Fuller's London Porter - Fuller Smith & Turner PLC

crnipeter

Slovenia

4.68/5  rDev +11.2%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Apparently opaque dark-brown body approaches to clear and shows ruby hue when held
to light. Light tan head is fairly thick and holds well supported by moderate carbonation.

Nose is a blend of mild roasted malt with chocolate qualities and non-roasted malt that contributes sweet and nutty aromas. A careful sniffing reveals brown sugar/caramel and a even a faint vestige of dark-fruit esters.

Flavor is marked by heavily roasted malt that yields bitter dark chocolate & mocha yet is neither acrid nor burnt. Body is well attenuated and the overall flavor hangs suspended somewhere between being slightly malty or slightly bitter from vegetal hops and roastiness; the later two combined with carbonation lend dry finish.

Medium-light body with creamy texture and silk-smoothness.

Overall, a fundamental, wonderful porter that is not called "world's finest" for nothing. (500 ml into pint, BB 2013-08-06)

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 22:30:18 | More by crnipeter

Mavigo

Michigan

4.4/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: pours a fine black with tinges of red, doesn't have much of a head, tan in color, dissipates quickly with minimal amounts of lacing.

S: like dark chocolate, hops, caramel, coffee, toasted malt, smokey

T: Very complex, coffee flavors, chocolate, vanilla, hops, very smokey flavor

M: very fulfilling and refreshing, lots of texture, very carbonated but it adds to the refreshing nature of the beer

O: First beer I've tried from England and its pretty good, very complex but yet not overbearing and very refreshing. Little bit lacking on the flavor side especially for a porter in my opinion, but I like the style going here so it's a beer to get a hold of, the pros way exceed the cons.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2012 02:28:29 | More by Mavigo

pkalix

California

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

hmmm. okay. this is pretty good. another england, another decent brew.
very dark appearance with little head, although that just may be the bottle's trait.
dark chocolate and coffee (no, more espresso) smells and tastes, although not as 'thick' as others in this class. i really like the smell of this. for the style, i gave it a 5 due to the sweet/bitter character but pleasingly refreshing darker notes.
i really enjoyed reading the other reviews. i very much like the taste of this but it's assuring to hear the way others are clamoring over it. i like the lower abv and believe it contributes to the overall taste, but it's not so low that it cancels out the reason for tasting it. i like MAYDAY's review but i cant fathom someone enjoying a brew (MORE?) warm than cooled? especially a stout? i'll have to try this someday. (has anyone ever heard of a BASS CREAM ALE? i thought i remember trying that years ago at DER BARON's in las vegas and it was tart, but creamy. this kind of reminds me of that although i cannot find any tags relating to it...).
overall... what a darn fine product. i didnt expect to see "the bros" rate it so highly, especially since i cosider it more of a 'commercial' brew, but everyone else's reviews support my feelings about this stuff. less of a stout drinker, but i appreciate a really good stout, or porter, once in awhile but more accustomed to the higher abv'ed versions. i recommend this heartily. and because it's 'commercial', it shouldnt be too difficult to find if you have a BEVMO or TOTAL WINE near you . . . . . i would definitely like to find this in a keg somewhere....

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 01:09:35 | More by pkalix

VncentLIFE

North Carolina

4.78/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Now this is a damn porter. It looks pitch damn black with a nice bubbly off-white head. It smells like heaven. Thick roasted dark chocolate domintes the nose with a hint of light roast coffee coming in as well. It definitely tastes like Edmund Fitzgerald with its bitter chocolate, but the milky smooth chocolate just dominates like crazy. It tastes so god damn smooth and sweet. Theres enough bitterness to offset the uber sweet body.

My god this thing is drinkable. Its already half gone and I havent even started. Holy crap.

Edmund Fitzgerald wants to be this.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2012 00:36:22 | More by VncentLIFE

sjtmbg

United Kingdom (England)

4.85/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

If kept cold it will pour to a large, mocha-colored head, but it should be left to warm to cellar temperature to fully enjoy the flavors.

Appearance is the rich deep-brown coffee color that portends the flavor of this classic of the porter style. I don't know of a mass-produced bottled beer that's better than this one. Coffee notes are accompanied by the roasted malt that one would expect of a great porter.

