ESB
Fuller's Brewery in Chiswick, Greater London, England 🏴
Bitter - ESB / Strong Bitter Regular|
Score
6.98
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By the time ESB launched in 1971, breweries had long been in the habit of producing an ‘ordinary’ bitter and a ‘special’. Our special was the irreplaceable London Pride so we broke the mould and added a pioneering third style: an extra special bitter, brewed to a stronger 5.5% ABV. Since then, ESB has gone on to become a recognised beer style, imitated in breweries right across the world.
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7.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Bottle 28th March 2026 from Co-Op via Deliveroo. Pours a crystal clear copper with disappearing foam and spot lacing. Malty aroma. Sweet malts, fruits and subtle grasses in-mouth, and a solid finish featuring all of the above. Velvet smooth mouthfeel and a full body.
Tried
from Bottle
from
Co-operative Supermarket (Various Locations)
on 28 Mar 2026
at 23:43
6.9/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 6.5
Texture 7
Overall 7
Bottle. Pours a light brown colour with a thin white head, light hop aroma with hints of caramel, the taste is medium bitterness with a dry bitter finish.
Tried
from Bottle
from
Sainsbury's (Various locations)
on 07 Dec 2025
at 16:21
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
On cask at their Heathrow bar, as "ESB Champion Ale". Pours clear amber with a white head. Nothing on the nose. Flavour has dry crackers, some damp bread crusts, a bit of dry grass. Bitter finish. Fairly underwhelming.
Tried
from Cask
at
London’s Pride (Fuller’s) (Terminal 2)
on 14 Oct 2025
at 14:45
6/10
Tried
on 21 Jul 2025
at 11:15
7/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 7
Old rating - A bitter I've had a number of times over the years, this time in a West Sussex beach house, brought from Sainsbury's. Very good.
Tried
from Bottle
on 02 Jul 2025
at 08:34
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 7
Malty /sweet aroma.Amber color and soft carbo.Taste is malty and salty( it tastes a bit like corn chips).
Tried
on 05 Jun 2025
at 12:48
7/10
Cant believe I never rated this. Beautiful balance of the bitter and the toffee butterscotch
Tried
from Can
on 20 May 2025
at 01:37
8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
I drank this beer in Lima and Lausanne. The color is a nice orange red and the taste is bitter and there are some caramels, nice. 12.03.2016
Tried
from Bottle
on 22 Apr 2025
at 20:17
9.5/10
Cask or bottle - ESB is something worth celebrating ( in bonkers England)
Tried
from Cask
on 10 Apr 2025
at 13:01
6.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle. Amber, gold color. Good head with some lace. Aroma is just a touch sweet with plum and almond. Taste is wonderfully balanced.
Tried
from Bottle
on 24 Mar 2025
at 05:11