Fullers Vintage Ale 1999

Formerly brewed at Fuller’s
Style: English Strong Ale
London, England

Serve in English pint, Trappist glass

Bottle at Chriso’s Fullers-Gales Tasting. It pours clear deep red-amber, with a thin off-white head. The nose is wood, leather and some sweet, sticky fruit. The taste is wood, dust, leather, golden syrup, honey, spice and toffee, with a bitter-dry finish. Full body, moderate carbonation and a thick, slightly cloying mouth-feel. Fairly straight forward actually. Nice enough, but perhaps too sweet.

Bottle care of Chris O. Hazy tawny amber. Nose is alcoholic, bit raw, marmalade, sherry, sweet and malty. Taste is very soft, no hops or bitterness, orange marmalade, fruity, sweet barley malt, and some subtler tangerine notes. Overall it’s soft and very sweet and possibly too cloying.

Huge thanks to GT2 for providing the opportunity to try this mini whale! Nose and flavor were rife with candied orange and caramelized sugars, molasses, date, plum, and hints of cardboardy oxidation. Palate was oily and slick. Seemed a bit past it’s prime, but still nice and so cool to try.

hazy chestnut, large bubble white ring. Nose is tea, oak, bit of pepper, dates. Flavor has more dates, candy, brown sugar, tea. Not as dry or integrated as nose, soft coating body, lightly oily.

550mL with a big thanks to anders37. Pours murky mahogany with a medium, yellow, barleywine head. Decent retention. Nose is toffee, orange mint, sharp tawny barleywine character: fruit cake, fermented raisins and plums, red licorice, muted alcohol. Shaper mouthfeel and finish with obviously hoppiness. Never getting too sticky sweet. Slight slickness in the finish. Nice stuff. Reminds me more of American barleywines.

Thanks GT! Murky brown pour with a thin beige head. Lots of brown sugar and port in the nose with dark fruit and severe oxidation in the flavor. Cardboard and toffee big time. Rich palate with low carbonation. Very cool to try this.

Bottle courtesy of GT2, thanks. Murky brown color, scant white edge head. Aroma of butterscotch and light spice. Taste is rich, fruity, caramel and scotch. Very nice.

Bottle 550ml #02056 @ home
[Courtesy of yngwie] Pours deep amber/ brown with a off-white head. Aroma has notes of oxidized, malt, raisin, prunes and berries. Taste is medium sweet and light bitter. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft.