Whats that taste?

[Newton]

There's a certain taste in many of the commercial beers I love--yet I've never been able to duplicate it in homebrew. First it will probably be useful to identify exactly what it is and what makes it. Its sort of a very light applish/white grape sort of sweetness. It’s very prominent in all Samuel Smith brews, and in Fuller’s ESB. I’ve also noted it in fresh bottles of Boston Lager and in some European lagers. Its very absent in most yellow fizzy type beers, although I have sensed it in canned Schlitz. At first I thought “the taste” was due to esters generated from certain ale yeasts, but its presence in certain lagers invalidates that hypothesis. I’m suspecting it may be some sort of malt characteristic brought about by long boil times.

Do anyone know what I’m talking about?

 

[Bensiff]

Acetaldehyde possibly? Could be continental grain character as that is a common theme amongst most of the examples you stated, outside of Schlitz, which is probably acetaldehyde. Lager yeasts can and do produce esters so I wouldn't necessarilly rule that out.

 

[Homercidal]

You can sense it in Fullers ESB, Boston Lager, and Samuel Smith, yet it's absent in fizzy yellow beers.

I got it, you're tasting FLAVOR!

I think those beers contain crystal malts and are all malt beers, rather than adjunct-laden light lagers. A bit of crystal and a few more hops can really help a beer out.