Black Cab - Fuller Smith & Turner PLC

bluejacket74

Ohio

4/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500 ml bottle, best before 30 September 2013. Served in a pint glass, the beer pours dark brown with about a half inch light tan head. Head retention and lacing are both good. Aroma is nice, the brew smells like roasted malt, coffee, bittersweet chocolate and burnt/charred malt. Taste is pretty much just like the aroma, but there's also a bit of dark fruit noticeable too. Mouthfeel/body is light/medium, it's a bit slick and creamy and very easy to drink. I think this is a good stout, I'd pick this up again at $5.29 a bottle. A nice tasty brew if you're looking for something that's lower in ABV (4.5% in this case).

Serving type: bottle

04-21-2013 01:06:50 | More by bluejacket74

Zorro

California

3.71/5  rDev -2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Black colored beer with a tall light brown colored head. Theoretically this is clear as I can see some light through the edges but it is black enough that no light from a 100 Watt bulb can pass through.

Smell is dry and smoky with a scent that is pretty much just patent malt. Char and coffee with a faint scent of sweetness. Pretty much Starbucks coffee with a little malt syrup.

Starts out mildly sweet with a nice roasted coffee flavor. Mild and mellow flavor with very little bitterness. Not complex but very well made for what it is, Dry Stout.

Mouthfeel is good.

Overall a super mellow beer. I could see drinking this often if it was easier to get. What it lacks in complexity it makes up with mellowness.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2013 20:17:47 | More by Zorro

bobhits

Kentucky

3.4/5  rDev -11%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance is lacking for sure. A dark brown color from the bottle, black in the glass, but with an almost clear brown watery look held to the light. Carbonation is poor and has non retention.

The aromas gives off chocolate and coffee, a lack of sugars and deep sweetness give the impression of a lighter beer, but by NO means would one think this is under 6% in the nose.

Chocolate, coffee, dark malts this is a really complex and complete beer. I truly did not expect so much flavor and so much depth once I saw the 4.5%.

A touch watery but the beer is well carbonated and even better put together.

This is hands down the best under 5% beer I can think of. So much flavor so much complexity and just well damn. At 4 bucks a glass it's a touch high but on draft this is a perfect beer for someone who's got a drive and wants a bit more volume without you know drinking crap.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2013 00:59:33 | More by bobhits

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

4.03/5  rDev +5.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

500ml bottle served in a tulip glass.

A: Beautiful beer, First of all. Beautiful Fuller's bottle art desing with a gray label and a classic brit black cab on it. Pours a deep brown almost black color forming a solid medium thin bubbled tan head. Medium retention and lots of lacings left in the glasd

S: Classic roasted malts dry stout in the nose. Smells like an Oreo biscuit. A bit fruity and a bit sweet too

T: Follows the nose. Upfront is slightly sweet and very roasted. Quite lactic. Notes of dark fruits. On overall, a very dry taste with a quite dry bitter end which is, at the same time, expected from the style

M: Quite creamy body for a 4.5 ABV beer. Good carbonation to a dry stout. Roasted bitter aftertaste

O: Good drinkability. Lovely British Stout

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 22:35:05 | More by eduardolinhalis

popery

California

4.2/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Looks fantastic. The beer looks dark brown as it comes out of the bottle and black in the glass. Beige head. Excellent head retention. Khaki bubbles are all over the walls of the glass, marking each pause between sips.

The aroma is cocoa, coffee roast, caramel malt and a mildly fruity English yeast tying it all together. It's not terribly strong and in your face, but it has that rich, full aroma of Fuller's beers. I'm not sure if it's from the malt or the yeast. Something about Fuller's beers just seems to ooze quality. At any rate, the combination of chocolate and coffee on top of caramel sweetness works quite well.

The taste brings more coffee and a drier overall profile. The milk chocolate and caramel sweetness still come through, but the dry roastiness and an earthy hop flavor balance it out more than expected. Tons of flavor for a 4.5% abv beer. More American brewers need to figure out how to pack this much flavor into a <5% abv beer.

