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Score
8897
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: 206   WEIGHTED AVG: 3.39   EST. CALORIES: 165   ABV: 5.5%
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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.


3.8
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 15/20
Hbie (133) - Essex, ENGLAND - DEC 3, 2004
Cask at Crosse Keys, London. Dark gold white head. Full bodied but hoppy also. Plenty of flavour but a bit sweet so the flavours are masked. Needs to mature in the cellar a little longer to bring out its true colours.

3.8
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
goozen (1884) - Leiden, NETHERLANDS - APR 28, 2007
Tap at North End, Leiden, Netherlands: Deep Amber well balanced sweet ESB brew. Got caramel taste.

3.8
   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 16/20
ekstedt (3792) - Göteborg, SWEDEN - AUG 9, 2011
Cask at Barrow Boy & Banker, Southwark, London. Deep malty, bisquity aroma with floral and herbal hops. Medium bodied, low carbonation. Dry to medium dry, medium+ bitterness.

3.8
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
garthicus (2089) - Toronto, Ontario, CANADA - JAN 11, 2009
On cask @ rhino Toronto. Pours a light orange with a very fine haze. Small white head. Aroma: hops and candy, almost like an ipa. Flavour: hops again with a lovely bitter mouthfeel, simply lovely. Long bitter finish.

3.8
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
JoeinEscazú (1181) - San Jose, COSTA RICA - MAY 19, 2008
Really a classic flavor that holds my interest with every sip. Drunk at the Wildeman in Amsterdam. Full-to-the-brim pint shines with bright, juicy, amber-mahogany, a few sparse bubbles on top. Nose is faint, fruity with a bit of stewed sun tea in there. Tastes mildly bitter, very soft with a fruity backdrop like cherry stem. Light, dry dusting of hops stays for the aftertaste. Refreshing and damned tasty.

3.8
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
Lilja (186) - Malmö, SWEDEN - APR 14, 2012
Funka alltid, en fröjd för gommen när jag hittar Fullers ESB på fat. Balanserad, maltig, fruktig.

3.7
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20
fullers (237) - Toronto, Ontario, CANADA - JUL 13, 2008
Darker in color - coppery amber - and fuller in taste than London Pride. London water. Thin head, aroma not forceful. Again, a very drinkable beer, quickly downed. The Dove is a classic London pub on a stretch of the Thames used for the Oxford/Cambridge boat race. On the day I’m there, lot’s of sculling activity on the river. My inevitable choice for tasting Fuller’s beers once again

3.7
   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20
Baltimorioles (39) - London, Greater London, ENGLAND - MAY 9, 2010
Sweet aroma. Amber color with no head. Very drinkable beer. Bitter taste is smooth but has character. Great summer beer. Although I stole this from the description, the orange marmalade comparison is spot on.

3.7
   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 16/20
Metalchopz (1429) - Quebec, CANADA - JUN 30, 2010
Enjoyed this one a few times on cask. Pours a dark caramel colour with a beautiful creamy off-white head and great retention. Like most cask, hardly any carbonation. This time, the nose was on the vinegar-cider side (kind of out-dated maybe ??). My friends pint did not seems as bad, and I did not remember that from other times. Overall, aromas are pretty light. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy. Good caramel start, with light grain and a slight bitter finish. This is a good one to enjoy at The Royal Oak on Bank street in Ottawa. Quite a smooth brew for sessions.

3.7
   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20
JamieFerdinand (163) - Hove, East Sussex, ENGLAND - MAY 8, 2011
Draught in The Jugged Hare, London - 6/4/11. Lovely dark, reddy brown colouring.Smokey taste and finish and oaky as well. Some caramel in the there too.


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