Fuller's ESB - Fuller Smith & Turner PLC

Tupperwolf

Washington

3.8/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a crystal clear dark reddish amber with a thin, good-bodied eggshell head that fizzes away after a time and leaves tiny lacing and an incomplete covering.

Kind of funny - while opening the bottle at near arm's length, I was surprised to catch a sudden intense whiff of beer that could only have come from the first release of the cap. I was expecting a very pungent ale, but have discovered that it's quite the opposite. I have a hard time rating the smell because there's just so little of it. What I am lucky enough to catch after a good minute or two of letting my scent receptors relax is a few quick whiffs of carmally malts, then nothing at all. What I catch of the smell is good, it's just almost nonexistant.

I have really been looking forward to trying out this ESB because it's the first beer of the style I've tried and I figured I couldn't go wrong with the "yardstick", as Fuller's seems to be regarded. I like it! That quick whiff of caramel leads to a grainy, malty beginning with a delicately bitter finish that's decently balanced.

Light carbonation; A mildly chewy feel for an ale, with a buttery finish. It's so very very clear in the glass, but not light in body.

All of this leads to the final point - very drinkable. Good body, easy to drink, the tastes and scents don't beat you up; A tasty beer to follow up with a couple more.

Serving type: bottle

01-04-2006 10:57:42 | More by Tupperwolf

JHendu

Florida

3.5/5  rDev -14.4%

05-15-2013 22:25:18 | More by JHendu

pcsnyder

Pennsylvania

4.5/5  rDev +10%

05-15-2013 13:15:02 | More by pcsnyder

jkball01

Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -14.4%

05-13-2013 16:35:15 | More by jkball01

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

05-13-2013 13:15:26 | More by BeerCon5

RefillMyglass

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-12-2013 18:53:17 | More by RefillMyglass

BeerPHD

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +10%

05-12-2013 05:57:23 | More by BeerPHD

Caudalie

Quebec (Canada)

3/5  rDev -26.7%

05-10-2013 14:57:41 | More by Caudalie

dsolonenko

Singapore

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

05-10-2013 14:06:55 | More by dsolonenko

T100Mark

California

4.08/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Poured from a heavy, brown, 11.2 ounce Euro bottle into a shaker pint glass.

Appearance - Copper color. A bit hazy. Tan colored head that never entirely disappears. Minimal lacing.

Smell - Bread. Slightly sweet. Nice.

Taste - Bread crust. Slightly sweet. A hint of citrus. Walnuts? Smooth. Good.

Mouth - Mild carbonation. A touch oily.

Overall - A wonderful beer. Another good reason to be an Anglophile. My only complaint is that the beer is a touch underwhelming.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 01:11:16 | More by T100Mark

Nunya

Ohio

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-10-2013 00:22:47 | More by Nunya

tommyguz

Pennsylvania

3.25/5  rDev -20.5%

05-08-2013 03:30:56 | More by tommyguz

dalepryor

Kentucky

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-08-2013 03:27:17 | More by dalepryor

LetTheJuiceLoose

Pennsylvania

4.55/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

A*: Brilliant copper color offset by a thick and clingy white head. White head thicker than usual, but believed to be due to bottle conditioning vs. beer production. Exceedingly clear.

S*: Overwhelmingly well paired aroma that blends seamlessly into the thick caramel backbone. Subtle bready notes toward end. No yeast character detected.

T*: Excellent floral flavor with hints of toast and caramel. Hop dominates in flavor, subtle in bitterness. Follow-thru remains balanced and slightly sweet to the end. No yeast fruitiness detected.

M*: Medium-light body with a moderate-low carbonation. No astringency. Slight, very slight alcohol warming.

Overall: Excellent beer.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2013 03:26:39 | More by LetTheJuiceLoose

endovelico

Portugal

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Poured cold. Off a can. Taken from notes.

Appearance: Full nitrogenic like creme head on a clear garnet juice with little perceived effervescence. The beer is visually stunning; I had to wait a few minutes for it to settle.

Aroma: The aromatics are of medium intensity. On the front theres a sharp metallic / irony smell - A byproduct of the revered but vulnerable British yeast, perhaps? - set on a canvas of stale vegetable and caramel.

As it warms up, however, the smell ends up acquiring a broader stand in the caramel - nut spectrum of aroma. The aromatics are more representative of what you'd expect from a traditional EKG/Fuggles blend.

Taste: In equilibrium honey-vegetable play with flowery undertones. Absolutely seamless with the palate to the point that it becomes difficult to discern the impact of both on the tongue.

Palate: Medium to medium full bodied. Minerally, slightly spritzy with sweet-ish finish. Slightly soapy, slightly creamy. Alcohol barely noticeable.

Overall: Extremely sessionable, highly balanced and complex. This is one beer you can really feel the "terroir": The finicky British yeast, the soft water, the traditional hops aswell as the contribution of the different caramel malts and maize used.

It's traditional with a twist. It's both unique and THE archetype of ESBs. At any rate, pay particular attention to the serving temperature as this beer really opens up at slightly cold - ambient temperatures.

Serving type: can

05-05-2013 14:13:27 | More by endovelico

rhizomatic

Tennessee

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

05-05-2013 00:08:23 | More by rhizomatic

schaffer9252

New York

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-04-2013 17:48:31 | More by schaffer9252

nullbort

Ontario (Canada)

4/5  rDev -2.2%

05-04-2013 12:58:06 | More by nullbort

capuchinpilates

Minnesota

4.5/5  rDev +10%

05-01-2013 16:29:55 | More by capuchinpilates

OB1

Ohio

3.75/5  rDev -8.3%

04-30-2013 03:31:34 | More by OB1

PieOhMy

Minnesota

4.11/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A Hazy gold near amber. Thick white creamy head leaves little lacing.

S Sweet and malty. A nice floral fragrance follows.

T Tangy and fruity, mango and other citrus fruit. Get a bitter hop taste. Peppery aftertaste.

M Light. Mild carbonation and a clean finish.

O Decent balance. I like the bitterness. The sweetness hides but it's there. Smooth as hell. This is a good brew. I would order it again.

Serving type: on-tap

04-28-2013 02:13:59 | More by PieOhMy

Kevin55

Michigan

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

04-28-2013 00:04:09 | More by Kevin55

ambruns1979

California

4/5  rDev -2.2%

04-25-2013 05:54:26 | More by ambruns1979

EmmaC

California

4/5  rDev -2.2%

04-25-2013 00:41:23 | More by EmmaC

BeerOps

Illinois

4.25/5  rDev +3.9%

04-23-2013 00:28:04 | More by BeerOps