Fuller's 1845 - Fuller Smith & Turner PLC

Ralphus

Ontario (Canada)

4.65/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Fullers 1845 is named for the year the brewing company was founded and is Britain's top selling cask conditioned ale. Like London's pride, it has good reason to sell so well. My bottle has a best before date a few years from now and I suspect it might be even better then.

This beer looks good. A beautiful rich amber color with an offwhite head. The head recedes quickly but have a sniff before it does. Lots of fruity smell up front, cherries and melon mostly but it's really well done. As you get the liquid into your mouth the taste starts off fruity sweet but then transitions wonderfully to a nice toffee and biscuit tone. You would be happy with just that but right when you think there's nothing more - bang, in come a round of bitter hops to round it out.

Mouthfeel is right on the money and made even more enjoyable by the complexities found within. This is a great sipping beer but it's even better taken in large gulps. The only problem being it's so damn tasty you'll have finished it in no time.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2008 01:47:17 | More by Ralphus

kvnstfrd

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

05-23-2013 03:15:46 | More by kvnstfrd

Casey3236

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev -2.7%

05-16-2013 03:28:17 | More by Casey3236

pkenkman

Estonia

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

05-08-2013 18:07:33 | More by pkenkman

Jordantb313

Colorado

3.75/5  rDev -8.8%

05-08-2013 00:52:16 | More by Jordantb313

innominat

Ireland

3/5  rDev -27%

04-16-2013 19:31:12 | More by innominat

hopsputin

California

4.14/5  rDev +0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

a: poured into an english pint glass. 2-3 finger rocky, uneven beige head. dark amber with some red light showing through

s: sweet caramel and berries upfront. nice bready backbone pushing the rest of the aroma through

t: right up front you're greeted with some generic dark berry flavors followed by a touch of hop bitterness and a very faint...tea leaf/something floral. all of this is backed by a very pleasant caramel/toffee sweet malt backbone. there is a hint of spice, maybe clove. just a touch of alcohol which plays well off the sweetness

m: mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium, with a nice amount of carbonation that helps the flavor in the mouth

o: nothing complex, but absolutely nothing offensive about this beer - a good example of a british, and definitely worth your time.

Serving type: bottle

04-13-2013 21:35:37 | More by hopsputin

tonton

Hong Kong

3.85/5  rDev -6.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Absolutely beautiful label on the gorgeous brown glass 50cl bottle. one of the nicest bottle presentations around. totally classy.

Pours a dark clear reddish caramel into a nonic pint. Fluffy warm grey head.

Tastes just like you would expect a perfect dark ale or old ale to taste. Typical caramel malts and mild English hops. Nothing unpleasant, which is its strength, but again, nothing outstanding or distinguishing, which is its weakness.

Mouthfeel is pleasant but then again not outstanding.

A perfect example of style, however, not worth a premium price over the standard English import.

Serving type: bottle

04-07-2013 08:41:45 | More by tonton

beergoot

Colorado

4.29/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Excellent honey and chestnut brown colored body with a thick, creamy head on top. Rich, sweet malty aroma; molasses and brown sugar with notes of figs and maraschino cherries in the background. Sweet and malt-forward flavors; hints of graham cracker, cinnamon, and toffee; mild hop bitterness builds up some steam at the end of the taste and mellows out the malt sweetness; trace of alcohol warmth. Medium bodied, smooth with a light and pleasing residual sugary feel.

A very well-done big ale. Malt character dominates throughout with hops and alcohol presence co-mingling in a well-balanced fashion. Rich, complex, warm, and inviting.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2013 21:39:07 | More by beergoot

bigbeerfan

Illinois

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%

04-01-2013 04:16:44 | More by bigbeerfan

schnarr84

Alberta (Canada)

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

03-29-2013 08:17:06 | More by schnarr84

user1845

Belarus

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

03-28-2013 20:24:30 | More by user1845

cavedave

New York

4.43/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Live review

Pours a clear light brown with red cast, two fingers of dark beige head, finally a thick cap framed in crazy lace on the nonic.

Bready malt, herbal hop, a bit of that English yeasty tart, lighter floral hop and caramel notes.

Wonderful flavors in perfect balance, the stock in trade at Fuller's. Front of sip is full of bready grain and herbal hop, and picks up caramel and floral, rounded yeast, some spicy alcohol, and ends with the sweet and drying herbal flavors cleanly remaining on palate.

