Fullers ESB hits the Sweet Spot

Fuller’s ESB Review

A British classic that still earns its legendary status.

500ml bottle. 5.9 percent ABV.

Living in Yorkshire, I tend to find that Fuller’s London Pride is the only beer from the brewery that’s readily available in most supermarkets. There are probably a few reasons for that. Strong local Yorkshire breweries take up a lot of shelf space, and distribution networks still tend to favour the south of the country.

That said, if you keep your eyes open, you can still track down Fuller’s ESB in larger Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores. I actually picked this bottle up in a large Tesco in Scotland of all places, which just goes to show that sometimes the best finds turn up where you least expect them.

 

The beer’s packaging

Fuller’s ESB comes in a classic 500ml brown bottle, with the word GRIFFIN, the brewery’s historic emblem, embossed into the neck. It’s a small detail, but one that immediately signals heritage.

The label itself is refreshingly straightforward. “ESB” is emblazoned clearly on the front, with a slightly oversized “S” to emphasise the Special element of the beer. The word “Legendary” also features prominently, which naturally sets expectations fairly high.

Overall, the colours, fonts, and layout do exactly what they should do. Fuller’s brewing heritage shines through without feeling forced or gimmicky.

 

Appearance

For someone like me who was brought up drinking bitter, Fuller’s ESB is immediately appealing. One look at it in the glass and you know you’re in for something comforting and flavourful.

It pours crystal clear, with a beautiful rich mahogany colour that looks warm, inviting, and reassuringly traditional. There’s nothing flashy here, just a beer that knows exactly what it is.

 

Aroma

The aroma is fairly simple, but in a good way. Sweet toffee comes through first, softening into a more rounded caramel note as you spend time with it.

There’s also a mild fruitiness on the nose, which adds a little lift and stops it from feeling too heavy. Overall, it’s a very pleasant aroma, assuming, of course, that you enjoy bitters as much as I do.

 

Flavour

This is a British classic, so expectations were always going to be high. Thankfully, it delivers.

The first thing that hits is sweet toffee, which, much like the aroma, melts gently into soft caramel. That then deepens into a darker, more intense bonfire toffee character that lingers nicely on the palate.

Alongside that sweetness, there’s a subtle breadiness and earthiness, giving the beer a solid, traditional backbone. There’s also a touch of fruit in the mix. I picked up a hint of citrus, which brings a light tangy bitterness and helps to balance the richer malt flavours.

 

Overall impression

Ordinarily, I’d expect an ESB to carry a slightly firmer bitterness, and for me, it’s the hop presence that just falls a little short of perfection here. I personally would like a bit more hop character to really sharpen things up.

That said, it’s still a very enjoyable beer. It reminded me instantly of my early drinking days, and that’s no bad thing. There’s good depth of flavour, it’s satisfying without being heavy, and it’s remarkably easy to drink for its strength.

 

My rating

This is a beer I would happily buy again and make a regular part of my rotation.

Score: 9 out of 10.

Fuller’s ESB is a reminder of why British bitters, when done properly, don’t need reinvention or hype. They just need time, care, and a bit of respect.