Fuller, Smith & Turner
Opened: 1845
Capacity:
Date Visited:
The Fuller, Smith & Turner's Griffin Brewery, better known as Fuller’s
claims to be England’s oldest brewery. There has been a brewery on the site
for 350 years, with the current ownership in operation since 1845.
Although the brewery has been updated over the years, Fuller’s has stood by
traditional brewing methods as well as a commitment to pure ingredients.
Consequently Fuller’s has developed an excellent range of award-winning
products. In the 20 years that CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) have held their
Champion Beer of Britain competition, Fuller's have won the Beer of the Year
award five times. Fuller's beers have been the best in their class nine times,
while ESB has been voted “Best Strong Ale” seven times, unmatched by any
other brew.
Beers Reviewed
(click on beer name for full review)| Fuller's 1845 Bottle Conditioned Ale | Type: Ale | ABV: 6.3% |
| Immediate sign of carbonation and foam, fairly light with good notes of rising carbonation, revealing a nice reddish-brown color. Aroma shows good signs of yeast, a little woody and perfumey, hint of peppery spice. Maltiness at the front of the palate, although this does seem fairly brief. It turns a little citric and fruity mid-palate, oaky, and finishes pleasantly dry and bitter. Especially complex for an English ale. | ||
| Ratings: Appearance: 4/5 Aroma: 8/10 Palate: 4/5 Taste: 9/10 Overall: 19/20 Score: 4.4 | ||
| Fuller's Chiswick Bitter | Type: Bitter | ABV: % |
| Popular English pub-beer which I have not tried for some time, named after the brewery’s home town. This beer is also an award winner having won CAMRA’s Beer of the Year in 1989. Lower in alcohol than other Fuller’s, Chiswick is intended for quantitive consumption and easy-drinkability. | ||
| Ratings: Appearance: /5 Aroma: /10 Palate: /5 Taste: /10 Overall: /20 Score: | ||
| Fuller's ESB | Type: ESB | ABV: 5.9% |
| ESB is a little darker, verging closer to brown, than the London Pride, but in similar style also lacks a little life and foam in the pour. Aroma shows a sweet honey-like malt, but is noticeably hoppy, somewhat flowery. Palate is medium bodied with a smooth mouthfeel. The first note in the flavor is a rich fruity-malt mixed with nuttiness, and again bears many similarities to the London Pride. ESB’s character however is emphasized by the hops and slight bitterness, which provide for a little tang in the finish as well as a pepper spiciness in the aftertaste. Excellent blend of hops and malt. Not only is it stronger than London Pride, it’s also a little more authoritive. It does bear close similarities to a winter ale, which was the original designation of this beer until 1971. | ||
| Ratings: Appearance: 4/5 Aroma: 7/10 Palate: 5/5 Taste: 9/10 Overall: 18/20 Score: 4.3 | ||
| Fuller's IPA | Type: IPA | ABV: 4.8% |
| Not too foamy, good evidence of carbonation, very pale in color and somewhat light in body compared to the other IPA’s, pale amber, almost lager like. Raisin malt aroma with a light hint of hops hiding somewhere behind. Instant taste of malt, while the palate is rather light with a little carbonation. The fruitiness spreads around the mouth, until it reaches the back of the palate, where the hop and sourness come into play. Good beer and pretty easy drinking, didn’t quite seem to go far enough in hop or malt. | ||
| Ratings: Appearance: 3 /5 Aroma: 8 /10 Palate: 3 /5 Taste: 7 /10 Overall: 15 /20 Score: 3.6 | ||
| Fuller's London Porter | Type: Porter | ABV: % |
| Essentially black, some red against light. Body doesn’t look too thick, while a light mocha-colored foam forms on top. Aroma very well pronounced, chocolate malt, coffee-cream, with a slight spicy note. Remarkably malty, sweet, creamy and turns to caramel mid-palate. Reminds me of coffee with mocha-flavored cream. Turns a little alcoholic at the back of the palate. Anticipated dryness doesn’t quite happen, aftertaste remains long with a lingering smooth maltiness that you can actually chew on for a while. | ||
| Ratings: Appearance: 4/5 Aroma: 8/10 Palate: 5/5 Taste: 8/10 Overall: 17/20 Score: 4.2 | ||
| Fuller's London Pride | Type: Pale Ale | ABV: 4.7% |
| Slightly foamy although it does maintain its head, body fairly light and clear, with a light reddish-brown color. There’s a little hoppiness in the aroma, but predominantly malty with a hint of nuttiness. The palate has a nice smooth texture, making for pleasant easy drinking. The flavor is rich, offering a well-rounded fruit maltiness, with a slight nuttiness. While the finish is slightly bitter, it’s not particularly strong or dry. Good complexity, the malt and subtle hops balancing together perfectly, and provides for easy and refreshing drinking. Perfect pub beer. | ||
| Ratings: Appearance: 4/5 Aroma: 7/10 Palate: 3/5 Taste: 8/10 Overall: 16/20 Score: 3.8 | ||
Last Updated: 07/28/2001
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