Fuller's Vintage Ales 1997 - 2005

In 1997 Fuller's took the beer world by storm when the pet project of Head Brewer Reg Drury was unveiled: a vintage dated strong beer, made to a different recipe each year, in a strictly limited edition. The bottle-fermented beer used Fuller's own in-house yeast strain, and whatever combination of hops and barley that the brewer felt had the highest quality in that year and would make for the most profound and complex ale. Over the years that has meant an organic based beer in 2000 for example, brewed with organic Target hops, and a 'golden-themed' beer for the Queen's Jubilee in 2002, using Goldings hops and Golden Promise malt. Yet somehow these beers - partly down to the Fuller's yeast, and partly down to the brewing process - share a real family character and basically similar profile each vintage. The differences are usually quite subtle, but the beers are always completely intriguing. Indeed, the Fuller's Vintage Ales have performed with remarkable consistency in my tastings. Quite simply, these are brilliant beers that offer some of the most challenging and pleasurable drinking around. The fact that they also age beautifully for many years in the cellar makes them even more fascinating (Roger Protz also rates Fuller's Vintage Ale as one of his '300 Beers To Try Before You Die').

Between October 2004 and December 2005 I managed to acquire and taste the complete vertical collection of every Vintage Ale produced: nine beers from 1997 to 2005. The beer is normally available for a limited period starting in November each year from the brewery shop, some independents, and this year, Waitrose supermarkets.

The scores these beers have amassed speak for themselves: of 350 beers in our tastings database at time of writing, only 14 have earned a full five stars, and five of those are Vintage Ales. The other four vintages earned four and a half stars. This is an Unprecedented 'strike rate'. Whatever you do, you must try this beer at least once. You may not love it as I do, but it is a profound beer drinking experience.

Fuller's Vintage Ales 1997 - 2005

Fullers, Vintage Ale 1997 (England) I was absolutely thrilled when Fuller's supplied me with a rare bottle of this, their first ever Vintage Ale, which was opened in March 2005. Brewed on the 18th of May and 22nd of July 1997 "from the best of the year's crops of malted barley and hops". It is darker than other beers in the series, lightly hazy, with a dense, high-foaming cream head. The nose is very dark and raisined in character, with caramel and dark molasses aromas, and a spirity, Cognac-like warmth and depth. On the palate it is luxurious and thick-textured as always, and has huge presence. There's a streak of something vegetal and bitter, like endive or liquorice root, masses of caramelised Seville orange, cocoa and a wonderfully rich, thick, enveloping bittersweet density. I have no doubt this ale will go on and on. A real honour to drink this wonderful beer. 8.5% ABV, 55cl.

Fullers, Vintage Ale 1998 (England) The second ever Vintage Ale was based on a 'Champion' theme, using Champion Alexis malt and Champion Northdown aroma hops. Tasted in December 2005, this seven year-old beer pours a fine ruby colour with a hint of copper, and has a creamy, off-white head. The nose does not have that pungent, searing vinous character of younger beers, but instead has a more mellow, even slightly floral note, with some biscuity richness. On the palate it is creamy and still very thickly textured and lush, with espresso and charry, toasty notes playing against a core of sweet fruitiness. This is a relatively light tasting beer (relatively!) and there is something very poised and quite elegant about it. Still drinking beautifully. 8.5% ABV, 50cl.

Fullers, Vintage Ale 1999 (England) Opened in March 2005, this is bottle number 26,330 of the edition. Champion Fuggles hops and Champion Optic malt have produced a ruby red beer, which pours slightly cloudy, with a creamy light-brown head. The nose here is very earthy and wine-like, with an almost Burgundian character of damp, sweet earth, truffle and a hint of rotting vegetation. Remnants of a richer maltiness and still sweet fruitiness add complexity. On the palate it has a typically smooth, immensely rich and dense texture, with immediate sweetness that fills the mouth with flavours of herbs, intense sherried fruits and walnuts and a huge core of powerful alcohol and thick, bitter chocolate malt. This is an assault on the senses, with Christmas spices, green chicory flavours and all sorts of bitterness in an endlessly complex beer. Magnificent. 8.5% ABV, 55cl.

Fullers, Vintage Ale 2000 (England) Fuller's came over all organic in this vintage, using Champion Optic Malt and Organic Target Hops, in a relatively large run of 85,000 bottles. The beer pours a slightly brighter, slightly pinker version of the usual dark ruby, with a good, off-white head. The nose on the 2000 is considerably brighter and fruitier too (tasted December 2005). There are strawberry and soft redcurrant aromas in amongst toffee and malty, biscuity richness. There's a leafiness too, in a less powerful, but aromatic profile. On the palate this definitely has a slightly more delicate, less overwhelming character than some years, with plenty of sweetness, an herbal edge and coffee and malt adding weight. It finishes quite crisply, with good acidity and is very fine, though perhaps doesn't quite have the sumptuous weight of some vintages. 8.5% ABV, 50cl.