Creamy, smooth mouthfeel. One of the best attempts at a cask feel for a bottled beer that I've tried.

This is a fantastic beer. I would be thrilled to drink it regularly and in quantity. It might be the best low abv stout that I've ever tried. I tend to get a bit excited by well-done English beers, and this is a great example to find at my local store, which is more than 5000 miles from Griffin Brewery. So, that's nice. Anywho, Black Cab is an excellent beer, and I'd love to see it included in the fantastic Fuller's regular lineup.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2013 04:19:56 | More by popery

thierrynantes

France

3.96/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Beer bottle (50 cl.) purchased from Le Comptoir Irlandais, and tasted in 2013.

Appearance : dark red brown color, with tan foamy head.
Smell : roasted malt and dark chocolate aromas.
Taste & mouthfeel : coffee and light licorice flavours, leading to a dry roasted finish
Drinkability : a good beer in the style Stout.

Serving type: bottle

03-17-2013 17:43:57 | More by thierrynantes

rangerred

Tennessee

3.88/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

500ml bottle into an English pint glass.

Pours nearly pitch black with a half finger light tan head that settles into a thin cap. Just a few random spots of lacing on the sides of the glass.

Aroma is quite pleasant with some nice dark fruity aromas along with a moderate dose of smoke. Some light cocoa and light roasted malt as well.

The flavor, unfortunately, has a quick shot of metal right off the bat which is quite unappealing. Following this is a milk chocolate sweetness along with some cherries and figs. Light fruit wood smoke is quite nice along with some light roasted coffee. Mouthfeel is silky smoothe with a moderate amoung of sweetness leading to a slightly bitter finish.

Overall, an interesting stout that is unlike many of the others out there. Not extremely interesting but one to pick up if you are in search of something unique and different.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2013 01:52:59 | More by rangerred

jtierney89

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Deep chesnut with good clarity and a 1 finger light head. Burnt malt, coffee, and charcoal on the nose. Espresso beans as well.

I'm usually not a fan of these weaker thinner bodied stout but for some reason this one just spoke to me, could be that it's such a dreary day and I just got off work and need a beer, but it's tasting great.

Big roast character, coffee chocolate and espresso flavors abound. Medium body with good carbonation and dry through out with a roastiness lingering in the mouth. Maybe not the best pairing for sushi but I'm liking this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 20:51:40 | More by jtierney89

ummswimmin

New Jersey

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

I poured this english pint into my snifter glass to pull in more of the aroma off the beer. There was about a finger of head that dies down to scum pretty quickly. The coloring is spot-on for a stout beer.

Off the top I get a fruity sweetness as well as some coffee. The nose balances pretty well from the multiple elements. The aroma is not as strong as you would think... which makes it pretty easy to breathe in.

The flavor is mostly bitter coffee. You can't really taste more than that. The balance is a little off.

This makes for a decent example of an English Stout. It is worth a try, but not worth going out of your way to find.

Serving type: bottle

03-07-2013 21:42:25 | More by ummswimmin

RonfromJersey

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Medium tan four finger level micro-bubble head. Black body with ruby edge along the bottom of he glass.

Inviting and enticing coffee and chocolate aroma.

Taste is chocolate up front, with big undercurrent of coffee roast. Very clean finish.

Mouthfeel is full, but just barely. Personally, I'd like more to chew on.

A nice taste of England, and always nice to have a Fullers, either here or in London.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 04:47:54 | More by RonfromJersey

beergoot

Colorado

3.66/5  rDev -4.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

Sweet toffee nose with a touch of dark chocolate arising from a very dark brown (almost black in indirect light). The head is thick, rich, and creamy. Roasted grain and a medium bitterness abound with a fairly clean and dry finish; bitter chocolate flavor throughout. The body feels about medium.

This is a good stout overall. Nice flavor throughout. It's a little weak in the body for my preference, but there is plenty to enjoy taste-wise, especially if you're looking for a low-alcohol, malty dark ale.

