Fuller's Bengal Lancer (Bottle-Conditioned) - Fuller Smith & Turner PLC

tbeckett

Ontario (Canada)

3.91/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle my parents brought back from London. From notes.

A - Poured dark orange with mild carbonation. Soapy one finger loose white head on top. Slight haze to the body. Good half finger of retention and lot's of thick drapes of lace.

S - Bread, orange, spicy hop, citrus. A bit mild.

T - Grassy and spicy hops. A little earthy, crackery malt. Very interesting and tasty. Can't place some of the hop characteristics, but they're tasty.

M - Nice mild carbonation, medium body with some creaminess.

O/D - A nice take on the EIPA. Well hopped up, not overly bitter, and very drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

05-20-2013 20:19:33 | More by tbeckett

popery

California

4.11/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a friendly shade of amber. Right about a nice, medium wood stain. Quite clear. Soft cream-colored head. Pretty good retention. Moderate lacing. The aroma has a mix of gentle hops, rich malt and a solid mineral character. The hops have a nice dose of orange with floral and herbal notes. Solid caramel maltiness. The taste has nice hop flavor on top of that rich caramel malt. Pleasant bitterness in the finish. Fairly sweet but the beer pulls it off. Mostly gentle feel, though it doesn't seem like they really tried to make it seem like a cask. Easy to drink. Pleasant stuff.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2013 04:54:28 | More by popery

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.7/5  rDev -5.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Picked up at Costcutter, Lambeth, London (500ml, £2.89):
Bright, orange amber colour with a thumb sized, foamy white head that eventually settles to a thick looking lacing on top.

Lively smelling with a nice hop character and a strong floral base to the beer with plenty of herbal notes coming through along with some elderflower and orange. The end is complimented with some nice, bitter notes and the beer has a good balance.

Lighter hops than there was in the aroma but with a stronger floral taste. There is some elderflower and orange plus a some good herbal flavours. This is all backed up with a nice malt base and medium strength bitterness coupled with some summer fruits and a touch of sweetness.

Light medium body and moderate carbonation on top of a hop filled, bitter mouthfeel that has touches of sweetness too.

Easy to drink and went down well. It was surprisingly refreshing for the style and the bitterness levels. A nice beer and one that I'd be inclined to try again.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 10:49:13 | More by flyingpig

Halcyondays

California

4.28/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

500 mL bottle, nice to see a new Fuller's beer available,

A: Pours a clear amber with a medium white head which dies down to a soft cap of foam with spots of lace all around.

S: Floral herbs, rosemary and sage, spring meadow notes. Quite lovely in its approach.

T: Light biscuity malt flavour with that herbal earthy hop feel especially in the finish which also has a beautiful note of cracked grain.

M: Light-bodied but still firm, soft carbonation, with a remarkably long lived aftertaste of English hops.

O: This is where freshness really comes into play especially with a style like the EIPA. This is in no way a West Coast monster, that's not what it's trying to be. This is just a delicious quaffable pint with striking if subtle flavours to an American palate. I love well made English beers like this.

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2013 03:22:57 | More by Halcyondays

beerthulhu

New Jersey

2.78/5  rDev -29.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 2.75

BB 19Nov14. Consumed 3/13.

A: Bright orange coloring when artificially backlighted. Absolute pristine clarity, fine print easily readible through a faint rise of effervesce. Oatmeal tinted head is slightly creamy, moderately retaining, with a low visual lacing.

S: Fresh graininess, lightly toasted french bread, with a very faint fresh flowery hopping.

T: A little blunt and unfocused upfront. Sour twang of caramel overshadows what hops may be. A bit soapy, washed out stale malting, old citrus and none to inviting. Some sweet toasted bread, the hops finish out a bit coarse and unrefined.

M: Pretty much uneventful mouthful, light to medium base, no carbonation, with a bit of alkaline quality.

O: Overall the malting and hops seem old, stale, the hop strength refrained with a coarse and alkaline finish. Not a repurchaser here.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2013 23:37:13 | More by beerthulhu

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

3.53/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Outstanding clarity for he golden orange body. Four fingers of snow white bubbly froth. Delicate lacing.

Light orange aroma with hints of fresh bread.

