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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Bottle 550ml.
Clear medium to dark red amber color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate to heavy malty, caramel, vintage, oxidide malt, raisin, plum, wood notes, moderate alcohol. Flavor is moderate to heavy sweet and moderate bitter with a average duration. Body is medium to full, texture is oily - creamy, carbonation is flat to soft, finish feel is light alcoholic. IMO it is to old - on the down ... [20090725]

[Sampled November 7, 2003] The aroma is sweet and malty with notes of fruit. The color is a hazy dark amber and it has a beutiful beige head. The flavor is lovely from a good malt blend with notes of fruits and wood. It has a dry bitter end. A fine beer but not nearly as good as Vintage 1997 and 2001 - maybe because of the short aging? I wish I had another one to experiment with.

55 cL bottle. Pours clear golden amber with a lacing white head. Light grainy to overripe fruit notes and with a light caramel malt note. Flavour is mild caramel malt. Light dry malt flavour with a light spice note. Ends with a mild malt finish and light wineous.

(Bottle 55 cl) Pours a hazy, amber golden with an off-white head and huge chunks of yeast. Aroma of sherry, wood and overripe fruit. Full, sweetish body with lots of wood, caramel, toffee and overripe fruit. a bit low in carbonation. A lovely sipping beer. 071206

Bottled. Hazy reddish orange, beige mediumsized head. Strong chocolate and dry fruit in aroma along with grassy hints. Strong malt, caramel and alcohol in flavour with hints of hayish dryness, grassyness and papery hints. Very complex and full flavour. Pleasant and smooth palate. Malts, caramel, hay and alcohol in the long aftertaste.

Bottled. Hazy brownish amber, small head. Caramelly nose. Sweet and full bodied. Caramel wrapped in resin, notes of white pepper and a beginning touch of cardboard. Mild resiny bitterness.

Bottled. Hazy orange coloured with an off white head. Sweet aroma of malts and caramel. Sweet flavour of malts, caramel and dried fruits with hoppy notes.

Bottle. # 20985. Pours a slightly hazy amber colour with a longlasting off-white head. Malty aroma with hints of dark fruits and caramel. Sweet malty warming flavor with lots of dark fruits and some hints of caramel. Long warming malty finish.

Bottle at Aarhus Beerfestival. Pours hzay deep golden amber with a small off white head. Aroma is dark fruits - pruner/plums, caramel, vinous/port. Very complex. Low to no carbonation left. Smooth, round , creamy& filling palate. Sticky... long end! Thank god!

UPDATED: FEB 17, 2010 2010-02-17, 7 years old, 7-4-7-4-14=36
Beautiful amber color, strangely hazy; the head is quite thin, but creamy and persistent. The aroma is malty but also alcoholic, nutty, with light bitter almonds. Good body strength, the mouthfeel starts getting a bit oily; the malt flavor turned into cookie dough and marzipan; still strong bitterness, but also the alcohol can be clearly perceived. Tired beer, not worth ageing more.

2005-04-01, 2 years old, 8-4-8-5-16=41
Beautiful copper color, reducing head. Very malty aroma, very light Bourbon vanilla. Good body structure, a bit oily, quite thick; really malty; nuts (wallnuts), a lot of caramel. Incredibly harmonious. Very long final, malty and honeyish; knocks you out!
The carbonation and the young age makes of it, still, a partially aggressive brew (but excellent).