ESB
Fuller's
- From:
- Fuller's
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- Extra Special / Strong Bitter (ESB)
Ranked #5 - ABV:
- 5.9%
- Score:
- 91
Ranked #10,005 - Avg:
- 4.06 | pDev: 10.84%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1,443
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 18, 2026
- Added:
- Jul 08, 2001
- Wants:
- 191
- Gots:
- 449
SCORE
91
Outstanding
91
Outstanding
Twice named World Champion Beer, Fuller’s ESB is one of the most decorated ales of its time. A winner born and brewed, it’s a strong, full-bodied ale that has delighted drinkers for decades with its smooth, mellow bitterness and superbly satisfying finish.
The ESB that started it all - multi-award winning Fuller’s ESB is acknowledged as one of the world’s finest beers. The unique blend of Northdown, Target, Challenger and Goldings hops balances the rich, malty notes for a smooth, full-bodied beer bursting with marmalade fruitiness throughout.
The ESB that started it all - multi-award winning Fuller’s ESB is acknowledged as one of the world’s finest beers. The unique blend of Northdown, Target, Challenger and Goldings hops balances the rich, malty notes for a smooth, full-bodied beer bursting with marmalade fruitiness throughout.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by ATL6245:
Reviewed by ATL6245 from Georgia
4.73/5 rDev +16.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.73/5 rDev +16.5%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Pint on draft
L: Clear dark amber, thick creamy off white head with excellent retention.
S: Malty - biscuity, caramel, toffee, grassy. Fruity esters.
T: Follow aroma. Semi-sweet. Low to moderate bitterness.
F: Soft and full bodied. Low carbonation. Clean, dry finish.
O: The first pint is good. The 2nd is even better. Gotta have that 2nd pint of this. Surprisingly not filling for a full bodied beer. Fruity esters add interest. Head rention on my draft pint was phenominal. Nothing to dislike. Wonderful beer!
Jul 07, 2025L: Clear dark amber, thick creamy off white head with excellent retention.
S: Malty - biscuity, caramel, toffee, grassy. Fruity esters.
T: Follow aroma. Semi-sweet. Low to moderate bitterness.
F: Soft and full bodied. Low carbonation. Clean, dry finish.
O: The first pint is good. The 2nd is even better. Gotta have that 2nd pint of this. Surprisingly not filling for a full bodied beer. Fruity esters add interest. Head rention on my draft pint was phenominal. Nothing to dislike. Wonderful beer!
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by DraftMonger from Denmark
3.55/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
3.55/5 rDev -12.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.75
Copenhagen 21/5 2016. 50 cl bottle from Meny. Blue label with no less than 5 gold medals and the very modest by-line "Champion Ale".
Pours clear amber with a small white head. Stable. Settles as a fine thin layer of foam just covering the surface of the beer. Moderate lacing.
Aroma is quite strong and intense. Caramel, soap and a quite pronounced sourness with hints of citrus.
Soft carbonation and watery palate. Gently tingling texture.
Flavor is medium sweet followed by a more distinct bitterness. Bitterness lingers in the aftertaste.
A nice bitter edge in this very easily drinkable ESB.
May 18, 2026Pours clear amber with a small white head. Stable. Settles as a fine thin layer of foam just covering the surface of the beer. Moderate lacing.
Aroma is quite strong and intense. Caramel, soap and a quite pronounced sourness with hints of citrus.
Soft carbonation and watery palate. Gently tingling texture.
Flavor is medium sweet followed by a more distinct bitterness. Bitterness lingers in the aftertaste.
A nice bitter edge in this very easily drinkable ESB.
Rated by DerbyDave35 from Australia
4.83/5 rDev +19%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
4.83/5 rDev +19%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.75
Absolutely one of the best ales around, it's faultless
Born in England
Purchased in Thailand
Consumed in Australia
Mar 21, 2026Born in England
Purchased in Thailand
Consumed in Australia
Reviewed by LongJim from Texas
4.81/5 rDev +18.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
4.81/5 rDev +18.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75
Probably my favorite beer. Definitely favorite style. Can't praise it enough. Wonderful mouthfeel and incredibly delicious. It's a beer that needs to be experienced in a session to fully appreciate it, before you ever try it with food.
Mar 06, 2026
Reviewed by Caspase from England
4.3/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
4.3/5 rDev +5.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4.25
500mL bottle. BBE 01/12/2026.