Toffee foundation. Earthy hops. Bitter bite. Fruity finish.

Smooth light-medium mouthfeel.

A satisfactory take on English IPA, but I think I prefer ESB and London Pride.

Serving type: bottle

03-31-2013 03:47:56 | More by RonfromJersey

Radome

Spain

4.06/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted from a 500 ml bottle bought in England.

A - Beer is dark golden color with an orange tint. It is very clear. The bottle has a thick and stable layer of sediment on the bottom. The head is off-white and initially 1/2 inch or so thick. it fades to a thin but opaque layer that lasts throughout, which has a sticky, oily appearance.

S - The aroma is heavy on hops. They smell fresh and green, of an English variety, although there is a slight grapefruit hint. There is a cracked grain smell, but it is definitely in the background.

T - The taste is dominated by hops, especially early in the palate. The flavor is fresh and earthy and blends well with the moderate to high hop bitterness. Later in the palate the hops fade and are replaced by soft malt reminiscent of graham crackers with a slightly sweet finish. Near the end I get a woody note that could be from aging on wood or a characteristic of the hops. A good balancing act between hops and malt.

M - Medium to thick body. The carbonation is smooth but low. The hops bitterness provides a smooth burn, but there is no alcohol presence.

O - This is a very good interpretation of the English IPA style. The hops are prominent and the bitterness is high, but not over the top. It is balanced by nice malt sweetness, making it a layered, moderately complex beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2013 22:44:20 | More by Radome

falloutsnow

Illinois

3.93/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

From: Binny's, Champaign, IL
Date: Best by 07/17/2014
Glass: Tulip

Fuller, Smith and Turner have a solid English IPA with their Bengal Lancer, though of course I wonder how it compares to their more highly rated "standard" IPA. The beer has a good blend of toffee-like malt flavors with herbal, dry-leaf-like, and bitter English hops. While certainly different from the American IPA (and PA, at this point), the style and this beer have its charms, two of which being that a pint won't destroy your liver, and the hop quantity won't ruin your palate. Aside from $5 for a 500ml bottle, this is an enjoyable beer that warrants trying and enjoying.

Head is fairly clean white, 1.5cm high, made up of small bubbles. Retention is above average, and leaves significant as it falls, sheets and large, thick lines adorn the glass. Head fades to a thin layer of wispy foam atop the body. Body is copper-colored, 40-50% opaque, with vigorous streams of carbonation rising from all over the bottom of the glass. Light turns the bod a bright yellow-orange hue, but doesn't relieve the haziness.

Aroma features sweet, toffee-like malts that blend with English hops and fruity esters to yield a pleasant mixture of scents, with a hint of bitterness (if one knows his/her hops).

Tasting opens with toffee-like sweetness from malts, slightly bready. Mid-palate finds a suitable change in flavors, with bittering English hops, rather delicate herbal and wood-like tones blended with a background of toffee-like sweetness and fruity esters. Back of palate tastes moderate bitterness from hops, which is the main focus, along with tofee-like and herbal hop flavors in the background. The aftertaste is balanced between toasted malts lending toffee-like character and fairly strong English hops of herbal and dry leaf character, lending moderate bitterness.

The beer is medium-bodied, with carbonation of medium to medium-low intensity, resulting in a smooth, slightly foamy mouthfeel with only slight prickliness. Closes dry, with slight residual stickiness on the palate.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2013 04:06:04 | More by falloutsnow

rangerred

Tennessee

3.54/5  rDev -9.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

22oz bottle into an English pint.

Pours a clear bright copper with a one finger off-white head. Just a tiny bit of head retention and no real lacing to speak of.

The aroma is suprisingly light on this one with some tart fruit and a little bit of metal coming through. No hops are dectectable on the aroma.

The flavor, thankfully, has much more going on than the aroms. Tart tropical fruit up front combined with some dank mustyness that really compliments the fruit well. A little bit of caramel and dark bread make up the malt backbone although it is subtle. Bitterness is moderate to high and lingers for quite awhile after the finish. Mouthfeel is a little on the watery side but drinkability is quite high.

