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Brewery Trip to the Fullers Brewery

Headline : A trip to the Fullers Brewery, described in detail.
Date : Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Author: Dean Beedell

Fullers Brewery Chiswick  - A trip to the Fullers Brewery, described in detail. Despite only a short drive in the van a certain member of the group was unable to control his internals and needed to stop every twenty minutes for light relief. The eight of us arrived on time for a pint or two in the old store cellar of the Fullers brewery in Chiswick, right by the flooded Thames.  ESB, London Pride, Chiswick and Gales HSB were drunk in quite small quantities.

Next, a short walk from the Victorian buildings to modern brewing premises built in the nineteen-eighties in order to view the production processes. No small-time brewery this, but a vast manufacturing facility capable of brewing half a million barrels of beer each year with production rising so we were told. Inside, only a  few vestiges of old copper and wood brewing vessels and a minimal amount of traditional brewing equipment was all that was left of the Fullers Brewery of old, now replaced by the gleaming steel of efficient modern equipment. A cold and impersonal manufactory warmed only by the heat of the brewing beer.

The guide had a lot more personality than the factory, he had worked there since 1969 and had seen the old ways swept away by the sweep of progress turning Fullers from the seemingly defunct operation of the 70s to the flourishing, healthy and profitable enterprise it is today. He seemed to agree that some of the new lager-type beers that Fullers are now producing are a little lacking in taste. They are popular however with the young.

After the factory trip we were allowed another last pint in the cellar and then onto the Mawsons Arms where a buffet was especially laid on for us. The buffet was tasty enough though some complained at the specially-prepared nature of the Pringles, softening them ready for gentle and easy laying upon the tongue. The beer in the Mawson Arms was good Fullers beer, not surprising considering that the pub is practically part of the brewery. The Fullers rep. seemed happy to say goodbye leaving us to play some silly drinking games, chucking the matchbox, spoof and bunnies, with local variations. Some of us drank too much and had to resort to tactical methods of keeping sober. Not nice.

The trip home went very quickly with cards played in the bus and silly songs being sung. We stopped off in Henley and determined to have a quick fight or rather a quick pint in the Bird in Hand. Luckily we all remained firm friends and despite some water on the brain we returned home to the Bear at Home Inn for some late night cards and few more rounds of beer. As always thanks to Tim for organising the trip. Thanks to the Brewery for having us. Thanks also to the driver for not crashing, the group is now thoroughly convinced of his ability to equal any white van driver on the road.