Fuller's Vintage Ale 1999

[steveh]

18.6 oz. bottle, number 73339

Caramel, orange brown color that poured pretty clear - but I opted to pour off some of the sediment and that changed the glass-full to pretty hazy. Good, fine bubbled, white head that dissipated quickly.

Big caramel malt nose estery, black cherry fruitiness behind the sweet caramel. Alcohol notes became more prevalent as the beer warmed.

Same full caramel flavor with a nice hop bite in the aftertaste; the label advertises Fuggles as the hop of choice. Initial taste is very sherry-like. Alcohol becomes apparent in flavor with warming, as well as undertones of chocolate mixing well with the caramel flavor.

Chewy, thick, sweet body in this beer from the first taste.

This is a very big beer, although the ABV is marked nowhere on the bottle or special box, Beer Advocate has it listed as 8.5 - I believe it.

Very complex, delicious beer - I'm looking forward to sampling the next vintages in the lineage.

S.

[studentofbeer]

hrmmm saw that or something like it at the local paint shop, wasn't sure to try it. now you've inspired me :)

[chazwicke]

Originally posted by steveh
18.6 oz. bottle, number 73339

Caramel, orange brown color that poured pretty clear - but I opted to pour off some of the sediment and that changed the glass-full to pretty hazy. Good, fine bubbled, white head that dissipated quickly.

Big caramel malt nose estery, black cherry fruitiness behind the sweet caramel. Alcohol notes became more prevalent as the beer warmed.

Same full caramel flavor with a nice hop bite in the aftertaste; the label advertises Fuggles as the hop of choice. Initial taste is very sherry-like. Alcohol becomes apparent in flavor with warming, as well as undertones of chocolate mixing well with the caramel flavor.

Chewy, thick, sweet body in this beer from the first taste.

This is a very big beer, although the ABV is marked nowhere on the bottle or special box, Beer Advocate has it listed as 8.5 - I believe it.

Very complex, delicious beer - I'm looking forward to sampling the next vintages in the lineage.

S.

Do you think it would benefit from further cellaring? I have several 2000s and was wondering about the cellar life on these babys.

[steveh]

Originally posted by chazwicke
Do you think it would benefit from further cellaring? I have several 2000s and was wondering about the cellar life on these babys.

Hmm. I'm not too sure if there are any hard and fast standards to follow on cellaring beer. The '99 is the oldest vintage I can get at my store, so I tried it first. There were no off or offensive flavors, no signs of oxydation, and plenty of alcohol that could help preserve the beer.

The slight sherry-ness of the flavor could be a sign that it's getting to a possible end to its run, but I'm not sure.

If you have several of the 2000 vintage, I suggest capping one to give it an assessment -- or...you could send me one and I can review it for you! ;)

Seriously, the '99 was deelish (note to you too Student) and worth a quiet occassion to savor. I'll be grabbing a 2000 at the store next.

S.

[newportstorm]

I came across a stash of 2001 Vintage a few months back at $1.99/bottle. Had they been abused? Neglected? Who knows? But at $1.99 per, it's a small price to pay to "rescue" them. I took four lonely bottles home, but have yet to crack one open.

As far as Vintage's peak time in the cellar, I've heard 3-4 years will put most vintages at their peak. Although, since the recipe changes and everyone has different tastes, there's only one way to find out ;)

Cheers!

[hopjack13]

i try not to go past 3 or 4 years either. i noticed they loose all the carbonation....at least anything thing i've tried past 4 years had none , nothing. my oldknumbskull from 2000 still had carbonation, barely but it was there.
afa the fullers vintage line i had a couple of 2000 , oe was great the other...well, it got lost and by the time i found it tempature fluctuations had gottin to it (BAD HOPJACK!) and when i opened it , it was a little off. but the first was really gooood.

[Tweek]

newportstorm where ya from?

[newportstorm]

Originally posted by Tweek
newportstorm where ya from?

Originally Massachusetts, then I moved south......to Rhode Island ;) Newport Storm is the local brewery down here - hell, it's the only brewery. Gotta support the little/local guys - hence my username. And you?

Cheers!

[Tweek]

San francisco bay area. I was hoping for a near by shop that had those vintage ales for that price :)

[Richard English]

Fuller's Vintage Ale should last for some years provided it is kept in a cool and dark environment. It might be worth storing it on its side just to make sure that there's no gas escape from the cap. This can obviously happen, and must have happened, to those whose bottles were flat. There is nowhere for the gas to go otherwise - it can't just disappear!