Overall, an ok English IPA but I've had better. I really would like for their to be a little more malt character and the odd tartness dialed back. Probably not one I would pick up again.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2013 17:18:05 | More by rangerred

metter98

New York

3.79/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

A: The beer is crystal clear yellowish amber in color and has a light to moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a thin off white head that quickly died faded away, leaving delicate lacing covering the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of floral hops in the nose along with some hints of fruity yeast and citrus.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste has flavors of floral and grassy hops along a light amount of bitterness and some faint hints of caramel malts.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a little crisp on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is extremely easy to drink and has a very good balance between the malts and hops.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 04:03:02 | More by metter98

M_C_Hampton

Georgia

4.44/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5

A: poured from a 1 pt. bottle (bbd 7/17/14) into a nonic pint glass, pours a copper amber color with a huge fluffy white head that lingers leaving good lacing, clear

S: light smell of pine and citrus hops, caramel malt

T: heavy hops up front with plenty of malt sweetness to balance, honey, citrus

M: perfect carbonation, full bodied yet refreshing, lasting pleasant aftertase

O: a fantastic English IPA, more subtle than American versions yet perfectly balanced, malt isn't overpowered by hops

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 02:40:10 | More by M_C_Hampton

dbrauneis

New Jersey

3.69/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Best Before 19 Nov 14

A: Pours a crystal clear dark golden yellow to orange in color with some light to moderate amounts of visible carbonation and some copper highlights. The beer has a finger tall sudsy light beige head that reduces to a medium sized patch of very thin film with a thin ring at the edges of the glass that also includes a few larger bubbles. Moderate amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Light to moderate aromas of biscuit malts with just a touch of light fruit sweetness (touch of apple and pear). That is followed by moderate aromas of floral and herbal hops.

T: Upfront there is a light amount of biscuit malts with a light amount of light fruit sweetness (apple and pear). That is followed by an earthy herbal and floral hop flavor. Moderate amounts of lingering bitterness.

M: Just shy of medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Slightly thin with a touch of crispness. Just a hint of dryness in the finish.

O: Fairly easy to drink with a smoothness that makes it rather refreshing. A nice example of an English IPA which has classic English hop aromas/flavors and it is not overly aggressive.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 23:20:52 | More by dbrauneis

superspak

Michigan

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 ml bottle into pint glass, best before 9/17/2014. Pours fairly clear golden amber color with a 2 finger fluffy white head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lingers. Spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of orange zest, grapefruit, citrus rind, lemon zest, bread, honey, caramel, floral, grass, and light piney spiciness. Nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and complexity of hop/malt notes. Taste of grapefruit, orange zest, pine, lemon zest, citrus rind, floral, grass, bread, light caramel, light toast, and earthy pine spiciness. Fair amount of floral pine bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of citrus, pine, floral, grass, bread, light caramel, light toast, and earthy pine spiciness on the finish for a bit. Very nice balance of hop/malt flavors with good complexity; and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a crisp and fairly sticky mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with a minimal warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a very nice English IPA. Nice balance and complexity of hop and malt notes; and extremely crisp and smooth to drink. A very enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

01-31-2013 04:07:57 | More by superspak

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

Pours a yellowy orange colour, slightly hazy with a white head. Slight lacing.

Smells good, nicely hoppy and refreshing.

Tastes nice and hoppy too, but not overly. Just a slight tang to remind you this is an IPA.

Overall a bloody nice beer!

Serving type: bottle

01-26-2013 21:38:40 | More by CwrwAmByth

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16.9 ounce bottle - $3.98 at Sherlock's in Kennesaw, Georgia.

17 JUL 14 marked on the bottle.

Appearance: Pours a golden-amber body with great clarity noted and a well-sized, near white crown of suds.

Smell: Floral and biscuit scents, mainly, but also some hints of fruit and herb.

Taste: Light biscuit flavor from the soft, gentle maltiness mixed with fresh flower petals, minute citrus, and earthy herbs. Medium degree of bitterness. Some very light touches of golden syrup pushing forth on the back half. Dry, floral, reasonably bitter finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied (barely). Medium-plus carbonation (barely).

Overall: It's just a nice, refreshing beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 01:57:02 | More by ChainGangGuy

EmperorBevis

United Kingdom (England)

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Before I knew of Ba I got this and didn't particular like it.

