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Score
8997
OVERALLStyle
Brewed by Fuller’s
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
London, England
Serve in English pint

bottling
unknown

on tap
common

Broad Distribution

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RATINGS: 199   WEIGHTED AVG: 3.4   EST. CALORIES: 165   ABV: 5.5%
COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION
Cask: Regular.
First brewed in 1969 as Winter Bitter - renamed Extra Special Bitter in 1971.
Ingredients: Pale Ale and Crystal malts; Target, Challenger, Northdown and Goldings hops. Dry hopped in the brewery.
CAMRA Supreme Champion 1978, 1981 and 1985.
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.

NOTE: Most Fuller’s beer in the US is served by handpump kegs and not a cask. Ask your server.

4
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
joe19612 (1113) - camberley, Surrey, ENGLAND - OCT 20, 2007
Cask at the Bishop on the Bridge, Winchester. Lovely copper colour, no head, minimal carbonation. Moderate aroma, initial mellow flavour, then a dominant but pleasant hoppiness. A very good beer.

3.7
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
oteyj (1753) - Washington DC, USA - OCT 6, 2007
Poured dark amber with small off white head. Aromas of nuts, hops and malt. Tastes similar to the bottled version, but without as much carbonation. Great session bitter though not as good as the bottled version.

4
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
KnutAlbert (4386) - Oslo, NORWAY - OCT 4, 2007
Nutty, very full flavour, some toffee, balanced by grassy hops which end up making this one of the most balanced and flavourful pints of cask ale to be found in London.

3.5
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
Rastacouere (5900) - Montréal, Quebec, CANADA - OCT 1, 2007
Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 3     Pale Yellow(1)->Dark brown(5) : 3     Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 2
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 2   White(1)->Tan(5) : 2   Lasting: 2   Lacing : 2
Aroma:
Intensity : 2  
Yeast : 2   Bread : 1   Apple : XX   Tropical Fruits : XX   Soap : XX   DMS : XX   Diacetyl : XX Sulfur : XX  
Malt : 4   Biscuity : 4   Hay : XX   Toasty : 4   Caramel : XX   Nuts : XX   Honey : XX   Cereals : 3   Grainy : XX
Hops : 3   Noble(1)->American(5) : 2   Leafy : XX   Spicy : XX   Floral : XX   Lemon/Lime : XX   Grapefruit : XX   Orange : XX   Herbal : XX   Grassy : 2   Pine/Spruce/Resin : XX  
Notes :   Peach/Apricot : XX   Earth : 1   Mint : XX   Butterscotch : XX   Smoke : XX
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Sourness : XX   Bitterness : 3   Complex : 1   Length : XX
Palate:
Light(1)->Full(5) : 3   Flat(1)->Fizzy(5) : 2   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : XX   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : XX   Mineral : 1   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: Tasty and very toasty example with nice cookie nuances.

3.4
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
pivnizub (7022) - Bochum, Porúří, GERMANY - OCT 1, 2007
On draught (The Victoria, London) Deep reddish amber coloured, slowly diminishing off-white fluffy head, robust fruity (dark fruits, raisins) nose, hints of caramel and a fat hoppy touch; solid bitter-sweet flavour, light to medium bodied; long lasting, lingering fruity-bitter finish with an increasing bitterness towards the very end. A well balanced, moreish Ale.............

3.5
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 15/20
anders37 (9280) - Malmö, SWEDEN - SEP 11, 2007
Cask @ The Harcourt Arms, Oxford. Pours a dark amber color with a small off-white head. Malty toffee aroma with some hoppy hints. Slightly sweetish malty caramel flavor with some hints of hops and toffee. Long malty finish with some bitterness in the aftertaste.

3.9
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
DougShoemaker (3149) - Toronto, Ontario, CANADA - AUG 26, 2007
Cask @ Volo. Fruity hops aroma, fine malt, dark hazy copper, almost no head(tan)Majestic fresh hops taste, wonderous malt underpinning. Extremely well balanced, far too easy to drink. Lovely

3.1
   AROMA 4/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
detroitsteel (235) - Greater London, ENGLAND - AUG 20, 2007
Pint in a Fullers pub near Liverpool St. Can’t remember the name. Nice, full flavour quite suprisingly citrusy. Lots of malt and rasted grains. Very short finish, but this could be due to the beer being served too cold.


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Rating Notecard:
Beer: Fuller’s ESB (Cask) Rating Avg: 3.4 No. of Ratings: 199
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