Med./high carb. but not carbonic to a fault, lots of viscosity but not cloying, and a finish that leaves the palate craving next sip.

Wonderful beer, highly recommended. Hope to try this one fresher, but even after a trip cross pond this beer fucking rocks.

Serving type: bottle

03-25-2013 18:59:24 | More by cavedave

BGsWo22

New York

3.5/5  rDev -14.8%

03-21-2013 00:19:44 | More by BGsWo22

tylerzander

Arizona

3.95/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A - pours a pretty ruby/garnet color with decent clarity and a bit of haze; one finger small-bubbled pillowy head with excellent retention - I think the head actually increases in volume as it sits in the glass

S - distinctive, delicious aromas present as soon as the bottle is opened: raisin and licorice and caramelized sugar with a little ethanol sweetness; a little twist of vegetal/mushroomy hops at the end that may be more flatteringly be described as earthy

T - a slight roastiness and that earthy hop bitterness up front with a smooth finish of sweet plums and caramel

M - a little prickly and a little more carbonated than I anticipated for a real ale in a bottle, but taking a sip through the dense foam head to reach the liquid below is a smooth operation from beginning to end and not a heavy feel despite the maltiness

D - drinkable to the extreme, I wish I knew a bar closeby that had this on draft, as I would be a frequent repeat customer there

Serving type: bottle

03-14-2013 00:36:37 | More by tylerzander

JeffSuttonTX

Texas

4.75/5  rDev +15.6%

03-11-2013 04:30:29 | More by JeffSuttonTX

MattNelson

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

03-06-2013 23:05:51 | More by MattNelson

deadonhisfeet

Kentucky

4.36/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a bottle into a proper Fuller's pint glass. The pour is fairly dark amber in color with a slight haze and a perfect 2 fingers of frothy head. This beer has a wonderful nose. Lots of toffee, treacle, molasses, fruit cake, and a slight, smoky, woody note.

Full body and luscious, sweet, malty flavor. Dark fruit, fresh bread, toffee, and molasses engage the palate all over. There is a slight spicy hop note at mid-palate that carries through the finish. The finish itself is smooth and satisfying with just a touch of alcohol warmth. A wonderful sipping beer light on the hops and full of great malt complexity.

I am definitely buying this again. It's like a cross between an English Bitter and an English Barleywine. Lots of malt flavor with really good balance. If you must have lots of hops in your beer, then avoid this. If you like malty beers like bocks and English Barleywines and Old Ales, then by all means pick this one up. It is delightful.

Serving type: bottle

03-04-2013 02:03:04 | More by deadonhisfeet

Seaba

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

02-28-2013 19:20:19 | More by Seaba

Beerstorian

District of Columbia

4.5/5  rDev +9.5%

02-24-2013 20:37:36 | More by Beerstorian

Greywulfken

New York

4.19/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

A: into a pint, deep red-amber brown beer with a very subtle vague haze, thick fat tan head that left scattered bits of lace

S: fruits and spice

T: biscuits and subtle fruit jams - maybe orange marmalade notes - hints of anise and sherry

M: smooth, bitter, slightly tacky, slightly coating

O: Fuller Smith & Turner are not going to make mistakes - these people have been brewing on site for over 300 years. This is a classy beer - makes me think, "working man's beer" - as in, something you quaff in a pub after a day of labor that brings as much toughness and heart to the brew as you do to the work day. Quality craftsmanship.

Serving type: bottle

02-24-2013 17:03:00 | More by Greywulfken

gshak

Texas

3/5  rDev -27%

02-23-2013 23:00:32 | More by gshak

Radome

Spain

4.25/5  rDev +3.4%

02-23-2013 22:16:38 | More by Radome

hayesjw

California

4/5  rDev -2.7%

02-20-2013 21:09:19 | More by hayesjw

DrinkSlurm

Connecticut

3.96/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle into tulip. Pours a syrup reddish brown with a finger of head. Smell is sweet malty with some fruity esters. Taste is sweet malty but very tart and somewhat fruity. Its tasty...dry and slightly sour? Its a solid beer but its a slight miss for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-20-2013 02:28:11 | More by DrinkSlurm