Then I discovered Ba and also started wondering why I didnae

after all it is BC'd
it's brewed by Fullers
and it's an IPA

Let's go

lovely honey roast body slight big bubbles but BC doesn't give the best head lol

Citrus on the nose a bit of a lemon washing up liquid smell.

Refreshing and much better than I remember
starting with a biscuity body with a slight caramel touch veering towards a bitter edge then warming with hops and yeasty bitterness.

Nice light touch on the mouthfeel and nice carb.

Glad I revisited this brew must have got a bad batch last time

Serving type: bottle

04-29-2012 22:56:23 | More by EmperorBevis

spdyfire83

Ireland

3.98/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

81st Review
Bottle to pint glass
Enjoy by: April 2013

Enjoyed this 500mL bottle on Christmas Day while visiting London. Thank you Michael for this nice beer.

A: Flashy golden. Frothy single (off white) fingernail head on gentle pour.

S: Hops, pine, medium roasted malt, more hops (floral notes this time though).

T: Sweet malt and very enjoyable balance of a wide variety of hop characteristics with a smooth, inviting bitter finish. Hint of spice near the end as well - nice.

M: Medium body with soft/medium carbonation.

O: A very well oriented bottle conditioned IPA. Reminds me of a classic (USA) West Coast IPA, but with a nice English twist. I'd like to try this on-draft at some point and compare notes.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 18:53:46 | More by spdyfire83

IPA4LIFE

United Kingdom (England)

4.03/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

I picked up a bottle at Sainsbury's tonight. I was really excited to try this one because I am a huge Fuller's fan.

A- Beautiful golden color with a thick, creamy white head that has ridiculous retention and a powerful amount of lacing. This head is really what sold me on the appearance of this beer. One of the most impressive looking I have seen in a long time.

S- Light citrusy notes up front, with a discernable bit of sweet malt characteristics mixed in with a clean spicy finish. Not overly impressive, but it does have it's enjoyable aspects.

T- Much like the aroma. Some fruity hops characteristics (some citrus / orange zest and a little apricot). There is also some sweet malt flavor. This beer is consistent with the style, with a clean, bitter, earthy / spicy hop aftertaste closing off the taste and leaving a pleasant lingering aftertaste.

M- Smooth and creamy. Really wonderful. The mouthfeel is the most impressive and outstanding attribute of this beer.

O- A solid offering. Good example of an English IPA. I was impressed with the beer and would love to have it again.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 19:15:31 | More by IPA4LIFE

crnipeter

Slovenia

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I never understood the idea behind bottle conditioned IPAs: the secondary fermentation in the bottle is supposed to be engine of the taste evolution and requires aging while on the other hand, aging adversely affects the hops which are the IPA's essence.

Pours clear pale amber with orangeish tint and off-white dense head that holds very well and forms firm laces on the walls.
Aroma is fruity (pineapple, mango, nectarine) with caramel-toasty malts, earthy-floral hops and evident sulfury notes.
Nearly medium bodied, well carbonated and foamy on the palate this smoothly drinking beer has malts and hops so well balanced it's almost bland, with minerally-sulfury finish and mild bitterness lacking any harshness in the aftertaste. The absence of harshness and hop-derived astringency is much sought-after but rarely seen quality in IPA and Bengal Lancer should be praised for that.

(Best before 05-17-2013, 500 ml into tulip)

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2011 22:51:57 | More by crnipeter

tenaciousp65

Illinois

4/5  rDev +2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I had this bottled at the Red Lion Fuller's Pub near Westminster Abbey, big ben etc. I prefer this one bottled to cask, (probably just because its closer to the states) something about the crispness of the carbonation makes it finish better. I can definitively see how the IPA has evolved and where it came from. Whether from the cask or bottle conditioned this is a rock solid IPA and probably the closest thing i've found to a session beer since I've gotten here. Like I said before nothing new or creative here just a rock solid IPA that goes down easy for a nice refreshing drink

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2011 18:45:39 | More by tenaciousp65

Wattsox

United Kingdom (Northern Ireland)

3.83/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle, consumed Jun 2011, BBE Dec 2012.