Appearance: 3.25. Coppery orange with a minimal head. Trying to agitate the beer to make a head just made it flat.
Smell: 4.5. Smells good. Bread, roasted nuts, coffee, black tea, bran flakes cereal.
Taste: 4.5. More of the same. Minimal overt hop flavour, mild bitterness.
Feel: 3.75. Smooth, sweet, minimal carbonation. Now completely flat after that agitation.
Overall: 4.25. A great strong bitter, but I would personally prefer more carbonation, and more head (although the head may be the fault of my glass/pouring)
Dec 21, 2025Appearance: 3.25. Coppery orange with a minimal head. Trying to agitate the beer to make a head just made it flat.
Smell: 4.5. Smells good. Bread, roasted nuts, coffee, black tea, bran flakes cereal.
Taste: 4.5. More of the same. Minimal overt hop flavour, mild bitterness.
Feel: 3.75. Smooth, sweet, minimal carbonation. Now completely flat after that agitation.
Overall: 4.25. A great strong bitter, but I would personally prefer more carbonation, and more head (although the head may be the fault of my glass/pouring)
Reviewed by StBrewnard from France
4.21/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
4.21/5 rDev +3.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.25
Fullers does so much with a few simple ingredients, while keeping everything in proper balance.
Smells of candied fruit. Tastes initially sweet, like marmalade, then falls away to bitter hops and spice. Dry finish. Medium light carbonation from bottle.
Oct 30, 2025Smells of candied fruit. Tastes initially sweet, like marmalade, then falls away to bitter hops and spice. Dry finish. Medium light carbonation from bottle.
Reviewed by Shiredave from New York
4.02/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.02/5 rDev -1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
This was my g0-to beer n tap at my favorite bar ( Beech Tree Grill) for many years in the early 90's
Deep amber, low head, malt nose and balance flavor.
Easy to have a few and then a couple more if I ate something at least.
Classic mineral-y British ale but it may not be as good now as I have not seen it on tap in years and likely only in a few stores any more.
Oct 09, 2025Deep amber, low head, malt nose and balance flavor.
Easy to have a few and then a couple more if I ate something at least.
Classic mineral-y British ale but it may not be as good now as I have not seen it on tap in years and likely only in a few stores any more.
Reviewed by ttoadee from Texas
4.15/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
4.15/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
RB Transfer
Honey brown pour with thin white head. Fresh biscuit with English hops and yeast in the nose. Full malty sweetness gets a challenge from an understated hop bitterness, but wins over. Hearty malt runs through the middle, accented by soft floral hops. Eloquent hop bitterness takes it out the back door. A tantalizing, incredibly balanced offering. |1/31/2013
Jun 26, 2025Honey brown pour with thin white head. Fresh biscuit with English hops and yeast in the nose. Full malty sweetness gets a challenge from an understated hop bitterness, but wins over. Hearty malt runs through the middle, accented by soft floral hops. Eloquent hop bitterness takes it out the back door. A tantalizing, incredibly balanced offering. |1/31/2013
Reviewed by Sinte from Italy
3.87/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
3.87/5 rDev -4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.75
Bottle 0.5 L.
Copper, slightly hazy body with an average, frothy, off-white head, mostly diminishing with some lacing; low density of tiny particles.
Intense fruity aroma (apricot,peach, but also apple and orange I'd say); malty character is also present (caramel, toffee) and some spicey alcohol.
Quite baslanced taste, with a malty sweet character more evident at the beginning, while the bitter note dominates the finish.
Medium body with an oily texture; soft carbonation; moderate alcoholic warming
in the finsh.
Mar 22, 2025Copper, slightly hazy body with an average, frothy, off-white head, mostly diminishing with some lacing; low density of tiny particles.
Intense fruity aroma (apricot,peach, but also apple and orange I'd say); malty character is also present (caramel, toffee) and some spicey alcohol.
Quite baslanced taste, with a malty sweet character more evident at the beginning, while the bitter note dominates the finish.
Medium body with an oily texture; soft carbonation; moderate alcoholic warming
in the finsh.
Reviewed by Sinfull from New York
3.97/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.97/5 rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Amber color , thin off-white head. Aroma of caramel malt, bread, and fruits. Earthy, malty taste with bread and caramel. Mild hoppy bitterness. A classic example of the style.
Mar 02, 2025
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!