Launched as a 6.3% bottled beer on 20 May 1972 for the tercentenary of the Battle of Sole Bay, Broadside’s full flavours were an instant hit. There were clamours for a cask version, but it was felt that something more sessionable would be better suited to the pub trade. So, the brewing team were tasked with formulating a new recipe that delivered Broadside’s bombardment of flavour at a lower strength. The bottled beer remains the strong original (as it says on the label), but the 4.7% beer in cask shares its ruby red colour and rich fruitcake taste. Both versions have their fans and fifty years on, they are still going great guns. Both beers have the same malts and British First Gold hops, but in differing proportions. Black and chocolate malt is used to darken the beer; and pale ale malt provides its malty flavour, as well as fermentable sugars. The mashing regime is set so that both beers retain a lot of un-fermentable sugar, which gives Broadside its sweetness and full mouthfeel. The fermentation temperatures are slightly different too, but when Adnams house yeast gets to work, it charges both brews with characters of Christmas. Broadside has earned its enviable longevity thanks to its devotees, and the efforts of the brewing team to maintain its quality and consistency over the years. It is always a favourite at the brewing team’s daily quality control tasting and the tasting panel insists that Friday’s meeting includes samples of bottled Broadside, so they finish the week on a high note.