Serving type: bottle

02-28-2013 04:11:34 | More by beergoot

oberon

North Carolina

3.74/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Poured a deep dark chocolate brown with some ruby highlights showing thru,a half finger lighter beige head head atop.Big dry roastiness in the nose and not much more than that,it's nice but really one sided.Big dry roastiness on the palate,earthy with some woodiness with underlying bitter chocolate that off sets the roast just enough.This is old school with its big roast and dryer tones.

Serving type: bottle

02-27-2013 22:08:32 | More by oberon

hosehead83

Ohio

4.01/5  rDev +5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured from a .5liter bottle into a standard pint glass.
Pitch-black in color, with a nice two-inch cap of frothy tan foam.
Aroma-Faint chocolate and dark malt notes
Taste-Roasted malt, baker's chocolate, black coffee and subtle charred steak note in the finish.
Interesting, flavorfull, and sessionable at 4.5ABV. A nice match for a burger or a steak.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2013 23:12:49 | More by hosehead83

claspada

New Jersey

3.79/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pours a dark brown color with some ruby highlights when held to the light with a small egg shell soapy head that recedes to leave minimal lacing.

Aromas begin with dark roasted coffee, dark chocolate and some overly toasted bready maltiness. As it warms there are a few hints of English fruity esters and some metallic bitter molasses.

The tastes follow the nose with bold, dark roasted coffee bitterness and some darker cocoa chalkiness. Some emerging pale and toasted malt sweetness works to balance the dark roasted malts. The English esters also add to the complexity here.

The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a medium amount of carbonation. Finish is fairly clean and balanced with a little bit of creamy, malt sweetness, dry, roasted bitterness and some light fruity esters.

Overall this was nice to try as I always enjoy anything from Fullers but this is one of their weaker offerings. For the price point, quantity and availability I would just rather get a 6-pack of their Porter because it is a better beer regardless of style. Great for the drinkability and sessionability but lacks a tad in the overall flavor profile.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 20:00:33 | More by claspada

JohnFatAss

New Jersey

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A really nice stout. I loved the bottle with Rolls Royce looking black cab on the label.
As for the beer, it looks like a stout.
Black in color with a tan head.
Roasted malt smell.
Taste is of roasted malts. Very dry.
Black Cab is a little on the heavy side, very filling and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 02:59:23 | More by JohnFatAss

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.96/5  rDev +3.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

500ml bottle $3.99. I've never seen this before so I snapped it right up for four bucks. Dark black color like a stout would. Aroma is muted, bit of malt. Flavor is very nice, chocolate, delicious. Extremely easy to drink, I killed the pint in about ten minutes. Yum.

Serving type: bottle

01-28-2013 05:04:51 | More by ArrogantB

triskadekaphobia

Ireland

3.9/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Bottle at home - poured black (well, very dark brown) - none of the ruby colouration seen with other stouts - with tan frothy head that dissipated but left tracing on the glass. Aroma - very reminiscent of chocolate (70% cocoa of course - not milk). Flavour is chocolate and espresso coffee - with full, mellow mouthfeel. Good balance of sweetness and bitterness. Same again, please!”

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 22:35:41 | More by triskadekaphobia

JohnnyBarman

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev +8.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

On cask draught at Kickoff in Waterloo.

Poured into a Fuller's ale glass. Dark as coffee, thick-looking brew, with a half inch of sturdy, creamy foam. Sheets of lacing. Fine looking brew.

Nose is coffee, dry roasted malt, a bit of chocolate (dry), perhaps some molasses as well.

Fine English stout that has a good dryness without being oppressively dry, if that makes any sense. Easy to drink - this became my go-to for the rest of the evening. Nice roasted flavour, dry grain and finish, but with some coffee and chocolate lingering in the back.

Creamy, nice thickness to this. Carb on the cask pump is mild - since the brew is on the dry side, I don't mind the lower carb.

It's hard to put any stout or porter against Fuller's London Porter and expect to win, and I don't think this one does that, but a brew's job isn't to be "better" than something else. Each style has their own positive attributes, and this one has those in spades. This is a drier brew, and a damned sessionable one at that, and I likes it fine.