Fullers, Vintage Ale 2001 (England) Opened in March 2005, this bottle (number 13,244 of 30,000 produced) poured a deep, slightly cloudy amber/red colour with a moderate cream-coloured head. The nose is very malty and soft, with Horlicks aromas and a tang of marmalade. There's a smokiness and tiny seaweedy, briny note too. Rich, smooth and very luxurious on the palate, there is a massive fruity sweetness here suggesting honey and ripe figs, but that huge chocolaty malt and bitter grip of hops and liquorice really asserts through the mid-palate and on to a heady, mouth-filling finish. Extremely good beer this, with no signs of tiredness and a fusing of components that makes it very harmonious. 8.5% ABV, 1pt.2.6fl.oz.

Fullers, Vintage Ale 2002 (England) This is a beautifully maturing beer (tasted December 2005) was brewed in the year of the Queen's Golden Jubilee, using suitably named Goldings hops and Golden Promise malt. It pours a glorious deep golden/ruby colour with a thick, creamy milky coffee-coloured head. The nose is vinous and rich, with a flood of coffee and roasted, dark, chocolaty notes, and something intensely sweet at the core, like very ripe red berries or perhaps juicy pomegranate. There's a note of something herbal too, in a complex profile. As usual, the palate offers a sumptuous, decadently creamy mouthful of bittersweet, extremely powerful flavours, with vivid chocolate notes, masses of fudge and rum-soaked raisins, and that core of plum and super-ripe red berries. This beer is fruitier than some Vintage Ales, but is as spicy, complex and heart-warming as ever. Exceptional stuff yet again. 8.5% ABV, 50cl.

Fullers, Vintage Ale 2003 (England) 50,000 bottles of the 2003 were produced, using Target, Challenger and Northdown hops. This Vintage Ale pours a deep ruby colour with a moderately thick cream-coloured head. The nose on this beer is quite subdued and dark, with aromas of vanilla, fudge, dark molasses and treacle. It seems a touch less hoppy and vinous than some vintages. On the palate there is the usual overwhelming, mouth-filling flood of bittersweet flavour, with a creamy texture displaying liquoricy bite, plenty of spice and Christmas cake richness and sweetness, and a fine, tangy hop finish. This is fine beer, though this bottle misses the nth degree of complexity found the best in this brilliant range. 8.5% ABV, 50cl.

Fullers, Vintage Ale 2004 (England) The brewmaestros of Chiswick must love the opportunity to brew this no-expense-spared supreme beer each vintage. Opened in March 2005, my bottle is number 35,696 of the annual edition of around 50,000. It pours a deep mahogany colour, with a moderate cappuccino-coloured head. The nose has a wine-like complexity, with damson fruit, bruised apples, lots of liquorice-toffee malt and a twist of hops. On the palate it has a thick, creamy texture and unguent quality, with a massive chicory-like bitterness and rounded, chewy, toffee and chocolate caramel sweetness playing against each other. There is a deep, deep reservoir of power and complex flavours in this magnificent beer that is crying out to be cellared. 8.5% ABV, 50cl, £2.99, Sainsbury's, Waitrose.

Fullers, Vintage Ale 2005 (England) Eagerly awaited as always, the new vintage ale from London brewers Fuller's follows on in a tradition of strong, complex beers made for cellaring. This young beer needs time, but for now, it pours a brilliant dark ruby, with a pillowing, creamy off-white head. The nose is crammed with powerful, vinous notes of red fruits, herbs and earthy, warming scents. There is a rich maltiness, and a green tea-like hoppy note in the mix. On the palate it is huge: sumptuous in texture, a creamy, sweet-edged barrage of malty flavours fills the mouth, but all tinged by that characteristic bitter edge of chicory and liquorice, with hints of burnt caramel, sweet red fruits and delicious complexity. I have no doubt this vintage ale is well up to Fuller's terrific standard, and it will get better and better. Buy six and open one every year or so for a fascinating lesson in aged beers, and some wonderful drinking pleasure. Available from November 2005 in a limited edition. 8.5% ABV, 50cl, £2.99, brewery website, Waitrose.

Fuller's Brewery fullers.co.uk Griffin Brewery Chiswick Lane South Chiswick London W4 2QB Tel: +44 (0) 20 8996 2000 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8995 0230