Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2002

Formerly brewed at Fuller’s
Style: English Strong Ale
London, England

Serve in English pint, Snifter

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Dutch Ratebeer Gathering. Sampled in 2007 (5 years old). Orange coloured, off-white head, chunks of yeast. Aged aroma, yeast, liquor, pretty strong. Vanilla notes with toffee and caramel, very nice malty flavour. Once and awhile some lactic notes shine through. Towards the end some sticky sweetness, liquorice and hops. Oily texture. Good, although i expected the age to shine through a bit more than it actually did. Thanks jbrus for sharing.

Bottle@Home. Floral aroma with orange, malts and hints of apple. Hazy, some chunks floating around, beige head, fair lace. Sweet, caramel, herbal, floral, bitter. Oily, full and sticky.

Sampled in 2006. AMber in color. Caramel and honey. A little sweet and fairly viscous.

Considering the style, Scores ranging from 1 to 5, 5 being the most intense
Appearance:
Body:   Clear(1)->Murky(5) : 2     Pale Yellow(1)->Dark brown(5) : 3     Still(1)->Sparkling(5) : 3
Head:   None(1)->Large(5) : 3   White(1)->Tan(5) : 2   Lasting: 2   Lacing : 1
Aroma:
Intensity : 4  
Yeast : 2   Bread : 2   Apple : XX   Tropical Fruits : 2   Soap : XX   DMS : XX   Diacetyl : XX Sulfur : XX  
Malt : 4   Biscuity : 2   Hay : XX   Toasty : 3   Caramel : 3   Nuts : 2   Honey : XX   Cereals : XX   Grainy : XX
Hops : 2   Noble(1)->American(5) :   Leafy : 1   Spicy : 2   Floral : 2   Lemon/Lime : XX   Grapefruit : XX   Orange : 2   Herbal : XX   Grassy : XX   Pine/Spruce/Resin : XX  
Notes :   Peach/Apricot : XX   Earth : 2   Mint : XX   Butterscotch : XX   Smoke : XX
Flavor:
Initial Flavor : Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Finish Dry(1)->Sweet(5) : 3   Sourness : XX   Bitterness : 2   Complex : XX   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 : 2   Mineral : 1   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: A rather earthy and fruity year, less citric than the most recent and plumier, more vinous.

Name: Vintage Ale
Date: 04/25/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Vintage: 2002

hazy amber, wispy beige head, streaks of lace, rich sweet caramel aroma with earthy hops and a touch of fruit, rich dark caramel malt flavor, candy sweetness well tempered by the earthy bitterness, nice fruity character,

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.6/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: **4

Thanks to Walt for this beer. Poured a clear effervescent amber with a fizzy off-white head. Smells of brown sugar, cream, red wine, some light fruitiness. Flavor is quite dry with notes of grapes, brown sugar, alcohol, wine... leading to a very dry finish, perhaos a bit ashen. Overall an enjoyable strong ale that balances being both bold and restrained.

Pours a hazy dark copper with a thin ring of light tan head. Aged toasted caramel malty aroma has a touch of light fruits and brown sugar. Body starts fairly sweet and full with nice caramel sugar notes along with mild strawberries and dough. Seems to have aged pretty well and goes down smooth, hiding the alcohol.

Poured a hazy orange with a brown tint and small begie head. Full thick dark fruits, sweet malt, some woody character and alcohol. Full malty flavor with raisins and chocolate. Some aged notes. Semi-sweet start and a drying finish. Decent warmth.

Pint Bottle from Walt via trade - Thanks! - Pours dark amber in color with a fairly short creamy tan head. Lots of floaters in this one... Aromas of big yeast, some raisin, lots of caramel, slight toffee. Flavor of yeast, raisin, caramel, toffee, and some earthy notes. Smooth as silk on the palate with medium body and low carbonation.. Not the best of the vintages for this brew in my opinon..

This beer is an 2002 years tastet in 2006. Heavy yeasty and hoppy aroma. Large frothy initial apperance. Light brown head. Fair lacing. Mostly diminishing longevity. Small particles in body, amber body color. Heavy sweet initial flavor. Light to medium palate.