Vintage Ale 2022
Fuller's
- From:
- Fuller's
- England, United Kingdom
- Style:
- English Barleywine
- ABV:
- 8.5%
- Score:
- +9 ratings needed
- Avg:
- 4.13 | pDev: 0%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 1
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Jan 05, 2025
- Added:
- Jan 05, 2025
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 0
NO SCORE
-
-
As noted in the header section of the other Fuller's Vintage Ale listing this beer is entirely reformulated each year. Ie it is intentionally an entirely different beer. But here every annual realease has been reviewed under the one heading as if it's the same. After 25+ years I can't see it could ever be unravelled into seperate annual brews. However, by giving visibility to the year of release maybe in future new entries might usefully be created on an annual basis?
Recent ratings and reviews.
Reviewed by JonnoWillsteed from England
4.13/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.13/5 rDev 0%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Blind-tasted, excl. It’s name and ABV%
L- Handled carefully it pours clear. An elegant deep chestnut brown, with a 15mm mid-tan dense looking evenly thick foam cap. Nice. 4.5
S- It has a deep puddingy note to it, that is, reminiscent of British hot Xmas pudding, deeply fruity, the subtlest of a spice note, a richness, a gentle+/- hint of alcohol 4
T- Wow, on the front a very brief lick of mildly sour, which reminded me of scrumpy cider. On sip#2 the gentle sour continues but as a dryer note with a wine-like aspect builds. Could it be aged in ex wine casks, it has a bit of wine-cask about it.... Finally into the finish, notably flavourful and deep, with quite a pungent roasty aspect. The gentlest of ABV% hints pinging my palate. A dry/slightly sour note continues to linger with hints of apple.
F- The sour/dry note I mention^ is clever. At 8.5% it helps rein in any excess net richness. It’s still a big beer, just not going to tire my palate out. Also I should note here for more Trad ale drinkers I am not a fan of materially sour beers or sour notes, but here it’s minor, subtle thing and balances into the mix.
O- Lovely and something a bit different. 15mins later the foam cap has sustained (impressive for 8.5%!) and rings+lacing are forming on the way down. Parting thoughts – wine barrel? Sour apple/cider note? As it warms somewhat the richness builds and it’s starting to remind me of Barley-wine notes. It is interesting and enjoyable though I’m not a fan of most barley-wine or any wine-barrel ageing so this is unlikely a repeat purchase.
Bottle# 065657 Bottle-conditioned. Best Before: 31/12/2025 [but notes: ‘the flavours will continue to mature and develop for many years after that’]. ABV% 8.5% 500ml bottle from Waitrose, £6.
Jan 05, 2025L- Handled carefully it pours clear. An elegant deep chestnut brown, with a 15mm mid-tan dense looking evenly thick foam cap. Nice. 4.5
S- It has a deep puddingy note to it, that is, reminiscent of British hot Xmas pudding, deeply fruity, the subtlest of a spice note, a richness, a gentle+/- hint of alcohol 4
T- Wow, on the front a very brief lick of mildly sour, which reminded me of scrumpy cider. On sip#2 the gentle sour continues but as a dryer note with a wine-like aspect builds. Could it be aged in ex wine casks, it has a bit of wine-cask about it.... Finally into the finish, notably flavourful and deep, with quite a pungent roasty aspect. The gentlest of ABV% hints pinging my palate. A dry/slightly sour note continues to linger with hints of apple.
F- The sour/dry note I mention^ is clever. At 8.5% it helps rein in any excess net richness. It’s still a big beer, just not going to tire my palate out. Also I should note here for more Trad ale drinkers I am not a fan of materially sour beers or sour notes, but here it’s minor, subtle thing and balances into the mix.
O- Lovely and something a bit different. 15mins later the foam cap has sustained (impressive for 8.5%!) and rings+lacing are forming on the way down. Parting thoughts – wine barrel? Sour apple/cider note? As it warms somewhat the richness builds and it’s starting to remind me of Barley-wine notes. It is interesting and enjoyable though I’m not a fan of most barley-wine or any wine-barrel ageing so this is unlikely a repeat purchase.
Bottle# 065657 Bottle-conditioned. Best Before: 31/12/2025 [but notes: ‘the flavours will continue to mature and develop for many years after that’]. ABV% 8.5% 500ml bottle from Waitrose, £6.
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