Fuller's ESB
Cask, keg & bottle; Regular.
Note: This is the unpasteurised version, originally available only on cask. All versions of this beer are now unpasteurised and have been since late 2014. Ratings will be moved when time allows.
First brewed in 1969 as Winter Bitter - renamed Extra Special Bitter in 1971.
Ingredients: Pale Ale and Crystal malts; Target, Challenger, Northdown and Goldings hops. Dry hopped in the brewery.
CAMRA Supreme Champion 1978, 1981 and 1985.
Brewed at 5.5% ABV in cask and 5.9% ABV in bottle, ESB is a true liquid legend, and should be savoured as such.
ESB has a wonderful rich mahogany appearance. Taking in the nose, the beer is bursting with cherry and orange, balanced by soft malty toffee and caramel notes. The flavour delivers everything you would expect from such a full-bodied ale. The unique blend of Northdown, Target, Challenger and Goldings hops imparts grassy, peppery notes on the tongue along with intense citrus fruit characters of grapefruits, oranges and lemons. The blend of Pale Ale and Crystal malts in the brew give a biscuity, toffee element to the beer. A smooth, mellow bitterness lingers on the palate to give a superbly satisfying finish.
NOTE: Most Fuller’s beer in the US is served by handpump kegs and not a cask. Ask your server.
Note: This is the unpasteurised version, originally available only on cask. All versions of this beer are now unpasteurised and have been since late 2014. Ratings will be moved when time allows.
First brewed in 1969 as Winter Bitter - renamed Extra Special Bitter in 1971.
Ingredients: Pale Ale and Crystal malts; Target, Challenger, Northdown and Goldings hops. Dry hopped in the brewery.
CAMRA Supreme Champion 1978, 1981 and 1985.
Brewed at 5.5% ABV in cask and 5.9% ABV in bottle, ESB is a true liquid legend, and should be savoured as such.
ESB has a wonderful rich mahogany appearance. Taking in the nose, the beer is bursting with cherry and orange, balanced by soft malty toffee and caramel notes. The flavour delivers everything you would expect from such a full-bodied ale. The unique blend of Northdown, Target, Challenger and Goldings hops imparts grassy, peppery notes on the tongue along with intense citrus fruit characters of grapefruits, oranges and lemons. The blend of Pale Ale and Crystal malts in the brew give a biscuity, toffee element to the beer. A smooth, mellow bitterness lingers on the palate to give a superbly satisfying finish.
NOTE: Most Fuller’s beer in the US is served by handpump kegs and not a cask. Ask your server.
3.5
413 reviews
Chiswick, England
Community reviews
De 'Extra Special Bitter' (ESB) smaakt als de voorloper van een IPA. Bitter maar dan zonder de citrus. De kleur is bijzonder mooi, helaas wel met de typische Engelse schuimkraag
Clear copper body with off white head. Much lacing. Pleasant aroma toast, biscuit and fresh grass. Malty taste with a bit of hop. Crisp finish
Bottle 500ml at Ruovesi. From local Alko. Abv 5,9%. BBE 2021-04-01. Pours clear copper with off white head. Flavor has malts, caramel, bisquit, sugar, dried fruits. Medium body, soft carbonation, sweet finish.
11.2oz bottle at home. Bright clear amber-brown with a lasting thin tan head. Toast, toffee, caramel malt, lightly sweet. Light carb, light-medium body, smooth texture. More caramel malt on the finish with mild hoppy bitterness in the fade. Enjoyable easy drinker.
nehéz ezzel a sörrel vitatkozni, főleg ha szóhoz se jutsz a folytalan ivástól.
08.05.2020: 500 ml bottle at home, 5.9% ABV, bb. 1.12.2020, bought at Drinks of the World, Bern. Pours a clear amber color with an off-white head. The aroma is lightly to medium malty and lightly to medium hoppy with bread, toasted bread, honey, hints of toffee, hints of caramel and earthy and very lightly spicy hops along very light dark fruity yeast notes. Medium body with a soft to average carbonation, a light to medium-light sweetness and a medium bitterness. The flavor is lightly to medium malty and lightly to medium hoppy, similar to the smell with quiet some toasted malt, nuts, hints of caramel, toffee, honey, earthy hops, some spicy hops, some dark fruits, prunes, raisins. Finishes with a light to medium generic hop bitterness. Decent with a good drinkability.