Serving type: cask

01-12-2013 00:06:56 | More by JohnnyBarman

mscudder

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Really was excited to be able to acquire one of these! My favorite from this brewery has been their porter, which I would deem world class. Let us see how this goes...

Into a pint.

A - Black hue with a good sized milk-chocolate head. Good retention with some good, big-bubbled, lacing left behind.

S - Soft and subtle chocolate. Pinch of iced coffee.

T - Not a ton of flavor to speak of in this one. A blend of iced coffee, cocoa powder, dark malts and a pinch of bitterness on the finish. All the flavors are nice, yet none of them jump off the palette yielding a big smile across my face.

M - Medium body, low carbonation with a bit of fizzyness. Bolder than I expected in a 4.5% ABV (then again this is the lowest I have encountered in a stout)

O - Really wanted to love it; just fell short of the porter I am so very fond of.

Serving type: bottle

12-25-2012 01:00:46 | More by mscudder

karait95

Mexico

3.95/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A: black deep color a big head with small bubbles that dissipates slowly and leaves behind some traces on the glass. Almost no light can pass through and so carbonation cannot be seen but a permanent layer keeps on top of the beer.

S: a sweet aroma is sensed with some dark barley back body.

T: flavor is good, again some caramel and toasted malts in the back there are some hops.

M: balanced between sweetness and bitterness just a little detail is that body is not bold enough for a stout besides that is a very well done beer with character and excelente sensation in the mouth.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 05:48:57 | More by karait95

metter98

New York

3.7/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

A: The beer is very dark red (close to near black) in color. It poured with a short off white head that died down but left a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of chocolate in the nose.
T: Like the smell, the taste has flavors of chocolate along with notes of roasted malts and hints of lactose. There is a very slight amount of bitterness. The roasted malt flavors become a little stronger as the beer warms up.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied, smooth and a little airy on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is a nice light stout that is perfectly sessionable.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 23:53:35 | More by metter98

rarbring

Sweden

3.93/5  rDev +2.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A very dark brown, blackish, brew, a tan head leaving very much lacing, and soem lacing.

Burned notes, soy sauce, cold coffee, charcuterie.

Starting with ashes, black bread, cured meat, dark roasted coffee.

Medium high carbonation, a bit fizzy, a medium body, coarse and dry.

A very powerful stout, maximal darkness.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2012 19:22:03 | More by rarbring

joecalderoni

Texas

4.48/5  rDev +17.3%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Pours a very nice dark brown-black color with about a finger of tanned off-white head!

S: Nice rosty aroma combine with dark chocolate notes! slight fruitiness from the yeast on the back!

T: Super good Chocolaty taste well balance with a nice roastiness and bitterness! You can slightly taste the fruitiness from the yeast!

M: Full Body,medium carbonation, super nice coating body!

O: a Superb dry stout, excelent for any occasion.

Serving type: bottle

07-03-2012 01:16:05 | More by joecalderoni

CwrwAmByth

United Kingdom (Wales)

3.98/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a pint glass.

Pours a dark black colour with a nice creamy off white head.

Smells dark and roasty, very stout-like.

Tastes very much of dark roasty malts with a slight coffee bitterness, very smooth and drinkable.

Overall a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2012 22:23:16 | More by CwrwAmByth

StJamesGate

New York

3.75/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Opaque black with oxblood edges and creamy, honeycombed cafe-au-lait head that trails instantly. Nose is smoked sausage with soil and black currant underneath.
Acidic black malts, cold espresso, blackberry, slight roasty bite, and gentle woody hops.
Hot cocoa finish and bitter baker's chocolate linger. Soft, creamy, round, the lighter side of medium.

Nose got me excited, but this is a pretty understated stout. The flavors could be bigger (Fuggles and Goldings get lost), and it's smooth (that'd be the oats) but a bit thin, which tells me drinkability is the aim here.

Nice, but I'd expect more from the makers of the prototypical London Porter.

Note: labeled 4.5% in bottles

Serving type: bottle

04-01-2012 18:25:11 | More by StJamesGate