Fuller's London Pride. It seems they no longer have pride.

[Uptowngirl]

Last night we went to watch a band. On the bar was that iconic beer Fullers London Pride. However instead of the wonderful premium 4.7% beer that I have grown to love there was a wishy washy beer at 4.1%. It seems someone has decided to cut the costs and excise duty by adding around 20% extra water.

 

It seems they didn't bother to alter the prices or tell the customers.

[Jim Hardie]

Last night we went to watch a band. On the bar was that iconic beer Fullers London Pride. However instead of the wonderful premium 4.7% beer that I have grown to love there was a wishy washy beer at 4.1%. It seems someone has decided to cut the costs and excise duty by adding around 20% extra water.

 

It seems they didn't bother to alter the prices or tell the customers.

 

4.1% is plenty strong enough. If it tastes wishy washy there must be another reason for it.

Adding 20% water is a matter for Customs and Excise.

[quisquose]

4.1% is plenty strong enough.

 

Agreed.

 

I like Thornbridge's Wild Swan and it's only 3.5%, in fact I might like it because it's only 3.5%.

[hellfleet]

I don't think that is really the point.

 

They changed an iconic beer to what she believes is an inferior tasting pint. I never particularly liked it in the first place but in my opinion wychwood did the same thing with hobgoblin. They turned their flagship 'strong dark ale' into a weaker 'ruby ale' but kept the same branding. I think the new one is crap.

[horribleblob]

Bottles and cans of London Pride are still 4.7%. It's the same with Fuller's ESB: 5.5% cask, 5.9% bottles and cans.

[Nagel]

4.1% is plenty strong enough. If it tastes wishy washy there must be another reason for it.

 

Adding 20% water is a matter for Customs and Excise.

 

You don't think adulterating beer is a crime? If it was the landlord who was doing it in the pub he would be prosecuted if found out.

 

Why is adding 20% water only a matter for customs and excise?

[LeMaquis]

You don't think adulterating beer is a crime? If it was the landlord who was doing it in the pub he would be prosecuted if found out.

 

Why is adding 20% water only a matter for customs and excise?

 

The OP says the beer was 4.1% instead of 4.7% but doesn't say how she knew. So you have to assume it was written on the handpull. But then she says the landlord didn't let on. So how DID she know?

 

She said it only seems that 20% more water was added and doesn't say who was adding the extra water - the brewery or the landlord. The OP just may have bought a pint advertised at the bar as 4.1% thinking it would be 4.7% and didn't notice the change until it was too late.

[truman]

Looks like the UK keg version is different to the bottled or canned stuff..

 

From the web site

 

http://www.fullers.co.uk/rte.asp?id=83

 

"In the UK, draught London Pride is brewed to 4.1% ABV (cask and keg), while in bottles and cans it has a strength of 4.7% ABV, making it an ideal session-strength premium ale. In most of our overseas markets, a keg version at 4.7% ABV is available."

[hellfleet]

I presume she meant they changed the cask stuff.

 

This certainly does happen, (as I said I think wychwood wrecked the hobgoblin cask) I don't know if it is the case here. I presumed the OP knew - did the cask used to be 4.7% too?

[Jim Hardie]

You don't think adulterating beer is a crime? If it was the landlord who was doing it in the pub he would be prosecuted if found out.

 

Why is adding 20% water only a matter for customs and excise?

 

The amount of alcohol was reduced by just short of 13%, not 20%. This is not the same as increasing the amount of non-alcoholic liquid by the same percentage. In fact the amount of non-alcoholic liquid was increased by 0.63%.

Edited March 5, 2013 by Jim Hardie