Fullers ESB

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Capn Ahab
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Fullers ESB

Post by Capn Ahab »

Not a real tasting note/review, but I had a bottle of this last night and found it had lots of diacetyl on the nose and palate. There is fruitiness on the nose too, from low level ethyl acetate, which I also noticed in a beer I made with wlp002. To be fair, my beer got too warm and it was a little bit OTT, but I'm still not so keen on it in the ESB.

This yeast obviously needs fairly careful handling.

The fact that the pasteurised bottled version of ESB is a bit of a butter bomb shows the benefits of bottle conditioning, as this would help clean up the yeast by-products over time. You'd have thought that John Keeling would spot this problem and rectify it by producing 'live' bottled beer though....

I've got bottles of Bengal Lancer (IPA) and Discovery (blond) to work through still <sigh> and wonder if they'll have the same/similar problems.
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I_used_to_brew
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Re: Fullers ESB

Post by I_used_to_brew »

Those seem to be characteristics of Fullers ESB and Ive seen it mentioned in a number of reviews, so if it's by design it can't be a fault or a problem?

Still, as you say, if you want to use that yeast and avoid those characteristics then you have to be very methodical or use a different yeast.
Capn Ahab
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Re: Fullers ESB

Post by Capn Ahab »

RogerP wrote:Those seem to be characteristics of Fullers ESB and Ive seen it mentioned in a number of reviews, so if it's by design it can't be a fault or a problem?.
Good point, hadn't considered that they might actually WANT diacetyl in their beer. A very strange decision to make if so...
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I_used_to_brew
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Re: Fullers ESB

Post by I_used_to_brew »

You could email John Keeling and ask if it is, I'm only suggesting it must be because so many people report it. I'm sure he would reply, is he on twitter?

*edit, he is @fullersjohn try asking him
Capn Ahab
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Re: Fullers ESB

Post by Capn Ahab »

I don't have a twitter account. I'll ask him at the national if he comes to judge again.
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I_used_to_brew
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Re: Fullers ESB

Post by I_used_to_brew »

I've asked for you. Looks like he was about to take a break, I'll let you know what he says.
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alikocho
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Re: Fullers ESB

Post by alikocho »

I'd suggest listening to the Can You Brew it shows when they did Fullers ESB, London Pride and 1845.
Ali

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I_used_to_brew
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Re: Fullers ESB

Post by I_used_to_brew »

alikocho wrote:I'd suggest listening to the Can You Brew it shows when they did Fullers ESB, London Pride and 1845.

I had nothing better to do whilst travelling today and I listened to it. No mention of Diacetyl.

The clone brew used different Xtal malt and totally different hops and wasn't anything like ESB by all accounts :)
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alikocho
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Re: Fullers ESB

Post by alikocho »

RogerP wrote:
alikocho wrote:I'd suggest listening to the Can You Brew it shows when they did Fullers ESB, London Pride and 1845.

I had nothing better to do whilst travelling today and I listened to it. No mention of Diacetyl.

The clone brew used different Xtal malt and totally different hops and wasn't anything like ESB by all accounts :)
There's a rebrew show too....
Ali

BJCP National Judge
BJCP Assistant Regional Director (North-East/Europe)
American Homebrewers' Association International Subcommittee
Organizer, National Homebrew Competition
CBA UK Competition and Training Coordinator

http://serenbrewing.com
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I_used_to_brew
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Re: Fullers ESB

Post by I_used_to_brew »

Link to save me searching, betcha got it bookmarked..
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