Fuller's 1845
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Tasting Notes
The aroma opens with rich toffee, dried fruit, and a hint of marmalade — hallmarks of the Fuggle and Golding hops working alongside Fuller's house yeast. On the palate, biscuit malt dominates early before giving way to dark fruit notes, a touch of orange peel, and a solid but not aggressive bitterness. The body is full and rounded, appropriate for the strength, without feeling heavy. The finish is long and dry, with lingering earthiness and a faint caramel sweetness.
About the Brewery
Fuller's is a London brewery with roots going back to the mid-1800s, operating out of the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, West London. They are closely associated with the cask ale tradition and produce some of the most widely recognized British ales in the world, including London Pride and ESB. Their house yeast character — that distinctive marmalade-and-toffee signature — runs through much of the range and is considered one of the more recognizable fermentation profiles in British brewing.
Food Pairings
Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding is a natural match, as the malt richness mirrors the savory depth of the meat without competing with it. A sharp, aged cheddar works well because the bitterness cuts through the fat while the toffee notes play off the cheese's nuttiness. Lamb chops seasoned with rosemary echo the earthy, herbal quality of the hops. Game pies or pork pies — the kind of sturdy, dense pastry-and-meat combination — hold up comfortably against the beer's body and alcohol.
Style Guide
Extra Special Bitter, often called ESB, is a stronger, fuller-bodied evolution of the standard British bitter tradition, typically ranging from about 5.5% to 6.5% ABV. It originated in Britain and was anchored in the drinking public's awareness largely through Fuller's own ESB, which became something of a style blueprint. Compared to an ordinary or best bitter, an ESB carries more malt weight, more pronounced fruit esters from the yeast, and a more assertive but still balanced hop bitterness — it's bigger in every direction without crossing into barleywine territory.