Fullers Vintage Ale 2004

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

Shiny copper colour. Aroma is heavy caramel, toasty viennaish malts, a little mineral. The palate is richly caramelly, with lots of brown sugar...rich, syrupy. It has its moments I suppose but isn’t really to my taste.

Bottle #86104. Lots of molasses in the nose with cognac hints present as well. Sweet, maple-syrupy notes are also present with some mild European hoppiness in the nose. Transparent amber-copper color with a small off-white head. Start is a bit peppery, turning a bit sweet and chocolate-like. Molasses flavors follow with more maltiness. Some alcohol is presesnt in the middle. Finishes with a glance of bitter hoppiness. This is nice, but it’s a bit hot.

Dark amber color, small but lasting head. Fairly complex aroma: hezalnuts, hops. Full bodied, buttery and oily. Warming alcohol. A firm hopbitter flavor, walnuts. Just a touch of wood. I can’t taste any fruit. There is some sharpness that will probably ease down over the years. Oaky bitter afteratste. Good quality beer that needs some cellaring.

Bottle (No. 80180). A reddish orange color with an off-white head. A bready malt aroma with butterscotch, raisins, and toffee. The flavor has caramel, hazlenuts, tofee, bready malts. Rich and complex for the style.

Shared this with Aurelius - bottle #76671 - for those counting. Dark copper appearance, with a just thick enough mocha colored head. Aroma has some essences of Copenhagen snuff with a back end of pure alcohol. Flavor has some sweet bubble gum notes, a hint of maple syrup and citrus but has an overridding boozy element to it as if it needed some againg. Not quite as complex as other Fuller’s vintages I have had. Not an everyday drink, enjoyable for sipping purposes.

Bottle. Numbered 92660. Vintage 2004. Gorgeous copper. Small tannish head. Dissipates quickly. Aroma is hints of toffee, whiskey, alcohol soaked fruits, light wood and raisins. Taste is a bit different. Bitter with light floral notes, caramel, ripe fruits, alcohol and toffee notes. This is a bit young. I have had the 2002 and 2003 after a couple of years and only then did it begin to develop. This may need some more time, so I am glad I picked up another bottle. Body is medium and clightly creamy. Light alcohol warmth. Lingering bitterness. Finish is slightly bitter again with flowery notes, rum soaked fruits, whiskey, toffee, and light peaty notes. Good but needs some age.

Thick and meaty-looking, cloudy, mahogany-colored body with a fast-fading head. The aroma is enticing and delicious! Lots of bright plums and fruits with a nice earthiness. The flavor isn’t as sweet as I expected it to be, yet it is still quite good. A hint of oxidation in its "old age", but it is slight, and not too off-putting. A decent beer overall.

Very clear, light-amber beer with glass-sticking bubbles; very good, off-white head, quite dense and reasonably stable. Creamy nose, some caramel. Some light sourish-fruity notes, as not-too-sugared preserve. And a faint, just-off maltwhisky aroma, too. Very malty, caramely taste with again, a marked fruity-acidic touch that slowly fades. Very interesting: a bit of jam, but with an English hops finish - hop marmalade - or orange&hops chutney? I cannot find those German Bock notes some raters claim. It’s much more refreshing, less bready. It is oily, nearly viscous, however, but less chewy than the ’99 and ’03 versions I remember. Still - good body and texture. Everybody admits it, so I’ll better do that too: I should have aged this one a bit more. But then, we’re all so curious, aren’t we, and we want those ratings. Anyway, a great beer already. (My bottle #61209 - does that matter in any way?)