Fuller’s Brewer Goes Home for Beer

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Chiswick teams up with northern brewery for new tipple

A chance meeting while having a pint prompted Fuller’s Head Brewer to come up with ideas for a new beer- and return to his northern roots.

John Keeling , who has worked in the Chiswick brewery for 30 years, was at a winter ales festival when he got chatting to fellow Mancunian James Campbell from the Marble Brewery, which specialises in using only organic and vegetarian ingredients. The Marble Brewery is based at The Marble Arch Inn in Ancoats just outside Manchester.

The two men, who have many years of brewing experience, kept in touch, and the result of the newly-forged friendship and collaboration is a dark ale, Old Manchester. The bottle-conditioned beer is brewed and bottled by Marble Brewery in Manchester but can now be purchased at Fuller’s.

“We love ESB, and have always admired Fuller’s as a brewery- hence the collaboration,” said James, “We agreed that the pairing of juicy malts and assertive bitterness works really well, and with that in mind we set out to create a full-flavoured yet quaffable ale.”

“A few tricks in the fermenter and three months cask maturing on dry hops, and you have the end result – a full-bodied British ale with power and poise.”

“It’s great fun collaborating with another brewery, especially on an original recipe,” said John, who has been with Fuller’s for 30 years, “The tasting of new flavours and different ingredients when brewing a new beer are some of the best parts of my job.”

“But the main reason I like this beer is because it’s like me – old and from Manchester!”

A dark amber ale with strong fruity character, Old Manchester is a full-bodied traditional beer with a spicy nose, from the English Challenger hops. Hints of grapefruit on the palate and tropical fruits on the nose, blend with juicy malts and confectionery in the mid taste, and a long dry bitter finish to result in a surprisingly smooth taste for such a strong beer (7.3% ABV).

Fuller’s is London’s only remaining traditional family brewer, and has been brewing at their Griffin brewery in Chiswick, since 1845, although brewing has taken place on the site for at least 300 years.

Old Manchester Ale is for sale now from the Fuller’s Brewery Shop in Chiswick for £8.25.

January 14, 2012