Fuller's ESB

In the 1700s, the term "bitter beer" was coined to describe ale with a noticeable hop flavor.  Bitter beers were especially popular in the taverns (or "ordinaries") of the English countryside.  The hopped brew served in the ordinaries became known as "ordinary bitter."  In response to popular demand, many breweries also began brewing stronger versions of their ordinary bitter, producing a more alcoholic drink known as "best bitter" or "special bitter."  Then things pretty much stayed the same for the next 200 years until Fuller's came along and cranked it up to 11 with their extra special bitter or ESB.

Fuller's Brewery was founded in 1845 by a consortium of three brewers who took over the historic Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, West London.  They are best known for their flagship bitter, London Pride, the most widely-distributed cask ale in Britain.  Fuller's first released their ESB in 1969 as a strong seasonal called "Winter Bitter."  Within two years the Winter Bitter had become so popular that the brewery decided to produce the beer year round under the name Extra Special Bitter.  Though many British breweries were quick to follow by brewing stronger, more flavorful versions of their own bitters, Fuller's was and is the standard against which similar beers are judged.  The folks at Fuller's aren't shy about touting their innovation: the label on the bottle proclaims their ESB a "World Original."

Nor has the beer gone unappreciated by the ale-drinking masses.  The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), which is sort of like the Pitchfork Media of the British cask ale scene, has recognized Fuller's no less than seven times as England's Best Strong Ale.  In the United States, the U.S. Beverage Tasting Institute awarded Fuller's back-to-back titles as World Champion Bitter in 1997 and 1998.

Fuller's ESB is a one-of-a-kind brew.  It's slightly darker than your average pale ale, with a unique toasty malt flavor.  It has a pleasant bitterness sometimes described as "coffee-like."  The beer is designed to be dangerously drinkable, with no aggressive hop flavor getting in the way of its malty smoothness.  It's fairly easy to find in bottle form here in the U.S., though maybe not as common as its older brother London Pride (which you should absolutely try if you haven't already).  I've seen the ESB on tap at a bar or two with a large imported draft selection but it doesn't seem as visible as other British imports like Newcastle or Bass.

Be advised that when you buy a six-pack of Fuller's ESB in our great land of America you are not truly capturing the ESB in its natural state.  In England, Fuller's ESB - like all true bitters - is primarily sold as a cask-conditioned ale, meaning the beer is served from the same barrel in which it was fermented and has been neither filtered nor pasteurized.  The version available in the United States, however, is filtered, pasteurized and served in bottles or pressurized kegs.  This translates to a product with better carbonation, a neutered flavor, and a much, much longer shelf life.  The export version is also somewhat more alcoholic, weighing in at 5.9% ABV compared to the 5.5% ABV of the cask version.  I've had both, and in my opinion the export bottles do retain the unique flavor of Fuller's ESB - although the bespectacled, fedora-wearing godfathers of CAMRA would surely shake their bearded heads in disapproval were they to read this.

As I was saying above, the "extra special" in ESB refers mainly to its high alcohol content relative to other bitters.  So bitters that fall into the same alcoholic range as Fuller's (anywhere from about 4.5-6.5% ABV) are technically considered ESBs.  Of course these guidelines don't really have any bearing on how beer is marketed or described in the real world.  In England the term "bitter" is used interchangeably with "pale ale" to describe most beers that are neither stout, nor porter, nor lager, while the phrase "ESB" is uniquely applied to the Fuller's brand.  Other British ales of equivalent strength to Fuller's ESB, such as the phenomenal Adnams Broadside, refer to themselves as "strong ales" or "strong bitters."

In the United States, meanwhile, the ESB style has been used to classify almost any ale that is dark, medium-bodied, and moderately hopped.  In general, American beers labeled as ESB have a more malty taste and rather less hop flavor than pale ale.  It's a catch-all category more than anything else, and American ESBs definitely aren't just imitating the Fuller's style.  Avery 14'er ESB out of Colorado is a great American brew, as are Lefthand Sawtooth ESB (also from Colorado) and Heavy Seas Winter Storm from the Clipper City Brewing Co. of Baltimore.