Fuller Smith and Turner plc

The Fuller's brewery is one of two large regional brewers in London (the other is Young's).

Fullers have an estate of about 200 pubs, a large proportion of which are in London, but they also have outlying pubs in Reading, Oxford, Aldershot, Guildford, and in many villages.

The standard bitters are as follows:

• ESB - 5.5% ABV
• London Pride - 4.1% ABV (Note: bottled pride is 4.7%)
• Chiswick - 3.5% ABV

I heard on a tour of the brewery, that these brews are successive mashes of the same grains: ESB is the first mash, Pride the second, and Chiswick the third.

Fuller's did attempt brewing lager at one time, but this was a comercial failure. Their fermenting vessels are kept busy enough with the bitters.

Fullers also have seasonal brews on draught:

• Honey Dew
• Summer Ale
• Red Fox
• Jack Frost

Some of these are obtainable out of season in bottles. Other bottled beers to look out for:

• 1845 - Bottle conditioned dark ale, 6%
• IPA - Also bottle conditioned, this one is quite rare and delicious. It's a shame the brewery didn't produce more of it