perhaps the only complaint that could be lodged against these particular ales - at least by beer drinkers like myself who enjoy trying a lot of new things - is that 7 of the 8 have been available at the LCBO before, most of them in last year's autumn promotion. (Although when the returning beers include such highlights as Harvey's Porter, Fuller's 1845, and Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout, it's hard to complain too much.)

Still, there's at least one new beer in the bunch - and even better, it's a pretty good one.

A product of Adnams Brewery of Southwold, Suffolk on the eastern edge of England, Broadside Strong Original is a strong ale first brewed in 1972 to mark the 300th anniversary of a battle just off the coast where a combined armada of English and French navymen fought with an invading Dutch fleet. (Coincidentally, it was also the 100th anniversary of the brewery, which was founded in 1872 by brothers George and Ernest Adnams when they took over and renamed the Sole Bay Brewery.) The label features the image of a ship much like those sailed by the fleet of Charles II in 1672, and the name of the beer comes from the naval term used to describe the simultaneous firing of all cannons on one side of a ship.

As with many beers brewed by small and medium breweries in the UK, the name is used for two similar but somewhat different beers: a less alcoholic cask conditioned version (in this case, 4.7%), and a more potent bottled version (6.3%). Needless to say, it's the bottled version being reviewed here.

Pouring a nutty and slightly hazy ruby-brown colour with a medium sized tan head, Broadside looks like a bit of autumn in a glass. The aroma, however, brings to mind the holidays, with notes of plum pudding, caramel and candied fruit, along with sweet toasted malt. The relatively full mouthfeel lets you know that it's a pretty big beer you're dealing with, and the flavour starts with the rich sweetness expected based on the aroma, but also has some lingering hops and a slight alcohol warmth in the finish to add a pleasantly bitter counterpoint.

It's been a while since we've last seen an Adnams brew at the LCBO - I think the last time was four or five years ago, when their Suffolk Strong Bitter (now known simply as The Bitter) came in via a similar seasonal release. But the brewery's new local reps have been doing a good job getting the Adnams name out there, including pouring several brands at Toronto's Festival of Beer in August and getting the Bitter, Broadside and Adnams Explorer into some of the city's better beer bars.

Hopefully, we won't have to wait another few years for their next LCBO appearance. But just in case, it might be worth considering stocking up on the Broadside while it's available (LCBO 88641, $3.10/500 mL). At 6.3%, it should cellar well for at least a few months, and like I said above, the flavour has a holiday-friendly character that will pair well with both this weekend's Thanksgiving dinner and any similar meals that might take place towards the end of the year.