‘Fuller’s Past Masters’

     

Courtesy Hospitality and Catering News

I got all excited the other day when a Past Grand Master of New York posted a link on social media concerning Fuller’s line of Past Masters beverages. I had a few minutes just now to poke around the web and see what it’s all about, but am disappointed to see that the name evidently has nothing to do with Masonic past masters, but instead, I guess, brewmasters of yesteryear.

Even worse, there seems to be no distribution in the United States, so I’ll get to sample these only if I make good on my desired vacation to Blighty some day. (I know we can find Fuller’s flagship brew London Pride here, but that may be the only one.)

Fuller’s, dating to 1845, but with a heritage reaching back a couple hundred years prior, is a London brewery that also has hundreds of pubs and dozens of hotels across southern England. It’s a big company, and it was acquired a year and a half ago by the gigantic Asahi conglomerate of Japan.

What they’ve done with these brews is reverted to their archived recipes, and endeavored to recreate the flavors enjoyed so long ago. Being a pipe smoker who favors the Balkan, English, and Oriental varieties of tobacco mixtures, I know that even when an early recipe is immaculately preserved and perfectly understood, the needed ingredients may not be available today. But, with diligence and dedication, the right brewer can approximate.

Fuller’s started this project a decade ago and revisits another recipe every year, and the products are for sale via its website. From the publicity:


People say “they don’t make ’em like they used to,” but at Fuller’s, we certainly do. Since 2010, we’ve been delving back into our age-old brewing books once a year, to faithfully recreate recipes from days gone by.

Every Past Master we bring back is part of a limited run, with older versions already extremely rare. For that reason, the price of our Past Masters ales will increase as the number of remaining bottles reduces—and indeed, the price you see today may be higher tomorrow.

While they are crafted to be enjoyed as soon as they reach you, they continue to condition well beyond their official “best before” date due to the yeast that we include in the bottle. This second fermentation results in a more complex character and a flavor profile that will change over time.

The first in the series, XX is a strong, dark ale. Back in the 1890s, XX denoted a stronger than average brew. This particular recipe dates from September 2, 1891. Matured for three months, then bottle conditioned, it has a rich, round flavor with a distinctive, warming character.

Double Stout is the second in the series, brewed to a recipe from August 4, 1893, a time when ‘stout’ meant strong. Its signature ingredient is Plumage Archer barley, carefully malted and kilned using 19th century methods. Dark brown and creamy, this beer balances a rich fruity aroma with smoky, bittersweet chocolate notes.

Old Burton Extra is the third in series, brewed to the Old Burton Extra recipe from 1931. This ale is wonderfully strong and fruity; balanced with a pronounced hop flavor.

1966 Strong Ale, the fourth in the series, is brewed to a strong ale recipe from 1966 when it was drunk during the celebration of England’s victory in the world cup. This warming, dark ruby ale has a rich, rounded flavor with notes of plum and a velvety, warm caramel finish.

1914 Strong X, the fifth in the series, is brewed to a specially selected recipe that was drunk during the early months of World War I. This warming, strong mild ale has a fruity palate with notes of apricot and orange and a well-balanced malty finish.

1910 Double Stout is the sixth beer in the series. Deliciously dark, it’s characterized by smooth chocolate and rich coffee notes, with hints of Black Forest fruit flavor emerging alongside gentle bitterness from the hops. For any fans of dark ales and stouts, it’s a beer that demands to be tried.

1926 Oatmeal Porter is the seventh beer revived in the Past Masters collection. It’s been brewed to a 90-year old recipe to celebrate the occasion of the Queen’s 90th birthday.

1981 ESB is the ninth beer in the series. We’ve brewed something extra special to celebrate the career of Fuller’s legendary brewer John Keeling, who retired in 2018. This full-bodied, fruity beer uses the Extra Special Bitter recipe from John’s first day at Fuller’s in January 1981.

1909 Pale Ale is the tenth beer in the series and our first re-creation of this popular style. Darker than the pale ales we have come to know, this recipe combined treacle and sugar with malted barley, Goldings hops and the signature Fuller’s yeast for a smooth, well balanced and fruity beer.