Fullers Vintage Ale 1998

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

Just bought 3 bottles of Vintage 98. Trust me I am not an easy reviewer....it’s just this beer ages sooooo well.I’ve drank one and must say that it is absolutely exquisitie. The malt profile has the magic flavor that only a strong ale that has aged well attains. Its exactly like those times when you drink a an aged wine that is so perfect when it hits your mouth something chemically happens that it implores you to take another sip. Beautiful beer and a definitional beer to age.

Sampled in 2004: Big, fat nose with wild berry aromas - slightly perfumy after warming up. Muted ruby red color with some brown hues. Foamy lathery head. Lucious think malt base with dark fruit flavors in the malt (raisins, figs, dates). Powerful crisp bitter hoppiness with a clear resolution in the corners of the mouth. A little grassy in the finish. Like a barleywine for sure. Great great balance - this has aged extremely well. Better than the 1999 and 2000

Bottle No: 19570, drunk 28 October 2002 to celebrate the birth of my second child (and first boy). Happy Birthday Aidan John Edward Schmidt! This was a fabulous beer--better than my recollection of the famed 1999 vintage. Pours with the kind of head that I generally don’t like--a little bit loosely constructed and quick to diminish. Enchanting aroma, with raisins, caramel, and woody notes, with some slightly fresher fruitiness anticipated in a hint of grape. The flavor is the great unifier: something to put an end to squabbles over "hops vs. malts"--malts are obviously apparent, but the fuggles(?) come out clearly and cleanly. Sweet aftertaste, but firmly in balance. I just can’t wait to take my next creamy, full-bodied mouthful and as a result I’m drinking it too fast! My warning to slow down is the alcohol which keeps rising through. It is a warmingly alcoholic flavor, however, quite unlike the ugliness found in some alcoholic flavors. There are complexities all over the place to take one’s mind off the alcohol, including the sense that there are some autumnal fruits in here (grapes, and black currants) not to mention the caramel, like some strange concoction (caramel-dipped currants soaked in port wine) that you might find on offer at a century-old fall festival in some out-of-the-way New England town. It all works so well. I’m over the moon about this beer and my son. A toast, to Aidan!

Sampled on the night of the supper bowl 2003 bottle # 30995 reading the ratings I was surprised by a very nice long lasting head with zero lacing, oh what a year can do. Medium dark, red brown in color, sweet flowery aroma, the hops are still dominant. Flavor is sweet, alcoholic, with a nice balance of hop bitterness. It finishes sweet, hoppy, the alcohol starts to stand out. I just love it.

Had this in conjunction with 99, 00, 04, and 05. This was my favorite. Lovely woody aroma. Nice and chewy. No head. The flavor is sweet and chewy but not overly thick and alcoholic. Lovely caramel and sherry characters.

Bottle @ the Falling Rock poured a clear reddish copper with a small lingering amber head. Aromas of honey, carmel, toffee, spice, light orange and a hint of vinous notes. Palate was medium bodied, smooth and slightly warming. Flavors of carmel, honey, light orange, light spice and light toffee with a smooth warming bittersweet finish.

Aroma is big bright fruit and sherry. Sweet and sugary with ripe, full fruit. Taste is oxidized, full sweet fruitiness with loads of sweet caramelized malt. I can hardly describe how yummy this is. Actually, this reminds me a lot of the Yona Barleywine. I get touches of heat, some hoppy bitterness. This is rich, deep and complex. Lots of crisp hop and fruit. Very, very good. This has aged gracefully and could go on for a few more years, but not too many more. This is cloyingly sweet, dense red fruit, cloying caramelized malt, and slight hop bite. I really like this beer a lot.

Sampled 2000: Possibly the best of the Vintages, although sampled at 2 years of age, the 2000 sampled in 2002 reminds me of this one: dark amber, full head, rich raisiny and fruity notes, and dark earthy hopping. Creamy and smooth palate. Such a beautiful beer.