Aroma: 7
Appearance: 4
Taste: 7
Palate: 4
Overall: 12
Ljus mahogny med fint vitt skum. Doftar fruktigt och maltigt, lite toffé och kola. Smaken fyllig söt, maltig, lite knäck och russin.
Birra color arancio scuro con sentori di malto, caramello, erbaceo e lungo finale bitter
Pours an amber colour ale with a white frothy head
Notes of caramel and toffee biscuit and malty hops
Spelar bäst efter 3lm löpning
The rich colour of the pour is straight from the bronze age and the aroma is honey, caramel and a hint of dark cherries. It's sweet but not cloying and there's enough ripe citrus and spices to balance out the malts. Classic
Copper coloured with white head. Aroma is fruity with figs and currants. Taste nicely balanced, with warming alcohol notes. Classic.
Cask consumed on many occasions. A favourite of the fillers range. Malty sweetness. Solid pint.
Pours light copper, clear big off white head. Fruity aroma, figs, raisins, plums. Taste has caramel, figs, some spicy hops. Well balanced, very nice, suitable to sip.
500ml (5.9%) at home on 17 Feb 2020, from Sainsbury's, Ayr Road, Prestwick (purchased 19 Jan 2020; bb 1 Dec 2020): weak fruity, grain aroma, amber brown, good cream head, narrow ring of lacing, fruity, maramalade flavour, good carbonation, sweet finish.
Amber, bright, white foam, with thin, coarse foam. Low retention. The taste is classic extra special beer. Nice caramel, toasted, fruity (plum and date) and floral hints. Earthy, piney, and slightly herbal.
4-. pleasant bitter but I'm curious what a proper one from a tap is like
Bottle from Waitrose, West Byfleet. Rich fruity malty aroma with a vinous touch. Caramel brown. Frothy translucent off-white head soon disappears almost entirely. Medium bitter. Sour dark fruit edge with some spice. A hint of burnt caramel. Underlying malts. Medium bodied. Slick. Average carbonation. Long dry astringent finish. Booze. Rich and satisfying.
Pours clear bright ruby, off-white lacing foam head. Aroma is sweet, taste is barley, sweet, a good one. (Bodegraven 201912)
Rich and tasteful beer with lovely colour, poured in an original glass. Always a safe card when it comes to beer
Clesr rubyish brown body and modest foam, sweet malt and mellow hops on the nose. Flavour is sweet malt and caramel, a little boozy and rough. Medium on the mouth but a bit of lingering sugar. Comes across as artificial, some elements need to be pulled back to feel more natural.
Bottle 500ml;
Look: clear dark Amber, with a small white head. Low carbonation.
Aroma: caramel malt
Body: medium end of thin
Taste: caramel malt, biscuit, some bitterness on finish
Overall: a great beer. Perfect for a session.
Botella 50 cl. Color dorado, espuma blanca no muy abundante y con poca retención. Aromas a cereal, maltas, caramelo y notas herbales. Sabor a caramelo, algo dulce, hierba, fruta seca.
Bottle from Waitrose. No surprise that CAMRA named this as their beer of the year, it's spot on. Slightly sweet, caramel, toffee taste with nice, long aftertaste. Rich, highly enjoyable drink.
Clear amber color with medium off-white head. Aroma has hay, caramel and malt. Taste is malty sweet with long bitter aftertaste. Flavors of malt, caramel, grass and citrus.
Aroma; fruits in da malts, juicy nuts, caramel, juniper, sap, malts. Inviting. Look; modest pearl white head on clear amber body. Taste; fruity malts, nutty juice, berry peel, caramel notes, juniper, nutshell, and finishes with lingering malts. Feel; good body n normal co², quarterdry. Overall; it makes me like esb. [2019 oct27th @BishopsArms Luleå]
A bitter I've had a number of times over the years, this time in a West Sussex beach house, brought from Sainsbury's. Very good
Bottle from Lunardi’s in San Jose, CA. Aroma is malt, herbal things. Taste is sweet herbal bouillon malts! Nice short bitterness too. A solid grocery store esb.
Ambré limpide, mousse moyenne, malt toasté, biscuité, un peu de houblon au nez. En bouche, houblon amer en fond, toasté et grillé léger sur la langue. Archétype de l'ESB anglaise.
good strong bitter, smell of barn and hay. Taste of dried apricots? Nice amber colour.