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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.

3
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 12/20
Borup (2639) - Albertslund, DENMARK - JUL 11, 2011
Draught at Bishop Arms, Copenhagen, Clear brown colour with a white head. Aroma and flavour of caramel, hops, bisquits, fruit and with a bitter finish.

3.1
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 13/20
jfb (1438) - GERMANY - JUL 11, 2011
(draught) pours a slightly hazy copper colour with a frothy off-white head. aroma of strawberries, caramel, light tobacco, grass and melted buter. flavour is mostly the same, very heavy on strawberries and caramel, with a touch of raisins, lemon peel and straciatella, quite sweet. medium-bodied with soft carbonation.

3.5
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
kidmartinek (1757) - austin, Texas, USA - JUN 21, 2011
On cask at the Draught House. A rich amber color pouring with a substantial dirty, white head. The nose is peach and nectarine. The flavor, toffee malt and those pitiful English Golding hops. This "champion ale" detracts from its own quality. What would the queen say? They use so much food to describe this beverage it takes away from the beer. The finish is bland as is expected with any brew from a country that calls itself by so many names. In spite of its snobbery, its a drinkable beer, especially on the side of the world from which it came. It leaves faint lacing on the glass, just like its bitterness.

3.3
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 14/20
rosenbergh (3145) - Helsinki, FINLAND - JUN 20, 2011
Cask at the George IV, London, England.
Deep amber colour with tiny white frothy head. Dark malt, fruity dark hops and bitterness in aroma. Flavour is fruity hops, malt and some sweetness. Slightly flat.

3.5
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20
Enjoyit (2723) - Vadum, DENMARK - JUN 9, 2011
Clear copper of colour with a small beige head. An aroma of malt, sweets, caramel and bisquit. A flavour of sweets, caramel, hops, bisquit and barley.

3.4
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 2/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 15/20
Borresteijn (2596) - Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS - JUN 1, 2011
Cask at In de Wildeman. Clear copper amber colour, soapy white head. Aroma of sweet caramel and flowers, light hoppy. Flavour is sweet, malty, caramel/toffee, flowery, nice fruity hoppy bitter finish. Light to medium bodied, oily mouthfeel. Nice.

3
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 13/20
Pinball (7772) - Copenhagen, DENMARK - MAY 14, 2011
handpump at bishop arms cph. Clear brown, smooth small offwhite head. Not carbonized, no bubbles. Very mild aroma, a little malts and a little sort of sourish hops. Flavor is nutty, caramelly, bitter malty, hops only provide some bitterness. A very sweet english bitter, bitter berryish note too.

3.5
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 15/20
rlgk (5238) - Skövde, SWEDEN - MAY 12, 2011
Cask at Barrow Boy and Banker, London. Nice amber color, almost no head. Malty fruity aroma with toffee notes. Toffee flavor, grapes and apples, some hoppy notes. Fruity finish with toffee notes.


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