Adnams SSB

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 8:05 pm

Well, I picked up a couple of bottles of the SSB this afternoon. I'm drinking one right now, and I'm quite enjoying it. Sure, it's not a knock-your-socks-off kinda beer, but it's got a nice, flavourful character and is very well balanced. To whoever made the comparison to Marston's Pedigree, I can see where you're coming from - there are some similiarities. Anyway, it's a decent pint.

Speaking of Marston's - the LCBO website lists three stores as having stock of Marston's India Export Pale Ale, and they list it as a Vintages product! Considering that it's been a couple of year's since Vintages did any beer releases, I suspected that it might be an inventory glitch, but usually those just show one or two bottles, while this one shows anywhere from 12 to 36 bottles at the three stores (one in Ottawa, two in Toronto). One of the stores in Cooper Street, and I might be in that area tomorrow, so I may have to go over and check it out.

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Wed Dec 17, 2003 11:05 pm

Cooper St. is the Queen's Quay store and the stuff ain't there and I can guarantee you that it's not at any of the other stores either. You would not believe how many of my products continue to show up in inventory even a few years after the fact.

Andicus · Post by **Andicus** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 2:06 am

And, if it was "still" there, after all this time in a clear bottle... Well, you get the picture. Not that the LCBO doesn't store their beer properly

Publican · Post by **Publican** » Thu Dec 18, 2003 9:44 pm

Peter, I just bought 6 bottles of Adnams SSB tonight at a Mississauga LCBO and noticed on the back label the name of the Australian importer. Did this ale come directly from England? Borderline Alcholic wrote that this beer is bottle conditioned, which would explain why the ingredients listings says contains fish product. F.Y.I cask ale is clarified with insinglass( the swim bladder of fish). However there is no mention of bottle conditioned on the label and when I hold the bottle up to the light I don't see any yeast. I'll have two bottles of this ale on Saturday morning while watching English football. Too bad Ipswich is no longer in the English Premier League as it is the closest club to Adnams home of Southwold

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 7:33 am

I believe you mean isinglass. The beer came directly from England, not via Australia. If you check the labels of many products at the LCBO, especially in VINTAGES, you'll see the name of an importer from a country other than Canada. It's common to see the name of the importer from the country which does the most business with a particular brewery or winery. To my knowledge, SSB is not bottle-conditioned and their website product description makes no mention of being bottle-conditioned.

esprit · Post by **esprit** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 7:35 am

I believe you mean isinglass. The beer came directly from England, not via Australia. If you check the labels of many products at the LCBO, especially in VINTAGES, you'll see the name of an importer from a country other than Canada. It's common to see the name of the importer from the country which does the most business with a particular brewery or winery. To my knowledge, SSB is not bottle-conditioned and their website product description makes no mention of being bottle-conditioned.

PRMason · Post by **PRMason** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 8:52 am

Publican, due to the concerns of vegans around the world, many brewers are now listing any animal or fish products used in the production of their beers. Isinglas is made from the swim bladders of sturgeons, so it is out. Gelatine, another fining product, is made from the isside of calves hooves, so its out too. Many brewers use fining products such as these at various stages in the brewing process to help the filtering procedure. It's not always an indication of bottle/cask conditioned product.

borderline_alcoholic · Fri Dec 19, 2003 11:14 am

On 2003-12-18 21:44, Publican wrote:
Borderline Alcholic wrote that this beer is bottle conditioned

That probably indicates a total lack of understanding on my part.

I have always thought that cask ale in a pub is cask-conditioned. Beer in a keg (no longer live) as being keg conditioned. And if it arrives in a bottle it being bottle conditioned. It would appear that there is more to the "conditioning" term that I have been hitherto aware. Does "conditioned" indicate that the beer is still live?

Sorry for any confusion...

All I really meant was that SSB is the bottled version of Adnams Extra - there used to be 3 Adnams taps that you would see, Bitter, Extra and Broadside. Now instead there are Bitter, Broadside and either Regatta or Fisherman, depending on what time of year it is.

[ This Message was edited by: borderline_alcoholic on 2003-12-19 11:31 ]

dhurtubise · Post by **dhurtubise** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 12:06 pm

Bottle conditionned usually implies that it was carbonated in the bottle: adding sugar to an unfiltered beer or with fresh yeast added. All of unibroue's non lager beers are bottle conditionned and lies are visible at the bottom of the bottle. That deposit is usually composed primarilly of dead yeast cells but also has a tendency to concentrate spices (in belgian styles). Many spiced belgians are enhanced by adding the lies, though often it is not recommended. In any case, the clarity is compromised so if you like a clear beer, it is best to pour carfully and leave the deposit at the bottom of the bottle.

