Fuller's London Porter - Fuller Smith & Turner PLC

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

My score is based on the cask version in December 2007 which makes it an ideal cask, with just the required bitterness and stouty roast coffee. In bottle, Looks, smells and tastes like a chocolate liquor, a bit bitter, with some coffee and coffee roast. Rich and smooth in taste, aroma and colour. Drying finish. Had Feb 2005 again on tap and it just does it again.Fuller's and maybe all of the UK's best.

Serving type: cask

12-14-2003 02:36:50 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.93/5  rDev -6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Rich mahogany brown tinged with ruby. London Porter isn't as dark as some porters; less than bright light travels through it fairly easily. The head is pale toffee in color and has a pitting surface. It deflates to a thin film and leaves better than average lace.

The nose features roasted malt with a great deal of black coffee and a modest amount of chocolate. Flavor mirrors aroma, but isn't very deep or rich. Things start out well enough, then fall just a little flat thanks to a thinner than expected mouthfeel that still manages a little light creaminess.

Fuller's London Porter is a solid English porter. Sure, it's much better than average, but it doesn't quite live up to the hype as far as I'm concerned. If you can manage it, get your hands on Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter. Now *that* is an amazing brew.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2004 15:50:14 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.6/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Now this one actually intriques me, I have been hunting it down for a while and really wanted to try it for some reason. You would think this would have been available more locally to me, but I just could never find it anywhere. It just was never around. Now I finally manahed to get ahold of one in a trade, so we will see where this one takes me. I am expecting something fairly good here….

A – Poured a very thick, almost black opaque liquid with a amall tannish head. This quickly faded and was replaced by just a thin line of off whitish lace around the rim of liquid. Good side glass lace.

S – Highly roasted malts, almost overpowering. Lots of hints of coffee, chocolate, and nuts. Very robust smell. Everything was very easily picked up and noticed. It had a real thick aroma to it. Totally roasted nuts and caramel. Really one of the better smelling brews I have ever had.

T – Wow, holy london porter. Rich caramel tones mixed in with a delicous roasted maltiness that just would not quite. Hints of dark chocolate in the back gave way to a delicous dry hoppy finish, A really complex beer here. Too many flavors to even try to list, I realy loved this and it definatly lived up to my expectations!

M – Super super smooth. It had a very light feel despite the robust flavor and aroma. I almost thopught it would be somehat creamy of syrupy, but was as light as an ale. Great carbonation really let the flavors pop as it went down. Totally a smooth session porter, really creamy carbonation, great silky like feel.

D – Really great. I literally threw this one down in about 20 mins, which for me is pretty good. I could have easily made this one an all night drinker, it was just that smooth and delicous.

Overall, This was great. I really enjoyed the roasted flavor and the full on malt assault. This could have been one of my more favorite brews to date. Really a top noth offering and I would be thrilled to get some more!

Serving type: bottle

08-20-2007 23:17:26 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a dark molasses with a moderate tan head and a bit of lacing as it goes down.

S: Dark, roasted malts with some chocolate. A hint of dark molasses. No discernible hop bitterness. Bits of toffee.

T: Much like the smell, with the sweeter toffee and chocolate elements coming to the front.

M: Medium bodied with good carbonation.

D: Not nearly the best porter I've ever had. Definitely prefer the ESB and the 1845 to this. Overall, a good English brew.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2010 03:26:27 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4.2/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours out a clear, translucent dark brown color with a frothy khaki-colored head that deflated rather abruptly leaving a ring of fine bubbles around the glass.

Smell: A fine, hearty scent of dark toffee, bittersweet chocolate, and rum raisin ice cream.

Taste: The taste is not nearly as profound as the aroma. Some chocolate, vaguely coffee-like flavors within. A delectable roasted sweetness permeates every sip. A hint of licorice and vanilla as well, no questions there. Finishes with a very mild hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, with just the right amount of carbonation. Notably smooth and creamy.

Drinkability: Quite drinkable. I give Fuller's London Porter a hearty "fine & dandy"!

Serving type: bottle

07-15-2006 06:07:43 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

4.33/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours out a very dark, but clear, brown color with a tan head that leaves some lacing

Smell: Roasted malt, caramel and mocha

Taste: Rich and perky roasted, chocolate and caramel flavors spread across the tongue and, as time passes, the mocha flavors assert themselves ever more aggressively; in the middle, the hops are also discernable and add a nice balancing effect to the sweeter flavors

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation; rather creamy

Drinkability: One fine porter that really blossoms as the beer warms

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2005 23:45:17 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.2/5  rDev -0.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours an almost opaque super dark crimson brown with a 1 inch puffy khaki head that settles to a thin cap. Nice foamy rings of lace line the glass on the drink down. Smell is of dark roasted malt, coffee, and nice chocolate aromas. There is also a slight milk-like aroma I am getting from this one.Taste is of dark roasted malt, brewed coffee, and some cocoa powder. A mild roasty bitterness lingers on the palate after each sip. This beer has a good carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good English porter that is very easy to drink. With a lower ABV it is also something you could drink all night without getting too sloshed.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2011 02:46:40 | More by UCLABrewN84

Phyl21ca

Quebec (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottle - Poured a deep black brew with a nice head but lack some retention. Carbonation is average with a medium body (I was expecting a richer and ''fuller'' body). Aroma of chocolate is very subtle. Taste is a mix of roastiness, chocolate, and coffee with just enough bitterness at the end. Overall, this is a good beer but I still believe it might be a bit overrated.

