Fuller's Vintage Ale 2004

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Rated June 2018. 50cl bottle pours with a clear mahogany colored body that supports a one dimensional ring of off white bubbles. The mild aroma offers up fruit cake, grape jam, echoes of muted molasses and a just noticeable oxidation. The taste delivers smooth molasses and prune notes leading to a kind of boysenberry and grape jam like juiciness. A mild sensation of old wet cardboard bubbles to the surface midway and into the finish. Nice sipper with the faintest booziness heading into the after taste. Fun experience. Bought this at Ledgers liquors in Berkeley in '06.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

The 2004 version was a reddish-brown pour, almost clear, and a weak off-white head. Aroma was characterized by nutty malt, spices, and dark fruit. Flavour was mildly sweet with hints of vanilla and nuts.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

pours a clear brown with a tiny head. aroma was nice with fruity banana smell. flavor was not as good as the aroma. a little more bitter than the 99 but very similar. overall not too bad but i liked the 99 way better.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

2004 vintage (bottle 75089), 16.9 oz bottle. Pours a slightly hazy reddish amber with a thin and fizzy head that quickly diminishes to a thin collar.

The aroma is lots of sharp vinous alcohol with some dark fruits and grassy hops.

The flavor is sweet caramel malts and dark fruits with a noticeable alcohol finish. The mouthfeel is medium to full with soft carbonation.

Overall, it's a decent strong ale, but a little too harsh on the alcohol and sweetness for me.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Bottled. Amber colour, small beige head. Aroma is raisins, caramel and toffee. Flavour is caramel malts, some alcohol, raisins and some spicyness. Not much vintage notes in this one yet, but will probably become such within a few years.

Aroma: 6 | Appearance: 6 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 6 | Overall: 6

Bottle: Poured a deep brown/burgundy color ale with a nice off-white foamy head with good retention. Aroma of dry malt with some light bitter hops is intriguing. Taste is dominated by sweet malt but I thought that the plums/dry figs characteristics that I so dearly love in the previous version of the vintage ale were not as accentuated as they were. The hops provided a dry finish which I thought clash with the sweet side of the malt. I guess I was expecting a bit less hops then – I think I will age my second bottle some more to see if I can get rid of some of those hops.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 8 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 8

Bottle no 01713, sampled 1/2006, thanks to fiulijn - clear reddish-amber colour with a fine little head; aroma of red fruits and bread, yeast; very robust malt body with a strong bitterness, long fruity and hoppy finish with a warming alcohol touch

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 6 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

(bottle nr. 62666) Amber, small tan head. Rather sweet alcocolic and toffe like aroma with some dry nutty accents. Dry fruity flavour, oak, caramel and almonds. Long finish of alcohol, nuts and dried fruit. A bit too sweet and young. Thick malty body.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 5 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 5 | Overall: 5

Well, I had high hopes, and they were more or less dashed, but not destroyed. Malty and toasty up front. Minerally and smooth in the mouth, but where were the goldings? They should still be making roll call after two years. A decent Old Ale, but beyond its prime for an ESA or EBW.

Aroma: 7 | Appearance: 7 | Mouthfeel: 7 | Flavor: 7 | Overall: 7

While I found this beer to be drinkable AND enjoyable, I think that it really has much more potential and more room to grow. The aroma of dark, ripe fruits and sweet caramel malts were a nice touch. The flavor provided a sort of odd smoky, earthyness with a celery salt finish. Odd, I know but it was still tasty. Overall, enjoyable but once it matures in about 4-5 years I'd really like to see what it can do.