Refurbished brewery shop has plenty on offer for locals as well as visitors
The newly renovated shop at the Fuller's Griffin Brewery is not just a place to pick up some beer after a tour of the brewery.
Locals in Chiswick are also frequent visitors to the newly refurbished shop, which sells a range of foods, drinks and gift ideas, as well as the Fuller's range of products from the Griffin brewery.
The brewing and distribution arms of Fuller’s, including the Chiswick Griffin brewery, was acquired earlier this year by Japanese drinks company Asahi, for over £250 million and the company has pledged to continue stewardship of the brewery's iconic brands. Fuller’s continues as a pub and hotel operator running predominantly freehold sites.
Manager Adrian Southwick, originally from New Zealand but who is living in Chiswick for several years, says there's plenty to offer local people.
Many are surprised to find that the shop has a wide variety of wines on offer, from Old to New World and many of the wines selected by the in-house specialist can be found on sale in a Fuller's pub.
Smoked salmon, honey-glazed ham, black pudding and bacon from artisanal producers such as Owtons, are also on sale- these are also part of the range of foods you will find if you have a meal in the Fuller's hotel and pub chain.
There are also tee shirts on sale featuring limited edition 'London Pride' designs created by Fuller's artist and dray horse manager, James Stock.
Plenty of gifts for beer lovers abound, mugs, glasses, key chains, all handy for Christmas or birthday presents. "If you are using a beer glass in a pub and you like it, you can buy it here" says Adrian.
The big seller for beer lovers is the flagship brand, London Pride, and on Monday (4 November), the annual vintage ale will go on sale, always a happy day for collectors. This is a high alcohol beer which comes in a run of about 100,000 bottles, all in a specially numbered gift box.
Collectors often buy three or four and they can be kept and aged, presuming you don't succumb to the temptation of drinking them first. Frontier lager is rapidly becoming the company's second best seller.
The shop also sells the Fuller's cider brand, Cornish Orchards, and the 'Fuller's Friends', a capsule collection of six different craft beers from artisanal producers from regions as diverse is Norway, South Africa, Australia, and Edinburgh.
There are about twenty Griffin brewery products, plus the extended family with Asahi's own Super Dry brand, and Italian beer Peroni. Best known for its Super Dry beer brand, Asahi has been significantly expanding its European assets focused its strategy on premium beers spending €10bn acquiring brands like Peroni and Grolsch. It is now Europe’s third-biggest beer group after a €7.3bn takeover of SABMiller’s eastern European brewing assets and paying €2.55bn for SAB’s western European brands in 2016.
Fuller's Griffin Brewery in Chiswick
The team at the brewery shop, can also help out with events such as parties and the Growler' glass, a 3.4 pint refillable receptable, (seen in the top photograph hanging on the wall) is likely to please those with an eco-friendly attitude as it can be purchased and brought back for refilling with the desired beverage.
So despite the changes at the top, it's business as usual at the Griffin brewery, and its 200 plus staff. The tours of the hop cellar and brewery run frequently, (other than Sunday) and you can do an online booking. This is a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes of a world famous working brewery, and could be ideal for a Christmas office event, or a day out with friends or family.
"We're keen to maintain our support of community events in Chiswick as much as ever and build on the close connection we have with the local area," says a spokesman. The Dog Show, events along the river, and the Christmas light switch have all benefited from sponsorship.
And locals get a 10 per cent discount on products they purchase in the Brewery Shop.
November 1, 2019
