Fullers 1845

Brewed by Fullers
Style: English Strong Ale
London, England

Poured a dark orange. Huge ripe fruit aroma. Very juicy with lots of grapes and apples. Great nose on this one. Solid flavor. Cinnamon and apples were very prominent. The ripe fruits especially grapes and plums are also accompanied by sweaty socks to give this ale a pretty odd flavor. At least it was drinkable to say the least. I’ll be having this one again soon.

500 mL Bottle. Aroma plunges forth into the vapid air, with a pungent blast of oats, grain and fruit earth. Berry bushes bloom, wheat ripens, and my grandmother makes caramel with grapefruit juice. Sweet and seductive. Light lemony edges indicating possible hop presence. Volatile and lightly hot, which is surprising for the percentage. Stunning clear pour of ruddied candied apple caramel with fringes of fire and gold. Rim of silky white cashmere strings. Flavor is a rich, yet somewhat thin around the edges, run of malt sugars and caramels. Fruit sugars, of plum and cherry slide down a waterfall of cream, with handfulls of barley husks and leeching Kent Goldings. I’m finding the hops out of balance here actually. They come on too soon and too dry. I will admit my palate has been sensitive to bitter lately, but this still seems out of range. The body is a little watery and reminds me of the bottom of a gin and tonic with lemon, with only a dram seeping through the ice cubes, thus coming out less potent. At the smack, grassy notes prevail. I can really feel out the Kent Goldings, with astonishing breadth, but I can almost feel that planty texture and it’s a little upsetting. Some far away sherry notes are first on the tongue. In the background a light wash of roast. Plum stems and apricot skins smack. Decent, but hopfully unbalanced and a little thin bodied in my perception.

Had bottle of this beer in Cambridge, UK in Dec 2006. Clear copper-ruby with a one-finger head that leaves a nice frosting. Aroma of spicy toffee cake with orange zest. Flavor is earthy caramel with orange, toasted nut, and some spicy apple and wood. Just enough roast to give a nice coffee-cocoa, orange and oak aftertaste. Medium body is smooth, slightly watery in a good-drinkable way and has a dry finish. The best British beer I found in two weeks in England! Apr 2008 update: bottle purchased in Atlanta, even better than I remembered, upped from 4.2 to 4.6

Pours a nice brown with red edges, a great head and lace. A great malt aroma, with hints of fruit, mainly raisin. A very nice flavor, very smooth and fruity, an alcohol kick at the end. A damn good English strong.

Pour is a nice looking chestnut with a large tan head. Aroma is very bready, malty and dark fruits. Flavor is a nice mix of molasses and dark fruit with a little candi sugar in there. Very pleasing to all the beer sences and a nice one to sip on a cold evening.

Bottle. Clear chestnut color with a full, creamy off-white head. Heavy, sweet roasty malts and a little smokiness in the aroma. Flavor is rich dark fruity maltiness, light hops and molasses in the finish. Medium body, gentle, tingly carbonation. Nice brew!

A warm, rich, chestnut colour with a thick tan head. The aroma really is of fruit cake - a slightly spicy one. THe taste is hugh, with lots of fruti and spice on top of the malt, and a dry lingering finish.

Huge head of fine bubbles. Creamy on top and light tan in color. Roasty aroma of fresh, crusty bread, a hint of coffee and a slight hops nose that becomes more prominent as the beer warms. Color is a nice deep reddish orange. Wow. This stuff is incredibly easy to drink. Goes down smooth and makes you beg for more. Flavor is roasty with a good helping of malt, a touch of fruit and a bit of alcohol. Finish is creamy and smooth with a slight hops bitterness and a nice alcohol warming. A very well balanced brew that is way to easy to drink for the 6+ % alcohol.