London’s only remaining traditional family brewer has been busy producing no fewer than three new beers!
Fuller’s Brewer’s Reserve No.4 revealed
The fourth incarnation of Fuller’s acclaimed Brewer’s Reserve series of barrel-aged beers is now available, following a much-awaited debut at August’s Great British Beer Festival at Olympia, London.
Brewer’s Reserve No.4 has spent over a year gently maturing in vintage Comte de Lauvia Armagnac casks, from the Bas region of France, the oldest Armagnac producing region. The black oak casks add a spirit-like edge to the beer, particularly on the nose, with a rich spicy flavour of prunes, orange peel, and cinnamon.
To mark the beer’s release in limited edition numbered bottles, Fuller’s donated six special firkins of the beer to be sold, one per day, at The Great British Beer Festival (GBBF). Each firkin was sold in third of a pint measures only, due to its exclusivity and its strength of 8.5% ABV, and the £2,600 raised was donated to the official charity of the GBBF 2012, The Lord’s Taverners, one of the UK’s leading Youth Sports and Disability Charities.
For those who were not lucky enough to grab a sample at the festival, Brewer’s Reserve No. 4 is now available to buy from the Fuller’s Brewery Shop and online from fullers.co.uk, priced at £7.80 per 500ml bottle.
Brewer’s Reserve No.4’s extensive maturation time has infused the beer with delicious raisin, green apple, vanilla and cinnamon flavours from the rare oak Armagnac casks. These, combined with the rich malt body and pleasant sharp fruitiness derived from the beer, result in a wonderfully complex and very satisfying beer.
Revival of forgotten beer style: Old Burton Extra
Fuller’s has once again delved into its rich history of brewing in the capital to produce a third beer in their highly-acclaimed Past Masters range of historic ales. Past Masters Old Burton Extra has been brewed to a recipe that dates back to September 10th 1931 and was found in Fuller’s brewbook. Every recipe of every beer ever brewed at the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick has been recorded in meticulous details in this bible of brewing, and in such detail that even the temperature was noted at 13°C at 4 a.m. that morning.
Fuller’s Head Brewer, John Keeling, said of his latest, long-lost beer:
“Past Masters Old Burton Extra is a misunderstood style of beer, which actually disappeared in the early part of last century.”
“We are so lucky to have our all of these fantastic recipes written down by my brewing predecessors, and we keep the ingredients and processes to follow the recipe as closely as possible – it really is a glimpse into our unique brewing history.
Included in the original recipe, which was recreated for Old Burton Extra, are Best Pale Ale malt, Crystal malt, maize and a special brewing syrup. The hops used were English Fuggles and Goldings both in the copper and for dry hopping.
Past Masters Old Burton Extra is 7.3% ABV and will be on limited release at £4.50 per 500ml bottle.
Fuller’s Vintage Ale 2012
London brewer Fuller’s has released its latest version of the Vintage Ale range, a limited-edition brew made using the choicest ingredients from this year. Individually-numbered bottles are now on sale.
The 16th Vintage Ale, for the second year running, uses organic Barley grown on Sir James Fuller’s Neston Park Estate in Wiltshire, which has been specially floor malted by Warminster Malt for Fuller’s.
The English hops used for both brewing and dry hopping included the choicest Goldings, Target and Organic Sovereign, from Fuller’s Hereford Organic Hop grower John Walker.
Tasting of the 8.5% ABV amber ale reveals an initial aroma of ripe autumnal fruits with slight notes of rosehips, leading on to a smooth middle palate with just a hint of spice. There is a pleasant hop bitterness, which is then finished with a satisfying orange peel flavour and alcohol warming on the aftertaste.
Fuller’s Head Brewer John Keeling is very pleased with this latest incarnation of the special series:
“I suggest buying a few and trying one now, trying one in five years and trying one in ten years, to see how the flavours have developed and matured.”
There are only a limited number of each year’s Vintages produced, and they are on sale for £5.50 per 500ml bottle.
With some earlier vintages, such as 1997 and 2000, already completely sold out, invest now in this latest unique bottle-conditioned brew!
To order any of these beers, visit Fuller’s Brewery Shop in Chiswick or order online