Local Woman Appointed As Head Brewer At Fuller's

An interest in beer as a student led to a career in brewing

Little did Georgina (George) Young know that the student days she spent in the pub would eventually result in her making history in Chiswick.

George has just been appointed as the first female Head Brewer in Fuller's 172 year history and takes up her new position on Monday( 30 January). She credits her career in the brewing industry with a love of beer developed while she was at university in London.

Originally from Bristol, she came to study biotechnology at King's College University, and soon became familiar with the varieties of beer on sale in the pubs around Kensington, Hammersmith and Olympia.

"After my degree I decided to do a Masters in Brewing and Distilling at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. After that I got a job in a small brewery in Bristol called Smiles. I was digging out mash tuns, it was physically exhausting, but very valuable experience."

From there it was onto Redhill, Surrey, to Brewing Research International, where she ran a pilot brewery, experimenting with varieties of hops and various flavours for the brewing industry.

George joined Fuller's in 1999 as a Production Brewer and after some years, she took some time out from the company, when she had her two daughters, during which time she worked as a science teacher in Christ's School, Richmond. She returned to Fuller's four years ago. George lives in East Sheen, a quick bike ride away from her Chiswick workplace.

The beer industry has changed significantly George originally joined Fuller's- in 1999 Young's still had a presence in the area and there was healthy competition between the two breweries. Mortlake also had a brewery, which has recently closed. The demise of the bigger breweries-In 2008 there were only three breweries left in London- has been offset by the growth in microbreweries and craft beers. There are an estimated 100 small independent breweries in London, experimenting with unusual flavours and tastes.

At Fuller's, George is responsible for the Brewing Teams tasked with ensuring the raw materials are of the right quality and standards for the recipes. Part of her brief is to ensure that the 'house yeast' is kept up to the right standard to give the beer its fruity orange marmalade flavour. The team take turns to taste every batch to make sure it is fit for trade. As brewing is also a scientific process, it is vital to keep a close watch on the fermentation throughout the process.

Tastes have changed greatly in the past few years. "Historically people tended to drink dark and rather weak ale, but drinkers these days prefer a strong beer, with a bitter flavour. People are less loyal to one particular beer, they like to go into the pub and try out different beers."

The best part of her job is "the daily satisfaction of making a product you know people will enjoy."

Simon Dodd, Managing Director of The Fuller’s Beer Company, said: “This is a fantastic move for George and owes a great deal to John Keeling. He hired George as a production brewer in 1999, has developed her throughout her career at Fuller’s, and will continue to mentor her.

John Keeling added: “I’m delighted to see George promoted to this role. She is very well-respected at Fuller’s and throughout the wider industry and is the first female Head Brewer at Fuller’s. She’s a great person to lead the Brewery going forwards and inspire the next generation of brewers.”

January 27, 2017