David Brockington's Tasting Notebook

Fullers
(short notes)

Griffin Brewery, Chiswick
London, England

Chiswick, London Pride, and ESB sampled as Real Ale in various pubs in London, including the pub attached to the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, in March 1998.
Chiswick Bitter Bitter ****
1.034. I like how the English do things; they brew a terrific pint that won't have you crawling home after six of them.

The Chiswick has a nice hoppy nose, a nuanced maltiness, light but not dry. As it should be, the pint is served in classic real ale style: cellar temperature (not warm, but not chilly either) and lightly conditioned (not gassy) which results in a gentle pint (and a magnificent beer experience).

London Pride Best Bitter ****
1.040. More amber and maltier than the Chiswick. Plenty hoppier, leading to a slightly dryer pint. The easiest Fullers pint to come by in London. While not as flat-out amazing as a pint of Fullers ESB, I had no qualms settling for a pint of London Pride when I couldn't find the ESB at an alleged Fullers house.

Fullers ESB ESB *****
Arguably the classic English ESB. Jackson gives it a rare four-star rating. I took full notes on this great beer when at the pub attached to the brewery on March 25, 1998.

The pint features a delightful hoppy (Kentish) bouquet, with nuanced malt tones highlighted by crystal notes. In the flavor, the malt clearly opens things up, with a floral hoppiness and fruity esters dominating the middle. A slightly assertive hop bitterness finishes off the beer. In my mind, the definitive ESB, and certainly worth seeking out when in England (the closer to London, the better).

Fullers IPA English IPA ***
Sampled from a 500ml bottle purchased at the brewery shop and transported back to Seattle. Tasted in April 1998. Nice malty aroma with some Kentish hop. Nice malty flavor with limited hop flavor. Some hop bitterness evident, but not quite what one would expect out of an IPA. The score is a tradeoff between what I would give it as an IPA in the US (**1/2) and what I would give it as a contemporary version of ENglish IPA (***1/2). It does make for a nice pint of Pale Ale.

London Porter Porter ***
Sampled from a bottle purchased here in Seattle. Tasted in May 1998.

Nice malty/coffee aroma, subtle. Medium body, lightish flavor profile. Opens thin, then coffee/chocolate notes enter in the middle. OK bitterness finishes the beer out, and it lingeres for a brief spell. I'd bet this is a splendid beer cask conditioned.