The latest in Past Masters range plus a Vintage Ale

Fuller’s, London’s only remaining traditional family brewer, has once again delved into its rich history of brewing in the capital to produce a fourth beer in their highly-acclaimed Past Masters range of unique ales.

Past Masters 1966 Strong Ale, which is 7.3% ABV, has been recreated by Fuller’s master brewers to a recipe that dates back to the year of flower power, The Beatles and a certain successful football tournament. It also harks back to a time when brews were planned longhand, without the use of calculators or computers.

Original tasting notes for this dark ruby rich ale reveal an initial spicy banana aroma followed by a rounded middle palate, showing notes of plum and stone fruit, followed by a velvety finish, warming with a hint of caramel.

Fuller’s Head Brewer, John Keeling, said of his latest beer from the Past Masters series; “Strong Ale is a great and original style beer, which truly gives us a taste of the past, rekindling memories of when England lifted the World Cup at Wembley".

Included in the original recipe, which was recreated specially for Strong Ale, are pale ale malt, maize, Goldings and Fuggles hops, which are added to the brew both early and late, as well as a blend of rich cane sugars and dark cane molasses.

The Fuller’s brewbooks have recorded each beer ever brewed in such meticulous detail, that the temperature was 56 degrees Fahrenheit at 6am on the day of the first Strong Ale brew, Monday 20 th June 1966.

Past Masters Strong Ale is on limited release from Fuller’s Brewery Shop in Chiswick and from the Fuller’s online store at £4.50 per 500ml bottle - http://store.fullers.co.uk/. 

Fuller’s has also announced the launch of its annual limited-edition Fuller’s 2013 bottle conditioned Vintage Ale - made using the choicest ingredients from this year.

The 17th edition in the range is carefully brewed using the finest winter barley variety ‘Pearl’, which is specially floor malted for Fuller’s by Muntons malt producers. Combined with award-winning spicy Admiral and fruity Sovereign hops, this makes the perfect winter Vintage Ale.

Tasting the 8.5% ABV amber ale reveals a deep, rich, stone fruit palate, overlaid with cinnamon, pineapple and marmalade notes. The finish is warming with a little spice note from the Admiral hops leaving a velvety after-palate.

John Keeling comments; “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. It could make a fantastic gift for an 18 th birthday - just bought a few years in advance to add even more flavour!”

All bottles are individually numbered and are now available from the Fuller’s brewery in Chiswick, online at http://www.fullers.co.uk/rte.asp?id=233 and across selected Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and EH Boaths Stores.

With some earlier Vintages, such as 1997 and 2000, already completely sold out, this latest unique bottle-conditioned brew from the only remaining family brewer in London is one not to be missed.

September 26, 2013