Dating back to 1828 Fuller’s offers a unique trip back through history for beer lovers to discover at its original Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, west London.
It is not just its own PR that can claim Fuller’s Griffin Brewery is a special place. Britain’s last remaining family-owned brewer has been making beer for over 160 years with pints of its famous London Pride being produced from its Griffin Brewery since 1828.
A tour of the famous Griffin Brewery is a chance to go behind the scenes at one of London’s less well known landmarks. But anyone travelling in to central of London on the A4, be it from Heathrow or the west of the country will pass by its doors. It is well worth stopping and venturing inside.
Plenty do as the brewery now runs up to 20 tours a week. Offering not just an insight in to the inner workings of the Griffin Brewery, but also a glimpse in to the history of beer-making in the UK.
The tours are often given by former employees who can give their personal insights in to life in a family brewery.
Step by step
You will be taken through each stage of the brewing process including:
- the ingredients used in making different styles of ale
- how they are brought together in the brewing process
- the chance to see brewing in action
- how the beer is bottled and packaged ready for delivery to pubs and bars.
Brewing museum
What you may not expect is the history lesson that comes with the tour. Whilst the working part of the brewery is full of the latest brewing technology and equipment the older section of the brewery now serves as a museum
It is perfectly preserved, with the machinery situated exactly where they were originally installed decades ago. Including the pump that was plumbed in just for the workers to take their daily allowance of beer.
Chance to taste
Every tour finishes with the chance to taste the different ales produced at the brewery. This takes visitors to the Hock Cellar, originally an air raid shelter in the Second World War, which also includes items and artefacts from throughout Fuller’s history.
If that whets your palate then you can then pop across the road to pub literally across the road. Fuller’s home from home, The Mawsons Arms.
Virtual tour
If you want to get a flavour of what you can see on the tour then visit the Fuller’s website where you have a choice of three 360 visual tours.
The basics
* The tour lasts 90 minutes
- It finishes with a tutored tasting of some of Fuller’s range of ales.
- It costs £12 per person (over 18s only)
- Tours run from Monday to Friday at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.
- The tours won’t run from October 24 to November 30, 2016, due to refurbishment of the brewery’s Hock Cellar
