Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2003

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

Serve in English pint, Snifter

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Sampled in 2006. Amber red in color. Caramel, apples, a little tartness. Some grassy hops.

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) : 4   White(1)->Tan(5) : 2   Lasting: 2   Lacing : 2
Aroma:
Intensity : 3  
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 : 4   Nuts : 2   Honey : XX   Cereals : XX   Grainy : XX
Hops : 2   Noble(1)->American(5) :   Leafy : XX   Spicy : 2   Floral : 2   Lemon/Lime : XX   Grapefruit : XX   Orange : 3   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) : 4   Clean : XX   Sharp : XX   Watery : XX   Oily : XX   Chalk : XX   Astringent : XX   Alcohol : 2   Mineral : 1   Oxidation : XX   Metallic : XX

Comments: A smooth, caramelly, biscuity vintage with a surprisingly active carbonation still.

Name: Vintage Ale
Date: 04/25/2007
Mode: Bottle
Source: Tasting
Vintage: 2003

clear blood red, wispy beige head, streaks of lace, sweet caramel and fruit aroma with very light floral hops, creamy yet thin body, rich caramel and fruit flavor, touch of hot alcohol, nice caramel sweetness throughout

Aroma: 7/10; Appearance: 7/10; Flavor: 7/10; Palate: 7/10; Overall: 15/20
Rating: 3.7/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

The bottle has been shaken, so it pours a cloudy amber color, with a generous head, thick. The aroma is malty, sweet, a bit fruity light aroma of apples, light aroma of fudge. The mouthfeel is good; the flavor is malty, sweet, with sweet caramel and fudge, very light fruitness (ripe apples); the final shows a rising bitterness, with toffee traces, lasting long; everything is well mixed together, a very good example of brewing art; warming alcohol, makes you feel like sitting by the fireplace; almost with no sign of age.
Thanks Anders37 for sharing this!

Pours a transparent copper amber with a lightly-lacing khaki colored head. Boasts a good, slightly sweet caramely malty nose with some light fruity complexity. Body starts full and caramely malty sweet with some slightly earthy bittering hoppiness for balance. Finishes slightly warming, but otherwise pretty complex.

Lightly hazed deep orange copper color with a thin off-white head. Sweet malty aroma with some mild yeasty phenols and candy notes. The flavor is malty and semi-sweet that dries out some with a mild to moderately bitter finish. Some warmth. A little grapey. Medium bodied.

Bottle. # 48335. Pours an amber colour with a small off-white head. Malty aroma with lots of dark fruits. Also some hints of caramel. Sweet malty toffee and caramel flavor. Also dark fruits in the flavor. Long malty warming finish with some slightly bitterness in the aftertaste.

(Bottle 50 cl) Bottle # 31444. Slightly hazy, dark amber with a dense, light brown head. Very concentrated sherry aroma. Full-bodied, lightly sweet body with some overripe fruit, apricots and light notes of sherry - sherry vats perhaps. Quite some warming alcohol in the finish. Excellent. 201206

A dark amber beer with a thick orange head. The aroma is sweet with strong notes of prunes, but also over ripe fruits, and hints of wood. The flavor is very sweet and very complex with notes of fruit, prunes, and wood, as well as light notes of alcohol. Leading to a dry citrusy bitter end.

Bottle from the <a href=http://www.ratebeer.com/Places/ShowPlace.asp? target=blank>Fuller’s Brewery in London, England in May 2005. Bottle #15901. Rich copper colour, long lasting beige head, cool puffy lace. The aroma was sweet, lots of caramel malts, christmas cake, fruit cake, apples, some floral hops and small amounts of alcohol. The flavour had some hops (pine mainly), lots of sweet caramel malts, cookies, the alcohol is starting to disappear with this vintage. Dry mouthfeel, medium body, medium carbonation. Finishes with a lingering medium bitterness, slightly dry. Nice.