 maeib (4012), Wootton, Northampton, Northamptonshire, England
Dec 27, 2004
Bottled. There’s a lot of debate whether us British raters are more ’realistic’ when it comes to rating Fullers’ products (and Sam Smiths) and that raters elsewhere think the beers are better than they are. I had this beer on cask many years ago and remember really enjoying it. I’ve looked for it on cask this Winter but to no avail, so I had to drink and rate the bottled version. Well in my opinion the US raters and others have got this right. It is a beautiful porter, full bodied, robust, call it what you want, but call it good (or even great). It is black as night and has a short-lived off-white head and leaves no lacing. The aroma is scrummy with loads of malts, lots of coffee and some chocolate. Those qualities are replicated to better definition in the taste. It is very full bodied, very flavoursome and very ’dark’ tasting. Again coffee and burnt malts come through; together with a little chocloate. An excellent drinking experience. It doesn’t matter that the beer is dead. Hell, I would wager that a BC version would not be as good, given the general quality of most English BCAs. This beer deserves its reputation on this site and its awards. I will continue to look for it on cask in my Fullers light part of England. I’ve heard it sells for a ridiculous price in the trade and therefore pubs have to sell it at inflated prices, but it may just be worth it.
liinis (481), Finland
Oct 10, 2008 amberish black (clear) with a good beige head leaving lace.very rich and strong with coffee dark chocolate liquorice hops and lots of roasted malts.
elihapa (311), Connecticut, USA
Oct 10, 2008 Bottle from Charles Street Liquors in Boston. Glugs out of bottle a chocolate color, and sits with a one-finger head that dissipates to mere lacing within a minute. Aroma is semisweet chocolate, charcoal/smoke, coffee, biscuit and some licorice. Flavor hits your mouth with a crispness of dark flavors that is very attractive. Palate is dry, with light carbonation. Primary flavors are roasts, smoke and chocolate, but there is definitely a sweeter component that underpins the flavor profile of London Porter. Dark, but just quaffable (palate and flavor) enough to keep this from being a one-and-done type of brew. Highly recommended.
dmtroyer (370), Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA
Oct 10, 2008 12oz. Pours black black black with amber highlights and a light brown head. Wow, talk about smokey! This beer has smoked action happening in the nose and throughout the body like crazy! They could easily claim this to be a smoked porter. There is some chocolate and roasted malt but all I can think about is how smokey it is. Has a bit of a sawdust aftertaste that I’m not to keen on and is lacking the complexity to be scored like an excellent beer would. That said it is a very, very, very tasty porter.
hobbersr (10), Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Oct 9, 2008 Pours a very dark red, almost black. Medium tan head with large bubbles. Aroma is of roasted nuts a dark chocolate. Flavor is of dark chocolate and caramel. Flavor grows on you as you go. Fairly bitter finish. Good mouthfeel. Good, not great.
greig (70), Hamilton, New Zealand
Oct 8, 2008 What an excellent beer. Surpassed as a porter only by the cask version. So raisiny, with a full alcoholic warmth. Can’t believe it’s "only" 5.4. I’d never much cared for porters until this beer, and it’s taken me this long to rate it.
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