Fuller's London Porter - Griffin Brewery, Chiswick

Everyone seems to love Fuller's London Porter, so I decided to try it out. I've seen it on the shelf many times at the store but never felt compelled to pick up a bottle. Anyway, I've finally come into possession of a bottle of London Porter and I'm kicking myself for not picking it up sooner. If you've had a proper Porter style beer before then you've got an idea of what to expect from the Fuller's. It's definitely dark, roasty and creamy. When I poured this beer into my pint glass I noticed there was a bit of vanilla and caramel in the aroma. These aren't scents which are terribly rare in the world of Porters, but they usually foreshadow a great drinking experience.

All of the flavors of Fuller's London Porter are accounted for in the nose. When you take your first sip of this beer you'll notice how creamy it is. The texture is great considering how smooth the beer is to drink. There is only a hint of bitterness, which is balanced out by sweeter caramel and chocolate flavors. Those sweet components tend to stay in the background and compliment the finish. Amid all of this sweet and bitterness going on, the London Porter takes on a somewhat coffee-like flavor that is brought out by the roasted malt. This beer sits at 5.4% ABV so it's a little strong for a session beer but it's very drinkable.

I really enjoyed Fuller's London Porter and would recommend it to just about anyone. There are practically no hops in this beer so if you're a hop fanatic you can probably take a pass, otherwise you're really missing out if you haven't tried this beer.