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Fullers Black Cab Review

Fullers Black Cab

FULLERS BLACK CAB (500ml) 4.5% ABV 

I found this stout elusive when searching the supermarkets for new beers to review, then suddenly I found it in a Morrisons in Scotland! Happy days. Oh, I tell you what, I nearly did a little jig right there in the supermarket aisle when I clocked that bottle of Fuller's 4.5% ABV Black Cab staring back at me from the shelf, it was like a gift from the beer gods. 

I cradled it like a newborn and marched it straight to the till with the pride of a man who's just unearthed buried treasure, I made it mine and I was ready to review it! 

The Beers Packaging

These Fuller brown bottles look a little sleeker than the standard 500ml design we are used to seeing, I like it. The bottle has some nice embossing on it stating that it’s brewed at the Griffin Brewery which is a nice touch. 

The label oozes sophistication, with the icon London Cab on the front and a gold “Fullers” logo, it looks sophisticated. 

The overall impression is one of classic British heritage, with a nod to London's iconic imagery and the traditional stout style. 

The Beers Appearance

I was expected a jet-black pour from this one (just from the impression of the bottle and artwork), but instead it pours with a subtle ruby hue; it did have the classic tan coloured head, a lovely thick and creamy head that stays all down the glass. 

It looked very inviting, and I could already smell some of those lovely malt aromas coming from the glass .. let's dive in. 

The Beers Aroma

Fuller's Black Cab Stout has a characteristic aroma that is inviting and reflective of its style, its rich aroma dominated by roasted malts, evoking notes of coffee and a lovely dark chocolate, balanced by hints of caramel sweetness. Sweet and roasty. 

The Beers Flavour

Ooo, this is a lovely complex stout in the mouth, I'm hit first by the roasty malts, then a lovely earthiness from the hops (I later noted that it's brewed with those classic British Fuggles and Goldings hops); I'm also hit by the obviously coffee notes with mild chocolate and a little liquorice too. All these flavours are complemented by a pleasant sweetness, with hints of caramel and dark fruits, leading to a well-balanced and satisfying dry, mildly bitter finish. 

The hops in this contribute some great flavours and complement the rich, roasted malt character of the stout without overpowering it.

Overall Impression

It's a lovely beer and I can understand why it's become something of a classic since in was introduced in 2011, it tastes like a stout should taste, the only small issue I have with it is that it fades in the middle … you get a lovely roasty hit at the front, then that sweetness at the back, it's just lacking for me in that middle section; I'm sure there are a million-and-one reasons for this, but I'm assuming the yeast has done its job well and fermented all of the malts (five different malts I believe in this) which has converted much more of the sugar into alcohol. This leaves less residual sugar and body in the finished beer.

My Rating

It is a very tasty stout, it’s like a Guinness, but with flavour! 

I really can see why it’s thought of as a classic stout, and it’s certainly a beer I’ll look out for in the shops going forward; even the lack of depth in the mid pallet didn’t ruin this one for me too much. Rating 7.5 out of 10.

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