Fuller's Vintage Ale 2009

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

Acquired 07 Dec 2009 from BCLDB 39th & Cambie. Bottle #066234, best before end 2012, and I drank it 03 July 2014. Comes in the expected classy Fuller's box. Poured a clear medium copper, with a bod of sediment at the end. Scant beige head, a brief ring and then it was gone. Aroma of dark fruits and some caramel. Smooth, rich mouthfeel yet not cloying. Flavour much like the aroma, plus some alcohol. Sweeter at the finish than I'd like. Still, I look forward to these every year.

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

The 3rd fullers pulled from the cellar in this tasting spate - cloudy unfiltered dark amber with a smallish cap. Aroma has dark fruits and sweet malts in perfect balance with some sharp grassy hop notes. Flavor is a mellow conglomerate of sweet malts, fruity esters and some complexity with a distinct finish that showcases the hops. Unlike the previous sweeter vintages this one has some perfectly integrated hop bittering.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Brownish color with really nice and stable white top. Aroma has strong hops and malt in it and some hints of nuts and caramel. Aftertaste is bready and reminds me of grandmothers cookies having nutty dryness in it. Really good and rich beer.

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

The 2009 version is a well done effort. It pours a clear dark brown colour with red hints. Aroma is nuts, roast, coffee, and vanilla. The flavour is sweet malt, some peppery hints, with a bitter finish.

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

500 ml bottle, Vintage 2009, bottle No. 070845, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 8.5%. Amber to copper colour, large to moderate off-white head. Nice vinous aroma, strong notes of raisins, also hints of other dark dried fruits and toffee. Lovely vinous flavour, notes of raisins, figs and oak, malts including some caramel, moderate hops.

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

Cask@GBBF2009. Deep amber colour, not much head. Aroma is mild yeast along with alcohol, caramel malts, liquorice, toffee and vanilla. Flavour is caramel malts, some vegetably and quite sweet wooden notes. Quite nice.

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

another well done malty but balanced beer. warming, but not hot or strong. I've had these just about every year - haven't rated em all - and they're always something i go back for.

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

Bottle #040451. Great beer, just plain and simply a great beer. Honey brown with some copper, a limited tan cap was floating on top but left behind a impressive bubble ring the lasted long a created good lacing. Aroma is weaker then I would hope for but still good. Hops the aroma of carbonation, this gives way to a creamy malt presence and on deep inhales cherry and alcohol are noticed. Taste is light and smooth with a big mostly malt presence. Cherry, some coffe and a perfect hops flavor that leave a lingering bitter in the mouth. Good amount of woody alcohol to warm the stomach without over heating the beer. Perfect blend of bitter sweet and alcohol make this an easy and enjoyable beer.

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

Bottle: Poured a deep clear bright copper color ale with a large foamy head with good retention and some lacing. Aroma of caramelized sugar with some light toffee notes is quiet enticing and minimal hops presence is perfectly suited to this beer. Taste is also a nice mix between some sweet caramelized sugar notes with nice creamy malt backbone. Body is about average but with a nice creamy texture and good carbonation with no sign of alcohol. Very well done and I thought this was less hoppy then in prior year which suited this beer.

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

Bottle No 052886. Pours out in a clear pale amber colour with a small disappearing creamy white head. Rather young and hot aroma with notes of figs, dried apricots, black cherries, alcohol and white pepper. Full-bodied with fruity liquor-like notes of oranges, apricots, spuned sugar and alcohol with subtle notes of hay like hops. Long warming finish of orange-liquor almonds and hay.