Beer Spotlight!

Fuller’s 2019 Vintage Ale

$9.99 for the 16.9oz bottle
English Old Ale

Fuller, Smith & Turner P.L.C. is not a simple brewing concern. Forming in 1845 when John Bird Fuller separated himself from his father’s partners and took on his own investors (Mr. Smith and Mr. Turner), Fuller’s has been for years London’s most famous brewery. However as decades progressed and the beer flowed, Fuller’s went from putting beer into pubs to owning whole pubs. (Hotels followed.)

In recent years, British beer lovers have pointed to the over 200 homogenous Fuller’s pubs as one of the threats to Britain’s traditional pub culture. Adding insult to brewery, Fuller’s sold off all its brewing properties to the European arm of Japanese brewing magnate, Asahi Group Holdings in 2019. The money men basically shrugged and said the sale only made sense since their pubs and hotels were responsible for the overwhelming majority of their profits anyway. Holy bottom-liners, Batman!

Still, whether homegrown or foreign owned, Fuller’s can still put out some great beer. For example, take the Fuller’s Vintage Ale. Every year, the recipe changes, but it’s usually some kind of Old Ale. The English Old Ale is malt forward, higher in alcohol than most English styles, and is able to be aged to have its tastes mature over time.

The 2019 Vintage is an Old Ale with a new (Zealand) spin. The malt backbone uses Pale Ale and Chocolate malts along with Crystal malt from Canterbury Plains in New Zealand. For hops Fuller’s uses Target, Goldings, Northdown, and Challengers. However, the really fun addition is “lots of” New Zealand Wai-iti hops. There’s also a distinct minerality on the edges most likely from the mineral-rich treated London municipal water that Fuller’s uses. Rich and tasty with caramel and fruit notes, drink this beer at a little cooler than room temperature to be able to acquire easily the different levels of flavor.