Fuller's Vintage Ale 2019(Ratebeer: 93 pts)

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Time to celebrate

Celebrating your 18th in style is something of a British tradition. So, as 2014 marks our 18th Vintage Ale, tradition is exactly what we’ve opted for. This beautiful ale is brewed with some of our favourite home-grown hops -Target, Challenger and Northdown.

The 2014 Vintage Ale features a dense palate of marmalade flavours and toasted almonds, with tropical fruits and coconut coming through on the nose.

Our Vintage Ales are limited to 24 bottles per order, and ‘Rare’ Vintage Ales are limited to 1 bottle per order due to the limited availability of the product.

The Vintage Ale Collection

All of our Vintage Ales are very special bottle conditioned beers. We’ve created a new recipe every year since 1997, picking the best ingredients at the time, to make a strong beer with a complex character.

Our Vintage Ales are crafted to be enjoyed on the day they’re released, but because of the yeast that we include in the bottle, it will continue to condition well beyond its official ‘best before’ date. This second fermentation results in a more complex character and a flavour profile that will change over time.

Every bottle of Vintage Ale is individually numbered, representing its part in the limited run in which we brew these beers. Many of our older Vintage Ales are extremely rare, but still much sought after as they represent the pinnacle of Fuller’s brewing in that year.

The price of our Vintage Ales will increase over time as the number of remaining bottles reduces, so the price you see today may be higher tomorrow.

Rare Vintages

When stocks of a Vintage Ale are almost entirely depleted, most of what’s left is kept in our secure cellar for future generations. However, because of the popularity of the beer, we have made a small number of bottles available for the connoisseurs of our Vintages. These will be much more valuable than the rest of the range because there are so few remaining. You can identify these Vintage Ales as they will include ‘RARE’ in the product name.

Customers may buy only one bottle of rare Vintage Ale per order.

Taking delivery and storage

As part of any delivery process, the liquid and sediment in the bottle will have been disturbed during transit. It is important that you let the bottle stand on its base for at least 72 hours before opening it.

If you plan to store the bottles to enjoy in later years, you should store them upright to ensure any settling happens at the bottom of the bottle. It will also be ready to drink whenever you wish. Store your Vintage Ale in a cool, dry place where the temperature will not drop below 2oC or go above 25oC.

How to enjoy your Vintage Ale

We recommend that your Vintage Ale is served at cellar temperature (11-13oC) in a wide rimmed glass that allows you to enjoy the aromas as you sip it. The Fuller’s Connoisseur Glass has been designed for this, but a large wine glass is a suitable alternative.

Make sure that you’ve allowed the bottle to settle upright for at least 72 hours if it has been transported recently. Open the bottle and pour the beer slowly into a glass held at an angle. Slowly straighten the glass as you pour. To avoid sediment entering the glass, stop pouring before reaching the bottom of the bottle. If you prefer a smaller head on your beer, wet the inside of the glass before pouring.

Enjoy your Vintage Ale either on its own, or to accompany warming winter dishes such as stews or pies. It is also an excellent alternative to port when eating cheese. We think its best enjoyed with friends and family, with some customers maintaining a tradition to taste a range of Vintage Ales at Christmas. However you choose to drink your Vintage Ale, we hope you enjoy it.