Fuller's London Pride

Every year I like to designate one beer style to explore, and I decided 2012 should be the year of the English pale ale. EPAs in general are one of my favorite beer styles, and I will forever consider Bass one of my go-to brews. But I wanted to find out what else was out there besides Bass. So I bought a six-pack each of Old Speckled Hen and Fuller’s London Pride the last time I went beer shopping. I didn’t love the Old Speckled Hen, but the Fuller’s London Pride was a full-scale jackpot hit! I’m sure I’ve had it before a couple times in my life, but it’s been a while. Damn! When I talk about the EPA being a favorite style of mine, this is exactly the kind of beer I’m talking about. It’s smooth and relatively full-bodied, with a nice malty taste highlighted by notes of bread, biscuit, caramel, and butter. It finishes clean with a mild leafy hop kickback, and all in all it’s the embodiment of a drinkable session beer. As my explorations continue, I may check in with some lesser known English breweries as well a few American interpretations of the EPA. But sometimes the “classics” are classic for a reason. If Bass sets the standard, Fuller’s is not far behind. And having had both, I’m not sure I wouldn’t give FLP the slight edge. Absolutely a world class beer. English pale ales may not be the typical beer geek’s choice of style, but I am not the typical beer geek. If you, like me, enjoy a good EPA, this one is top shelf.