Sole Star - pale ale

Drink makes                        Drink name                              Drink type                  Drink strength

  Adnams                                Sole Star                            Amber pale ale              2.7%

Sole Star. hmm. The first thing I'm always attracted to in an ale, stout etc is of cause the bottle art.
I know some people favour a good name the Old Fart, Bishops Finger or Flying Herbert and that's fine but I like a good image.
This one though looks like a seaside poster. It looks faded, as if it's spent too much time in the sun. This is I'm sure the look that they were going for but that would usually put me right off. I'd burn a deckchair as soon as look at it and now all I can think about is dogs pooing Merrily on the beach!

It claims to be an amber pale ale so I'm guessing it looks like a normal ale but tastes like a pale one!?!   well OK then.
This pale ale has a subtle smell, as if I'm smelling the drink through a hose pipe. It's not defiantly a bad start but I do like a good sniiiiiiiiiiiif before drinking.

On poring some of this bottle into the oldest pint grass I could find (odd. I cant ever remember buying even one pint glass) I must agree that this is indeed an amber pale ale, slightly carbonated and with a slightly stronger smell of citrus.

This tastes weak and bitter. A strong citrus aftertaste. That's about it really.

I've just had a look on the back of the bottle and it basics says light, floral, citrus, caramel. Not sure where the caramel is... maybe it fell out when they weren't looking.
The back also says that the ale is named for the "brightest star which rises first over the sole bay brewery every morning". What a lovely story.

The hole reason I bought this ale is because it is 2.7% and I wanted to find an ale/beer of approx 3% that actually tastes good. I know they're out there! somewhere.

Adnams do some good drinks and in fact this ale is starting to grow on me. As I get used to the citrus taste it's becoming more enjoyable and the bitterness is going.

Perhaps I've missjudged this ale... smell's no stronger though.  I was going to say that the only thing this had going for it was that it wasn't larger but I think it was just those beggingnig few sips... and I mean really, who sips beer!?!


If you like light citrus tasting beers then this one may just be the one for you.


tasty rating
Good as a drink 5/10 Good as an ale 3/10
Can't put down factor 03/10
Good at getting you drunk 3/10
Bottle art 2/10
Rated = 32ish out of 100% because I can't count and I don't understand percentages.
Beach poster are rubbish