Fullers London Porter (Bottle/Keg)

Brewed by Fullers
Style: Porter
London, England

Maybe I am off or this is an off bottle, but I just don’t get it with this one. Porter is probably my favorite style, and this is just alright to me. It just tastes too thin for my liking. I has some great chocolate and prunes going on in the aroma, and those carry over to the flavor, but it just doesn’t have the creaminess and lingering malty and hoppy finish that I associate with a solid example of the style. Everything is just too subdued for me. I don’t find it nearly as interesting or delicious as the Nogne O Porter, and it doesn’t have the weight or richness of Sierra Nevada’s porter. I would much rather drink this than many other beers, but for being number one in the style, I just don’t get it at all.

From the bottle, this is nice, rich, and a bit high on the chocolate end for a porter. It is almost black red-brown with a medium, dense, long-lasting tan head that leaves some good, creamy lacing. The smell is at first rich, ceamy milk chocolate, then this becomes more subdued and mocha-like, joined by toasted brown bread, hints of prunes and caramel, being full and sweet. The taste is predominantly toast and a rich milk chocolate (rather than bitter dark chocolate) mocha, with elements of fruit, especially prunes, caramel, and a hint of coffee. Despite these traits, and the heavily toasty, caramelized quality, it does not taste burnt at all, lacking any acrid quality, and is very smooth and even throughout, with great sweet-bitter balance. It’s smooth and thick, a bit oily.

Bottle poured into a Cascade lager glass (much like a French verre de biere). Dark rich aromas of chocolate, coffee and toasted malt. Near opaque brown color with a vigorous tan head. Medium body with chewy/creamy carbonation. Nice flavor of dark toasted, near burnt, malt with coffee and arguably a touch of chocolate. The finish is pretty much toast and coffee with some hop bitter coming forth to help balance. Something of a medium dry finish. Extremely tasty.

Poured into a Rogue pint glass. Nearly black body, completely opaque with ruby hues around the edges. 2 finger coffee-colored head, dense and sticky. Smells just like chocolate milk tastes. Caramel, coffee, toast. Roasted malt flavor floods over the tongue, followed by a faint hop prod. Notes of burnt toast, dark chocolate, baker’s chocolate, cocoa powder, smoke. Surprising amount of carbonation, maybe too much for the style, makes quaffing a bit rocky. The dark richness is very enjoyable though. At 5.4% abv, this is supremely drinkable.

This is an elegant porter. The nose and flavor are richly influenced by mocha. this is a true delight, and a must try for those whom have not.

Exactly what it advertises. A rich complex beer with hints of chocolate and nuts, slightly sweet with a flavorful finish.

Damn good porter. Here you can see how a porter is different that a stout, and why. Poured a dark, dark brown with a here it is then gone beige head. In the mouth it is smoke, soy sauce and roasted malt. Finish is sweet and a bit tangy with a light but refreshing mouth feel. I like it, and it’s still available at Riba Smith for 2.25 a bottle (but I don’t know how much longer it will be!)

Bottle. dark brown with some red and yellow. this was smokie with some good coffee flavors