So it’s now been almost 2 months since I started my new role with Fuller’s – Quality Development Technician with the laboratory team at the Brewhouse. The role is temporary but I felt that it was too good an opportunity to pass up by moving into the brewery and hope that by working hard and bringing my career experience to bear and add-value to what I do that a more permanent position will come my way.
The role is split into two areas. I spend a lot of time visiting all sections of the brewery taking samples of beer for laboratory testing, collecting bottles, cans, casks, kegs, etc for further tests and even collect samples from the brewery cooling towers and chlorination tanks that I then test for levels of Bromine, Chlorite, PH, etc. Each morning finds me on the Brewhouse floor taking a number of different samples from maturation vessels and conditioning tanks. Always accompanied by a shower of London Pride or ESB either directly in my face or down my arms and legs. Apparently its good for the hair so that’s ok then.
The other half of my time is spent managing the Cage. This is the cellar where all packaged beers are kept for sampling. Every day I rack casks and take samples for testing for micro lab, bitterness, ABV, etc. The beers are then tasted by a panel from the brewery for any off-flavours. Every batch of cask, mini barrel mini keg, keg, bottle and can is tasted plus end of shelf life beers and 6 and 12 months old bottles and cans. A lot of beer! We taste every day and on Friday I hold an additional tasting at noon, choosing the theme for the tasting and sourcing the beers. We taste market competitor’s beers against our own or I pick on a beer style or a selection of a particular country’s beers. On occasion we may also have another tasting of ‘beers in process’, i.e. ones in a maturation vessel or conditioning tank that have had a recipe slightly altered or may be using a different filtration method. Probably my dream job.
I also volunteered to assist at the recent brewery open day, pulling pints back at the dear old Mawson Arms. The day involved music, food, fun rides, games, brewery tours and, of course, beer. Proceeds raised were donated to our charity Shooting Star Chase hospice. A very worthy cause indeed.
In addition to the day job I’ve been flat-out busy with various beer events. Earlier in the month Wifey and I were invited to a private tasting of Goose Island’s beers, including bourbon barrel-aged stouts, sour beers, saisons and their recent collaboration with Ron Pattinson, Brewery Yard – a recreated 19th century pale ale. A brilliant afternoon with plenty of superb beer to taste, great people to chat too and we even had founder John Hall address the attendees where we learnt that his brewery was inspired by London Pride! That week a 75cl bottle of this lovely beer was delivered to the house by courier. Something to enjoy with Wifey at Christmas! I was also invited to Cask Marque’s annual cask report lunch at the Brewer’s Hall in the City.
This month I helped to deliver some beer tastings in the City. Fuller’s scheduled a series of beer tasting events at Nicholson’s pubs all around London, their Beer Showcase. It was great to get out there and meet our customers, inviting them to sample our beer including the bottle conditioned 1845 and the 2016 edition of Vintage Ale. A former work colleague even showed up to show some support and left with a gift box Vintage Ale for his trouble. Great fun indeed!
So I am having a blast in my new role at Fuller’s and hope that this develops into something more permanent. Hopefully I will have some news by the time I next update this blog. Wish me luck!
Cheers!
Beer Sommelier Kew 