Fullers 1845

Brewed by Fullers
Style: English Strong Ale
London, England

Dark copper that is slightly lighter at the bottem. The biege head is huge and long lasting. The aroma is very malty with some oak and brown sugar. Taste is dry at first. Has some cider quality to the bite. The malts are strong with some toffee, dark chocolate and a coffee finish. The hops come out after it warms and it has a slightly unpleasant bitterness. I imagine this could be even better on cask, but is still pretty good for a bottle conditioned example.

Caramel malt aroma with plenty of spicy, citrusy, earthy hops and lots of raisin-like fruity esters. Clear amber-brown with immense and lasting, pillowy, tan head. Chocolate caramel flavour with a wonderful, crisp bitterness. Medium body and low carbonation. Very easy to drink. Alcohol never apparent. Bottle.

Amber brown color and tan head. Malty and fruity aroma. Nice balance between malts and hops, a little sweet. Finish is somewhat dry but that's okay. Among Fullers better offerings. God how I love bottled conditioned ales (next to getting a great cask conditioned).

Bottle at home ... Deep copper ... sweet caramel malt nose ... aain sweet caramel .... quite rich syrupy fruity ... little spice ...little honey... but with a slight metalic hoppy after taste.

Oct 2002: This is a big gun beer and delivers a massive impact. Making the most of all the ingredients Fuller’s manage to produce a beer that is more than the sum of all its parts. Intense malt, intense hops and intense alcohol all make their presence felt, yet remain at all times perfectly integrated. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape of beers. Truly world class. [3.9]
April 2002: I would agree with what I said two years ago. This is one of the best bottle conditioned ales that us Brits make which is readily available. This fills the mouth with dark flavours. Yummy. [4.1]
July 2004: A taste comparison with <a href=Beer-Ratings.asp?BeerID=140&FanOfID=4383>Y London and <a href=Beer-Ratings.asp?BeerID=671&FanOfID=4383>H Tooth.
There are some nutty notes from the crystal malt, while the amber malt adds a biscuit flavour with instant coffee undertones. There is also some chocolate. The orange marmalade flavours come from the single hop Goldings. Overall, this was the darker, more oaky flavoured of the three with some musty aged notes. [3.5]
Jan, 2005: The stale notes in the aroma are off-putting, but the creamy chocolate, buttery sweetness, bitter twigs of the flavour, and the dark, dark chocolate in the finish are so pleasing that it’s no wonder this is the best selling bottle conditioned beer in Britain. [4.0]
July, 2007:b> Wow. This is enjoyable. It sometimes happens that a certain blend of malts and a certain amount of hops comes together in a manner which is very pleasant. The hop bitterness is firm and tangy, yet not aggressive. The malts have soaked up the hops so there is an exquisite marriage of sweet and bitter, wrapped in a malty coat. The strength gives a chewy, solid, serious mouthfeel, without being too thick, and certainly not tasting of crude alcohol. There are few flaws in this. It’s not a beer, however, that totally sweeps me off my feet. It’s sort of predictable and a little old fashioned. I am not a fan of Goldings, nor of Maris Otter. There are malts and hops that give a more interesting range of flavours. And I do like a beer with a touch of character or individuality which this doesn’t quite have. But it’s still a damn enjoyable ale. [4.2]