A - Clear copper body with a relatively small amount of head that dissipates down to virtually no covering, with some lacing and cling.

S - Gentle hop aromas balanced by some malt on the back-end; fairly well balanced on the nose.

T - Similar to the aromas, the hops are the solid frontrunner of the taste, not as much so as American IPAs tend to be, but still out there. There is a good malt balance to temper the hops as well. Finishes with a gentle bitterness that lingers a little while.

M - Medium body, medium carbonation, smooth, crisp and doesn't linger too long.

O - Overall, an extremely drinkable beer, either on its own or as a session drink.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2011 22:51:12 | More by Wattsox

beerdrifter

Germany

4.22/5  rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked this up at the biggest beer store in the UK, Beers of Europe Ltd. Beautiful clear amber pour with quickly fading two finger head and decent lacing. The nose is subtle but really nice. Floral, perfumy hops dominate with hints of herbal tea. The hops are the star of the taste as well. Not overpowering like some American IPA's, but still big. Tangy and herbal with a good amount of tea and citrus as well in the flavor. Just enough sweet malts to give this perfect balance. Smooth just doesn't describe this beer. The bitter hop bite is just bordering being chewy, and there's something unique about the tea flavor in the aftertaste that makes this hugely drinkable. This is hands down my favorite English IPA. Another winner from one of the UK's best breweries!

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2011 18:44:43 | More by beerdrifter

MrKennedy

Australia

3.88/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle purchased from the International Beer Shop and poured into a nonik style pint glass.

Light orange appearance, with a slight off-white head of foam that measured a few centimetres, before settling to a half centimetre throughout.

Marmalade smell is the most dominant, but by no means over the top. Definately can tell just from the smell that this is a British interpretation as opposed to a US version.

Initially it lulls you into thinking this is a light version of a British IPA, but the hops start to show they are present in numbers. Solid English hop flavour.

The body is well suited to the beer itself and the style, maltiness being there just a tad, but letting the hops stand out. Finishes off with a fullish, bitter finish.

Overall, a good interpretation of the British style. While i do like the Fullers malty house style of a lot of their ales, the relative absence in this made it unique and kept it true to label.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2011 11:25:07 | More by MrKennedy

jonb5

United Kingdom (England)

3.9/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Half litre bottle, I was suprised how clear this beer was, dark brown colour, no bubbles. Could smell sweet perfumed hops. Tasted spicy apples, mangos and pears. It remided me of kellerbier. Not much carbonation, two would be great, can't say if I could drink more. Overall a very good IPA

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2010 17:12:44 | More by jonb5

wl0307

United Kingdom (England)

3.95/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Purchased at the Waitrose Supermarket, this seems to be a new product by the Fuller's Brewery. Bottle-Conditioned, BB 16/02/12, served cool in a straight imperial pint glass.

A: pours a light amber hue, coming with loosely formed white cottony head and a medium-level carbonation scattered with large and tiny bubbles; good clarity.
S: the very juicy combination of malts and hops is almost like a lesser version of Fuller's ESB or Young's Special London Ale, featuring sweet citric and slightly spicy Styrian Goldings hops and mildly sour-ish gooseberry and even blueberry-ish fruitiness, against a rather light body of pale malts. Not complex, but refreshing and aromatic all the same. Plus, yeastiness (from bottle-conditioning) leaves no negative impact on the aroma.
T: the marvellously-carbonated texture of juicy pale malts expands with lightly sour-sweet pears, orangey citrusness, then quietly but closely the undercurrent of almost tea-ish tannic bitterness and nutty crushed pale malts expands and takes over, but in a rather subtle way. The aftertaste prolongs the spicy-bitter and increasing chewy side of hoppiness, lingering with a pleasant bitter-herbal and hay-ish touch.
M&D: the palate is remarkable, full of microscopic fizziness resulting from successful bottle-conditioning, while the body remains semi-light at most and refreshing vis-à-vis the 5.3% alcoholic strength. This bottle-conditioned version is more refreshing (or, less soft) than the cask-conditioned one that I've just tasted twice lately. Both are good session type, immensely drinkable as far as my palate is concerned!

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2010 18:59:41 | More by wl0307