Belgians are not the only beers that can be bought bottle conditionned. Many of the American micros are available in this form and some english beers as well (burton porter for one).

SirIsm · Post by **SirIsm** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 10:02 pm

Here's a question...do many beers out there use fish products? As someone who is allergic to fish...I don't remember noticing this before...I wonder if it is so small that I wouldn't notice? Are fish products such as this used often?

Publican · Post by **Publican** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 11:22 pm

On 2003-12-19 12:06, dhurtubise wrote:
Bottle conditionned usually implies that it was carbonated in the bottle: adding sugar to an unfiltered beer or with fresh yeast added. All of unibroue's non lager beers are bottle conditionned and lies are visible at the bottom of the bottle. That deposit is usually composed primarilly of dead yeast cells but also has a tendency to concentrate spices (in belgian styles). Many spiced belgians are enhanced by adding the lies, though often it is not recommended. In any case, the clarity is compromised so if you like a clear beer, it is best to pour carfully and leave the deposit at the bottom of the bottle.

Belgians are not the only beers that can be bought bottle conditionned. Many of the American micros are available in this form and some english beers as well (burton porter for one).

dhurtubise, I checked The CAMRA Good Bottled Beer Guide ( which is a guide to British bottle conditioned beers)and you are right, some brewers add sugar solutions to the beer.

Publican · Post by **Publican** » Fri Dec 19, 2003 11:44 pm

On 2003-12-19 11:14, borderline_alcoholic wrote:
On 2003-12-18 21:44, Publican wrote:
Borderline Alcholic wrote that this beer is bottle conditioned
That probably indicates a total lack of understanding on my part.

I have always thought that cask ale in a pub is cask-conditioned. Beer in a keg (no longer live) as being keg conditioned. And if it arrives in a bottle it being bottle conditioned. It would appear that there is more to the "conditioning" term that I have been hitherto aware. Does "conditioned" indicate that the beer is still live?

Sorry for any confusion...

All I really meant was that SSB is the bottled version of Adnams Extra - there used to be 3 Adnams taps that you would see, Bitter, Extra and Broadside. Now instead there are Bitter, Broadside and either Regatta or Fisherman, depending on what time of year it is.

[ This Message was edited by: borderline_alcoholic on 2003-12-19 11:31 ]

Yes conditioned does mean it's still live. According to CAMRA it also means it undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle.

Here is the tasting notes for cask Adnams Extra from the 2000 Good Beer Guide: An aroma of hops and citrus fruit leads through to bitter orange and hops on the palate, before a long dry finish with some hops and fruit.If the SSB tastes anything like this I'll be thrilled. I assume Adnams stopped brewing cask Extra in 2000 as I have in addition to the 2000 GBG,the 2002 and the 2003 versions

[ This Message was edited by: Publican on 2003-12-19 23:46 ]

borderline_alcoholic · Sat Dec 20, 2003 12:26 am

On 2003-12-19 22:02, SirIsm wrote:
Here's a question...do many beers out there use fish products? As someone who is allergic to fish...I don't remember noticing this before...I wonder if it is so small that I wouldn't notice? Are fish products such as this used often?

I am not sure about all beers, but it is my understanding (based on hearsay) that virtually all British and Irish ales contain oils derived from fish in them. Stouts are especially bad, apparently.

It may well not bother you as entire fish are not present, merely oils.

And not that it will be much of a reassurance, but I believe that mass market lagers have no fish oils present...

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 12:31 am

On 2003-12-19 22:02, SirIsm wrote:
Here's a question...do many beers out there use fish products? As someone who is allergic to fish...I don't remember noticing this before...I wonder if it is so small that I wouldn't notice? Are fish products such as this used often?

Isinglass is the only fish product used in the production of beer. Since it is only used as a clarifying agent and not a primary ingredient, I doubt that enough of it would end up in the final product to cause any sort of allergic reaction.

You can read a bit more about the process, and a UK-centric list of which beers are vegan-friendly and which aren't, at http://www.btinternet.com/~p.g.h/vegan_ ... uction.htm

[ This Message was edited by: GregClow on 2003-12-20 00:32 ]

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Sat Dec 20, 2003 1:18 am

see also http://www.veganporn.com/booze.pl for some local examples.