Fullers ESB (Bottle/Keg)

This has been a favorite of mine for quite awhile. Pours a dark chestnut color with minimal head, due to lower carbonation. Aroma is definite crystal sweetness, some malt complexity, and a minor note of corn (maize). Taste is extremely smooth, very well balanced, and a beautiful marriage of sweet crystal malts, English malts, and British hops. This is an extremely impressive feat, given how far it had to travel to get to me, and the time on the shelf. A tour de force of the style.

500ml brown bottle from Barb’s Beer Emporium in Concord. Pours a translucent copper body with a good inch of off-white head that leaves some good lacing. Caramel and toffee share the aroma with some herbal and floral hops. Caramel, toffee, nut, chocolate, and coffee all jump out initially, with a good amount of herbal, floral grassy hops with just the slightest hints of licorice, banana, and butterscotch. Medium to full in body with moderate carbonation. Super drinkable. One of the best - if not the best - ESB I have ever had. Flavor is so complex and yet complimentary and balanced. I can find almost nothing wrong with this beer - phenomenal.

Bottle. Pours amber with a strong red hue. Aroma is full of toffee and caramel notes. Flavor is very grainy with caramel and toffee notes.

06/08 0.5 l bottle from a pub in Tolmin, Slovenia. It poured a bit murky orange body with bigger head. Nose was lemony and caramel, full yeasty and really great. Slightly bitter and dry flavor, but also sweetish sugary and fruity. It’s pleasant brew despite its thin body, which makes it taste watery and lets down a bit after great aroma. Nothing strange for the style though. Still, it has got long, sweetish and pleasant finish. This is a really nice ESB.

Bottle. Clear amber pour with descent white head. Has a nice hopy aroma, very pleasant. Flavor is light with sweet caramel tones up front and follows through with a nice bitter finish. Very good overall.

Tap @ the Malt House - Yes, yes, yes. This is what I was looking for. Pours a deep amber with a small white head. Smells sweet and bready with some toffee malt notes. Taste is so smooth, with some nutty, malty, and whiskey flavors. There’s a little hop bitterness on the finish, just enough to balance. About the only thing I can say bad about this beer is the carbonation was jacked up way too high and it attacked my mouth a bit too much. Otherwise, stellar--I could drink ths all night.

Clear brown with offwhite medium head thins quick. Dried fruit and malt aroma. Distinctive Fullers taste. Creamy, dried fruit malt with an understated bitter hop aftertaste. Very understated bitterness compared to US bitters.

500 ml bottle. Finland. Clear copper colour with small off-white head. Sweetish fruity hoppy aroma. Fruity hoppy flavour with dry bitterness. Good but not excellent ESB.