RateBeer
Score
96100
OVERALLStyle
Brewed by Fuller’s
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
London, England
Serve in English pint

bottled
common

on tap
common

Broad Distribution

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RATINGS: 2141   WEIGHTED AVG: 3.62   EST. CALORIES: 177   ABV: 5.9%
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COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Bottle & keg (USA); Pasteurised.
First brewed in 1971. Ingredients: Pale Ale malt, Crystal malt and Maize; Target, Challenger, Northdown and Goldings hops.
Brewed at 5.5% ABV in cask and 5.9% ABV in bottle, ESB is a true liquid legend, and should be savoured as such.
ESB has a wonderful rich mahogany appearance. Taking in the nose, the beer is bursting with cherry and orange, balanced by soft malty toffee and caramel notes. The flavour delivers everything you would expect from such a full-bodied ale. The unique blend of Northdown, Target, Challenger and Goldings hops imparts grassy, peppery notes on the tongue along with intense citrus fruit characters of grapefruits, oranges and lemons. The blend of Pale Ale and Crystal malts in the brew give a biscuity, toffee element to the beer. A smooth, mellow bitterness lingers on the palate to give a superbly satisfying finish.


most recent ratings

4.1
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
superspak (1480) - Michigan, USA - APR 3, 2013
500 ml bottle into pint glass, best before 5/5/2013. Pours fairly crystal clear orange amber color with a 1 finger fairly dense white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty soapy lacing clings down the glass. Aromas of raisin, apple, caramel, biscuit, toffee, brown sugar, light nuttiness, and light floral hops. Damn nice aromas with good balance and complexity of malt and fruity ester notes; with solid strength. Taste of golden raisin, caramel, biscuit, toffee, apple, brown sugar, light nuttiness, and floral hops. Lingering notes of caramel, biscuit, light fruit, toffee, brown sugar, and light floral on the the finish for a short bit. Very nice balance and complexity of malt flavors with moderate fruitiness; good robustness and zero cloying flavors present after the finish. Light carbonation and medium bodied; with a smooth and moderately creamy mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is very well hidden with nearly zero warming present after the finish. Overall this is an excellent ESB. Very nice balance, robustness, and complexity of malt flavors; and extremely smooth to drink. A very enjoyable offering.

3.4
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
Bookseeb (54) - Wenatchee, Washington, USA - APR 2, 2013
Appearance has a golden amber color supporting a thin but not totally dissipating head leaving spotty lace. Smell and taste of the soft malt serving the toffee and caramel notes, hops with an English yeast in the background. Mouthfeel is medium light with mild carbonation. Overall a very nice nicely balance ESB.

3.9
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
beer-yum (64) - Wellington, NEW ZEALAND - MAR 31, 2013
UPDATED: MAY 15, 2013 Superb example of the ESB style (the ’benchmark’ in fast). An excellent beer to compliment a London Pride session.

3.6
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 15/20
Chuckaduck (490) - Kentucky, USA - MAR 31, 2013
Bottle. 3/31/13. Pours a translucent green-gold with a resilient and bubbly slightly off-white head; frothy. Aroma is bread, biscuit, yeast, hints of fruit, some caramel, toffee, vanilla(?). Taste is light, crisp, fruity (apples, pears, some berries), bitter, leather (?); well-balanced. Nice; drinkable. Mouth feel is clean, fluid. Medium carbonation; seems high for this particular beer. Overall, very nice.

4.4
   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 18/20
DocJitsu (307) - California, USA - MAR 30, 2013
Gorgeous clear, golden copper color with a short off white, foamy head. Mild toffee and sorghum aroma. Pleasant, full bodied and complimentary mouthfeel. Surprisingly large flavor consisting of brown sugar, toffee, earthiness, and perhaps some banana and some stainless steel age at the finish.

3.6
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20
tmongoose (668) - Louisville, Kentucky, USA - MAR 29, 2013
12oz bottle poured a darm amber color with off white head. sweet caramel malt aroma and maybe a bit of fruit to it. wasnt really sure about that but didt get much if any hop in the nose. the flavor was about the same medium bodied sweet caramel malt base quite tasty and on the back end you pick up some hop action. for me it got sweeter the warmer it got. pretty solid beer.

3.6
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20
maxwelldeux (2226) - Raleigh, North Carolina, USA - MAR 28, 2013
Bottle. Pours a perfectly clear amber color with a moderate off-white head. Nose has a lot of those dry English hops in there with some toasting and subtle caramel underneath. Taste is a little bit bitter, but balanced well, resulting in a smooth drink. Better than I thought...

3.3
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
pentaz (470) - Frederiksberg, DENMARK - MAR 25, 2013
Bottle. Pours clear copper with a spotted lacing off-white frothy head. Aroma is caramel, toffee, flowery, herbal, a hint of citrus, faint butter and pepper. Taste is light+ sweet and bitter. Body is medium, texture is thin, carbonation is moderate. Finishes caramel malty and fruity.

3.7
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
andrewturba (456) - Alberta, CANADA - MAR 22, 2013
Pours a deep copper colour with small off white head that quickly and completely disappears. Aroma is fruity esters, caramel, sweet maltiness, earthy, and mild alcohol. Flavour is sweet caramel, grassy and earthy bitterness, caramel sweetness, fruity, very mild sour/tartness, and some alcohol. Carbonation is pretty low which explains the lack of head, this beer is a good representation of the style for sure.

4.2
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
jonnyt (27) - USA - MAR 22, 2013
Can, clear ruby-tinged amber colour. Finely bubbled head. Smells of sweet juicy fruit and light malt. Palate is juicy with honeyed and full, round fruit. Lightly bitter aftertaste with long creamy finish. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone


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