Fortunately this beer is a regular on the shelves of Waitrose and many other places with good selections of bottled beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 09:34:26 | More by sjtmbg

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

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

Consumed 8/31/12

Appearance: Dark brown, clear and lighter brown around the edges - somewhat fizzy beige head, fades to a small ring somewhat quickly, but it's easy to drum up some carbonation - leaves a few streaks of lacing

Smell: Roasty malts and chocolate - coffee, dark chocolate, and some milk chocolate - some caramel, toffee, and nuts - a touch of minerality and some slight English hop grassiness - really solid for the style

Taste: Chocolate malts and dark chocolate - decidedly chocolatey, but on the dark side, not overly sweet - caramel, toffee, nuts - some minerality, and something wood-like - roasty and dry - mildly bitter, with a notably nice, chocolatey, dry aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Medium body, very smooth, nicely carbonated, very drinkable

Overall: A standard for the style

I am pretty sure this is the best English Porter I've encountered. It's not particularly exciting in any way, but it's nicely balanced, tasty, and very drinkable. Definitely worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2012 02:09:13 | More by angrybabboon

Greywulfken

New York

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

A: nearly black - just some light slips through; nice milky creamy head; moderate lace and motes

S: dark espresso and chocolate malts

T: wow - this is really good - the espresso tastes are bitter but delightfully smooth; some cocoa in the background; a little cigar smoke - excellent balance

M: smooth, rich, but not heavy; great aftertaste

O: no wonder it's at the top of the list, eh? This is a classic, and it is excellent

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2012 00:35:02 | More by Greywulfken

meltroha

Ohio

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

A: very dark brown, a finger tan head, thin lacing sticks around throughout

S: roast malt, rich dark chocolate, slight coffee and hops

T: aroma comes through in taste. Roast malt bittersweet chocolate and black coffee, hops come through mid mouth and linger with the coffee. No alcohol presence.

M: nice carbonation, medium mouthfeel, not as thick as I would like, but certainly not thin.

O: one of the best porters out there, I compare it to Founders Porter.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 02:23:50 | More by meltroha

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.88/5  rDev +15.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

11.2 oz bottle poured into a nonic.
5.4% ABV, Best Before 04 JUN 12

A - Brief cascading results in a tall but short-lived tan head which drapes sheets of lace on the pint above the incredibly dark mahogany brown colored beer.

S - Fuller's London Porter has a rich chocolaty aroma to it that suggests a dark chocolate bar dusted with cocoa and perhaps, some coffee grounds. It's earthy and "old", London Porter has a subtle woody, musty-like aroma which really helps it out, keeping some balance going on.

T - Rich and dark, the flavor is a complex explosion that coats the tongue, requiring many more sips to fully grasp. Bitter coffee and bittersweet chocolate are the initial flavors, while earthy wood-like flavors follow closely with a nuttiness in tow. Sweeping in towards the end is a light but balancing caramel flavor which tops it off nicely.

M - Full-bodied and creamy, the moderate carbonation is almost ignored as this smooth beer glides over the tongue and down the throat with a lingering hard dryness and acrid bitterness from the roasted malt.

O - Roasted and robust, Fuller's London Porter is a chocolate and coffee-like flavored treat which all comes from the malt complexity, no added ingredients! It's full-bodied but at no point does it become thick or undrinkable and it's so bold in flavor, it's impressive the beer remains around 5% alcohol. Fuller's London Porter is a stellar beer for any occasion.

Serving type: bottle

07-27-2012 22:29:24 | More by BeerFMAndy

BigPlay1824

New York

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

Enjoyed in a pint glass

A: pours a deep amber verging on brown, decently clear, pours with a two finger head that is very creamy and medium tan, lingers quite nicely, dissipates and leaves a ton of thin sticky lacing on the glass
S: really great toasted malt character, nice chocolate and coffee notes, quite warm and comfortable, cereal grains kinda like cheerios are present as well
T: nice malt backbone really gives the depth and character to the brew, chcolate malts are the most pronounced, a nice sweetness comes through right on the tail end and lingers nicely across the palate, leaves a nice malt presence on the mouth as well, more of those cereal grains mentioned above
M: smooth creamy mouthfeel, thick, very very gentle carbonation tingle, slight astringency on the palate after the finish
O: a really well rounded porter from beginning to end, nice complexity and depth,

Serving type: bottle

07-25-2012 23:40:16 | More by BigPlay1824

The_1084

4.75/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A - Pours a dark brown, almost black color with a caramel colored head roughly 1 finger in width. The head fades pretty quickly with a small trace of lacing.

S - Sweet aroma with hints of malt and coffee.

T - Easily recognizable taste of dark chocolate with a mildly bitter aftertaste of coffee.

M - Not as thick as one would imagine based on appearance, but has a dry feel with moderate carbonation.

O - Overall one of the best porter's I have drank thus far.

Serving type: bottle

07-24-2012 06:26:14 | More by The_1084

Arno

4.26/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

appearance: almost black dark brown beer with a brown head. Not much foam unless you give it a good poor. Loses the foam quite quickly.

smell: caramel / licorice sweetness and coffee scented malts.

taste: Caramel and dark chocolate sweetness, tart like. Followed by a licorice and coffee, slightly bitter and dry, finish.

mouthfeel: It's thinner then a Guiness. Doesn't have that creaminess to it, but makes it more refreshing and easy to drink. Medium carbonation.

overall: I like this stout. It's thinner then most, but is packed with flavor. It's not hiding in subtleties, but just delivers the coffee, chocolate, licorice and caramel flavors with a nice balance of sweetness and a light bitter. If i had to criticize it, i'd say it's lacking a bit of depth. It's not something i'd drink all night, because it starts to bore a little after one. Although to me, this is quite common for a stout. It may be a little too sweet and straight forward for me to enjoy even more. But it's one of the better stouts out there, so i'd say: recommended!

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 11:15:00 | More by Arno

mayday1986

4.4/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Having surveyed some reviews on this site before after giving beers a try myself, I've never before felt the need to actually add my own review. Until now.

Straight out of the can and warm this beer kills it. How many brews have you had that you would crave at room temperature?

Silky smooth in the mouth with deep sweet chocolate flavors this beer delivers. This is the liquid equivalent of a fresh-baked hearty dessert. Think of a nutty banana bread that is light on the fruit and heavy on whole grains.

I didn't pour it in a glass, but frankly I didn't need to. There is not much head, so the creamy texture is inherent and not lost with time. Admittedly I love the appearance and feeling of the head provided by Guinness, but this is a heartier brew that is ready right out of the can.

Future reviews: Coopers Brewery Best Extra Stout, St Peter's Cream Stout, D. Carnegie & Co. Klass III Porter

Serving type: can

07-11-2012 18:40:35 | More by mayday1986

Cyberkedi

Georgia

4.58/5  rDev +8.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Smoky aroma is a joy to invite into the nose with its quality coffee, licorice and molasses notes and hints of charred wood, yeast and - anchovies? Pours a rich, cool sable that is just a kitten’s whisker above midnight black with a thick and fine-bubbled, it not too persistent, buff head. Flavor does not disappoint - smoked wood, roast coffee and licorice dominate the flavor but let through hints of treacle and herbs. Full body has plenty of fizz and leaves a nice smoky, slightly hoppy, slightly sweet finish. I can see - er, make that taste - why this is a top rated Porter! Mud in your eyes!

Serving type: bottle

07-10-2012 02:36:14 | More by Cyberkedi

tewaris

Minnesota

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

Dark brown, quite clear with a good tan colored head. Roasty and fruity aroma. Tart, dark fruit taste (I am thinking prune like) with a kick of roast at the end and a lingering charred character.

Medium body, medium-high carbonation. Not stellar but very good and certainly worth revisiting. Also, better on cask if you can find it.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 00:11:35 | More by tewaris

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

4.3/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the British beer company.
It comes to the table in a proper English pint a solid dark brown color with beautiful ruby highlights when held to light. Creamy tan/brown head shows great retention and covers most of the glass on the way down. Smells heavy on the chocolate, but also has generous helpings of caramel, brown sugar, earthy, and mineral aromas. The flavor leans to the malty side with chocolate and caramel dominating the flavor. There's an earthy and mineral flavor that does nicely to cut through the malt and provide some balance. Medium body with a light to moderate level of carbonation and a creamy sweet mouthfeel. This is a really nice porter with a great expression of chocolate malt. I might have to drink more of these.

Serving type: on-tap

07-03-2012 00:56:18 | More by johnnnniee

ckollias

Maryland

4.5/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed this bottle out of a large snifter glass.

A: Pours a dark black with a thick tan-brown 4-finger head after a violent poor. Head slowly dissipates down the glass leaving a nice trail and ending in a wispy lace.

S: Sweet caramel and malt aroma with a coffee and chocolate background.

T: Smooth slightly sweet malt flavor. Similar to the smell the chocolate and coffee backbone and finishes a little dry.

M: Medium body and medium carbonation.

O: Excellent porter. Smooth and went down easy. Would grab this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-27-2012 00:57:34 | More by ckollias

ericj551

British Columbia (Canada)

4.48/5  rDev +6.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Fillers London porter pours a deep red brown with a beautiful brown head that lingers. The aroma is sweet, chocolatey malt with plenty of caramel and herbal, earthy hops. The flavor is malty with more slightly astringent chocolate. A nice round hop bitterness and more herbal hops finish the beer off with light carbonation.

Serving type: can

06-26-2012 05:32:32 | More by ericj551

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.23/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Pours a very deep, dark brown color, almost black with a thin amount of fluffy brown head that doesn't last long.

The scent was of chocolate, burnt coffee, some molasses notes.

The taste was of chocolate malts, coffee, sweet molasses, and some roasted grains.

Full body, pretty smooth feel, moderate carbonation.

