Fullers Vintage Ale 2004

Formerly brewed at Fullers
Style: English Strong Ale
London, England

Sampled from bottle at the River’s Bend Barleywine/Old Ale Tasting on 1/18/2007...

Bottle #65143: Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2004 poured a clear dark copper/amber color. It was pretty clear and had a small crown. The aroma contained honey, wood (oxidation?), and an almost generic "beer"-like scent. The flavor had a light cherry-almond taste to it and a dry finish. The body was lighter than expected, but still around the medium mark. Overall I thought this was a pretty good beer, but I guess I was hoping for something more after just having the Thomas Hardy’s Ales! Regardless, I am quite happy that I had the opportunity to sample this quality beer! 8.5% ABV.

Cloudy burnt orange pour. Full head. Nice lacing. Good carbonation. Apricots, toffee, apples smells. Full body, soft carbonation on tongue. Hints of apricots, sherry, marmelade. Clean fruity finish. This beer is very unique among English ales. The maltiness harkens to Scottish ales or even Belgian strong ales, but the fruity flavors seem unique among English ales. Great beer!

Bottle # 87626. Purchased at the Holiday Wine Cellar in Escondido, CA. Pours Orangey amber with a head that quickly dissapears. The aroma is light with really not very much there. The taste on the other hand is very nice and strong and sweet with notes of toffee caramel and a nice rounded malty body. Very well aged, I’m curious to a vertical with these one day. Plus the nice thing about rating a vintage beer like this is that whenver you rate it you know for a time that your beer has aged longer then the other raters.

Bottle no. 66051 pours a chill hazed copper amber body with a small beige head that soon falls into sporadic lace. Toffee and caramel aromas mingle with a vague fruity golden apple note and English hops. Medium body with soft carbonation and a signature mineral water feel. Taste is sherry like, featuring bitter herbal hops, toffee and caramel maltiness, red apple skins, and some alcohol. Deepens in complexity as it reaches room temperature. A splendid example of English craftmanship.

A real good good-night-beer. Dark amber and a bit unclear. Not very much aroma, malt and alcohol. Real good flavor, malty, laqurice, coffee. Long lasting flavor.

Bottle no 47714. A slightly hazy reddy amber coloured beer with a short-lived beige coloured head. The aroma is vinuous and creamy. Leather and cigars. Marmalade notes also. Slightly fusty but very welcoming. The taste is delicious smoothness. Fruity and malty. Alcohol soaked chesterfields. English hops. A beautiful beer probably at its prime right about now. Never, ever drink these beers young, for you are mssing so much character and flavour. Must buy more of each year’s vintage. My last beer of 2006. Happy New Year all.

Bottle. Pours a slightly hazy amber colour with a longlasting off-white head. Has warming malty aroma with hints of caramel. Sweet malty flavor with hints of of dark fruits and caramel. Long malty finish with some bitterness in the aftertaste.

Strong looking beer with a general strongly hopped aroma, the flavour is very thick tasting, malty with a lot of hops. Overall OK and quite complex.