Serving type: bottle

02-23-2004 17:04:00 | More by Phyl21ca

BEERchitect

Kentucky

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a milestone of a beer. Much like a strong stout without the roasted grain bitterness, but with sweet dark fruits. Pours black with a soft tan head (like whipped cream for the beer lover). Smells solidly of dark grains, chocolate, and coffee. A mild tartness comes through, much like raspberries. Tastes sweetly of chocolate, dark grain, toast, coffee, and a little cream like. Add in slight raspberry and plumb flavors. A mild sourness runs through, maybe lactic acid; albeit light. Body is silky smooth, yet bold. Finishes sweet and lingering. A must-drink for porter lovers.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2005 21:21:07 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

4.05/5  rDev -3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a deep brown with some nice ruby highlights a lighter head that leaves some nice lacing,aroma is sweet and roasted with some light cofee aromas lingering.Nice and complex beer somewhat sweet with nice earthy tones, a rich marshmellow-like finish.A nice rich and sustaining porter very well made for sure.

Serving type: bottle

08-28-2003 22:56:54 | More by oberon

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Color: a somewhat clear russet brown, head: 1/2" of toasted tan. Nose is on the burnt side, very roasty and sharp, bitter, hot, with flavors of pepper and espresso.
Mouthfeel is warm, texture is smooth, hops are hard to notice. Malt stands up proudly, though, in all it's lushly roastedness.
This is quite a consumable porter, a very flavorful session ale, to say the least. Finish is sweet and nutty, and lasts just long enough.
A darn good porter.

Serving type: bottle

04-27-2003 23:55:38 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

4.03/5  rDev -4.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark brown/black color with a creamy light tan head. The aroma is great. The scent of roasted barley, black patent, and crystal malts comes across well, but not too bold. The taste is sweet and rich; dark malts all the way. There is a strong taste of chocolate malt surrounded by the before mentioned patent, crystal, and roasted malts. The mouthfeel is fine. This is a heavy bodied ale that isn't a gusler, but is certainly one to enjoy.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2003 21:01:23 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.18/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Beer is black and forms a thin off white / brown head that leaves some lacing on the glass. Bubbles are medium and small.

Aroma is mild, sweet with malt and some coffee roast. Nice.

Beer is medium body, mildly sweet. Minimal coffee in the back of the mouth with decent bitterness. Beer is quite sessionable but there is an unfortunate aftertaste of ashiness that I do not find that desirable. Its a minor problem but it does detract from the mouthfeel of the beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2010 03:00:51 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a dark brown color with a khaki head. The aroma is chocolate with some dark fruit, roasted malt, coffee and some English hops. The flavor is similar. Roasted malts with some earthy hops along with some bready malts and sweet chocolate. Not much coffee in the flavor. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

04-22-2010 21:08:52 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

4.45/5  rDev +5.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle

The London Porter pours out a deep, dark brown color with a two finger head. It leaves very nice lacing on the glass, too. Instantly, you can smell the chocolate and malt. It manages that chocolate taste without coming off too sweet. It wasn't very heavy for a porter. It really went down smooth. When I finished it I really wished I had another one on hand. Very Good!

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2006 18:10:47 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

4.38/5  rDev +4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is very dark amber in color and poured with a finger high dense tan head that died down but left lacing on the surface and a thick ring of bubbles around the edge of the glass.
S: There are moderately strong aromas of dark roasted malts and coffee in the nose.
T: The taste is very similar to the smell but is slightly more complex with additional notes of chocolate and hints of toffee. There are some notes of bitterness in the finish.
M: It feels medium-bodied, creamy and smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation. There is a slight amount of dryness in the finish
O: The beer is very easy to drink because it is well balanced, although I would prefer to sip this and savor its interesting flavors.

Serving type: bottle

05-21-2011 02:33:45 | More by metter98

MasterSki

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Picked this up at the LCBO in the London, Ontario - served in a pint glass. Best before April 18th, 2010.

A - Two fingers of tan foam that quickly dissipates to a half-inch cap with minimal lace. Dark transparent cherry-wood-finish brown color that's quite attractive. Lots of visible carbonation.

S - Lots of roastiness, coffee, cocoa, and maybe some Christmas-y cookie spice in there too. Really intense smell that jumps out of the glass.

T - Flavor is largely baker's chocolate, without anywhere near as much depth as the smell. The roastiness really only makes an appearance in the aftertaste, and it's pretty mild even then. Solid, but very straightforward.

M - On the lighter side of medium bodied, with active carbonation that isn't overdone. Pretty creamy other than the slight carbonation tingle. There's lots of residual stickiness in the finish. Could use a little more viscosity, even though it's a lower ABV porter.

