Marstons Firestoker

Brewed by Marstons (Marstons plc)
Style: Premium Bitter/ESB
Burton-on-Trent, England

Bottled. Amber coloured. Sweet and artificial vanilla aroma. Thin, gassy and metallic, lightly sulfury with sharp, bitterish finish.

500ml bottle from Unwins. Orange colour with thin beige head. Some nice tangerine hop aroma and a bit of sulphur. Then a bit like orangeade in the mouth. I can see why someone likened it to cream soda. It has that cheap soft drink feel to it. There is some hoppy bite on the end. You don’t really notice the alcohol. Bit biscuity, but its the orange fruit for me that dominates. Fine, some juicy malt.

Deep amber with a descent head. The aroma has notes of hops, cherries and vanilla. The aroma hops are found in the flavour too, where the vanilla comes along and steals the picture in a intrusive and dominating way. The finish has notes of cherries, citrus and caramel.

This tasting was not going to plan at all, i know iv rated 5 pritty rubbish beers tonite but normally i find soemthign that is worth finish, tonite there is not. Aroma seems sweetish and vanilla. Taste is totally dominated by vanilla and some chocolate in there, also maybe some burntness, iv not found a good beer from these fellows that i can think of, and this is another let down.

Bottled, pasteurised, 500 ml. Orange amber with large bubbly head. I was particularly impressed with this flavoursome, full bodied ale. Lots of creamy vinous notes with a chocolate caramel background. A very pleasant sipping beer to relax to, my favourite bottled Marstons I think.

Bottled. Clear, a bit pale, golden beer with a small, off-white head. Malt, bubble-gum and fruity hops in the aroma, who feels a bit like artificial tropical fruits. Both sweet and bitter flavor with tropical fruits, hops and malt. Medium body and a long bitter finish. Quaffable, but I would like some more malt in it. (070331)

500 ml bottle. Golden colour with a huge white head that fades back to a thin white lace. Aroma is fruity and honeyish with cherry and other berry notes. A shot of toffee malts as well. Fairly thin body. Flavour is malty, with honey and a bit of spice. Lots of fruit in this but not too sweet. A nice shot of bitterness at the end.

Clear bottle. I was expecting bad things from this beer. Appearance is amber with a small white head. Aromas are, phwooey! Once you open the bottle the skunky aroma filled the room - then it settled down to caramel and vanilla. Not bad. Flavours are caramel, cherries and more vanilla. This beer is quite a success considering the initial whiff. A good, if unusual beer.