This was a very flavorful and well balanced beer. Especially the balance of the chocolate and the coffee flavors. I would drink this again.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 14:45:42 | More by BeerCon5

BarryMFBurton

Indiana

4.53/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I’ve been in dozens of liquor stores, both in Indiana and not, and I’ve only seen Fuller’s London Porter in one of them. Suffice to say, I had to buy a six-pack when I found it.

Probably brewed a few years ago, as the best by date is just five months after the date of this tasting (“BEST BEFORE 27 NOV 12”).

A: This porter is dark as ever, pouring a dark brown with tons of shining caramel-red hues. Lots of bubbly tan cream for a head, bubbling up to two fingers of fullness. A layer of silk serves as the retention, with some short chunks of lacing coming just above the body.

S: Chocolate and coffee erupts from my glass; I literally pulled my head back with surprise as soon as I stuck my nose in it. Toffee, vanilla, and caramel are ridiculously savory, riding on a chocolaty backbone that smells too rich to be just 5.4% alcohol – how did they get that much in there?! The rest of it is all dark fruits and roasts: chocolate-covered raisin, whipped cream, fresh-ground cappuccino, and darkly-kilned grains. No denying, this is one of the best first impressions I’ve ever gotten from the nose of a beer.

T: Porter-lover or not, I can imagine this palate being a religious experience for anyone who enjoys dark beer. Robust flavors of coffee and cream meld with chocolate overtones with smooth mocha creaminess. Toasted bread and smoke make the tastes ripe with earthy bitterness, firmly grounding the palate in bitterness as it’s washed over with nutty complexity. Fig, honey, malted milk balls, wheat bread crust, sesame oil, and floral hops pan out over the remainder. Finishes with a mouthful of coffee and charred wood, but without being noticeably dry. One of the finest examples of an English porter I’ve ever had.

M: This one comes out smooth and milky, with a thinness that’s charming than unpleasant. It goes down silky while remaining drinkable the whole time.

O: The bottle shop where I bought this wouldn’t sell singles, so I got a six-pack; and man, how great that turned out to be. Knowing that I have five more of these in my fridge is a wonderful feeling – this beer hits so many marks that I know I’d be going back for more if this were my only bottle.

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 00:59:50 | More by BarryMFBurton

hopsolutely

Ontario (Canada)

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

Pours a dark, dark amber with decent head and surprisingly full mouthfeel. Very pleasant aroma of roasted malts with oak tannins. The flavour is robust and well balanced, malty sweetness with a nicely dry hop finish. This is a beer I've drunk for years - an absolutely excellent "go to" pint. Well done, Fuller's!

Serving type: can

06-03-2012 02:03:59 | More by hopsolutely

mrazik

Michigan

4.35/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pour: Great head, looks dark and delicious
Smell: Smells caramel-like, with a hint of nuts
Taste: Very good deep flavor of nuts, caramel and a slight deep, smoky flavor.

Overall: A great porter for fans of such. The smoke taste becomes more prominent after a few. A great beer to grab at a bar, but hard to sit down to a six pack.

Serving type: bottle

05-25-2012 02:56:04 | More by mrazik

heygeebee

Australia

3.95/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours black n tan - one finger head. Fades quickly.

Complex aromas - roast malts, cigar box, coffee, chocolate, smoke.

Taste is medium bodied, smooth, with more chocolate, coffee. Moderate bitterness. A little watery, but.... it's a 5%-ish.... not bigger.

Carbonation low. Mouthfeel smooth

Good solid porter. Not convinced it's a good as the sky-high BA rating tho. However, due to it not having massive flavours, I suspect I could drink all night.

Serving type: bottle

05-24-2012 10:23:47 | More by heygeebee

Mdog

Minnesota

4.4/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Dark brown, good head.

Smell: Rich, roasted flavors.

Taste: Roasted malt, mild sweetness, hint of coffee, finishes dry. Lots of flavor for a beer under 6%.

Mouthfeel: Light feel, seems like it could be a session beer.

I loved this beer 7-8 years ago, but then it seemed to disappear from Minnesota. I finally saw it again so picked up a single to review. Luckily I still like it. Unluckily, I managed to spill about half the beer in a kitchen mishap. Very nice balanced beer that you can have a few of and not get sloppy. Very good beer!

Serving type: bottle

05-12-2012 20:08:12 | More by Mdog

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4.53/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

12oz poured into a SA perfect pint glass.

A - Pours a dark chestnut brown with a fluffy tan head that provided very balanced lacing patterns.

S - Molasses, toasted caramel and chocolate malt, sticky dates, smokey overtones,

T - Creamy caramel, roasted malts, light smoke, hints of sour licorice, tangy yeast, cocoa, roasted nuts, raisins, has a roasted bitter finish.

M - Full body, soft carbonation, extremely creamy and velvety feel.

Superb! One of, if not the best porters I've ever had.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2012 22:09:46 | More by StaveHooks