D - Drinking a 500ml can is no problem - the roastiness never gets out of hand and the ABV is pretty forgiving. This is one of the best options that is always available at the LCBO.

Serving type: can

06-19-2009 02:03:26 | More by MasterSki

Gueuzedude

Arizona

4.47/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

As I pour this beer fruit notes escape from the glass. As I stick my nose further in I get roasted notes of coffee and more of the fruitiness. A thick light brown head tops this fairly clear beer, which is dark brown in color with ruby notes as it is held up to the light. This beer has an incredible creamy mouthfeel to it. It is lightly sweet with a roast character in the finish. There is a very good balance between the roast character and the fruit notes. This is a wonderfully balanced beer, certainly one of the best Porters out there. The smooth creamy body of this beer is amazing.

Serving type: bottle

11-18-2003 00:47:57 | More by Gueuzedude

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

On nitro-tap 2/7/09 at British Beer Company in Walpole, MA, served in a US tumbler pint glass.

A: The beer is a deep dark brown color, with a short off-white head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is of dark roasted malts, chocolate, coffee and a touch of hops.

T: The taste is malty and slightly smoky up front with flavors of dark chocolate and coffee. The smokiness is done with just the right amount and the beer is well-balanced overall. There's a mild but complimentary hops presence. The after-taste is bitter-sweet.

M: Crisp and very smooth, medium body, medium carbonation, finish is clean and dry.

D: Very tasty, goes down easily, not too filling, mild kick, good representation of style, this is a very good dark beer to drink for a whole evening.

Serving type: nitro-tap

02-08-2009 01:21:17 | More by TheManiacalOne

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This beer poured out as a pretty nice looking brown color with a creamy tan head on top. The smell of the beer had some wood like aromas blended with some roasted malts and other earthy aromas. The taste of beer is bold and bitter with some roasted chocolaty flavors. The mouthfeel was thin and dry with just a enought carbonation to keep this one alive. Overall this beer was pretty good. I'd drink it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2011 20:59:26 | More by Knapp85

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.22/5  rDev +0.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poors with a bubbly tan head, the settles down to abouts 1/4" head rather quickly, minimal lace. Mahagony body with superb clarity is a main selling point.

Smell: Choclate, toastyness& raisins, with wiffs of alcohol. a party for the nose

Taste: toastyness, more choclate, and raisins and nuts.

MF: Lots of malt (Slightlty chewy), dryness, and some hop presence on the edge of the tounge & throat. Carbination is good, not great .

I really like this, this is not an "in your face" sort of beer, I could see this as a stable in the cooler months.

BBD of 06-27-05, but I don't really think this suffered too much for it's age. The shop I bought it at takes good care of their high-end ales.

Serving type: bottle

11-08-2005 03:24:34 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Date on can: 22 Feb 2009
This has been better in bottles, but I spotted a rare can and took notes.

Pours dark brown/black, ruby glint in the light. Good retention with sticky tan foam. Smells a little oxidized, papery, weak coffee roast. Flavor is a little too much on the sweet side, roasty malt notes dominate. In the finish there's a distinct raisin/prune note. The coffee element is like weak instant maxwell house. Feel is smooth and slick, the sweetness borders on unpleasant though. Didn't really want to finish this. Will amend review with a fresher sample when I find one.

Serving type: can

12-27-2009 18:53:44 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

4.63/5  rDev +10%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

12 oz. bottle,

A: Pours dark brown with a tan head, nice lacing, a great looking pint.

S: Smooth milk chocolate, with English hops.

T: Chocolate malts, roasted malts quite a bit, mocha coffee, capuccino, with a bit of vanilla.

M: Smooth, creamy, great heft for a porter.

D: Excellent, I think that this is Fuller's best beer. It stands well and above the Sierra Nevada Porter I just had.

Serving type: bottle

07-22-2007 03:43:18 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

4.1/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: dark brown in color with a thick two finger head. Nice lacing develops.

Smell: nice roasted malts, chocolate, and a hint of coffee.

Taste: a well balanced combination of roasted malts, dark chocolate, mild bitterness, hint of licorice, and a bit of molasses sweetness.

Mouthfeel: lightly crisp from start to finish. Short aftertaste of roasted malts and dark chocolate. Medium bodied.

Drinkability: this has always been the enjoyable porter in my book, as I find this easy drinking and nicely flavorful. Solid brew.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2006 22:42:37 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.33/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured ruby/dark brown - almost black with ruby highlights around the bottom edges - with a 1" bubbly tan head.
The smell was a complex, sweet aroma of chocolate and caramel.
The taste was also complex. Sweet chocolate, rich dark chocolate and caramel all swirled together. It had a smoky, full-bodied taste. It started sweet but was balanced by a bitter/pale ale type of blend in the background.
It was like eating a very rich chocolate cake. It was silky and smooth, but the richness made it akin to eating a heavy chocolate cake. No matter how much you love the taste, you can only eat so much. This is a beer to treat yourself and indulge as a desert or a nightcap!

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2006 00:53:53 | More by jwc215