Empire Liquor signs Fullers Brewery

By Clyde Mooney – editor Australian Hotelier

South Australian wine and beer distributor Empire Liquor has picked up the exclusive importation rights to renowned British brewery Fullers' range of beers.  

Empire plans to bring in seven SKUs plus seasonal brews, with the flagship London Pride to be available in draught format for the first time in Australia. 

“With consumers seeking a quality, genuine experience, we are now importing Fuller’s London Pride in kegs,” Brenton Quirini, managing director of Empire Liquor told TheShout. 

“We are also looking at expanding this range and offering the limited release Past Masters Ale and the annually released Vintage Ale, and we will also have seasonal offerings of other Fuller’s keg products including ESB, London Porter, Organic Honey Dew and Black Cab Stout.” 

London Pride is the UK’s best-selling premium ale, served in over 400 pubs throughout London alone. 

London Pride, ESB (Extra Special Bitter) and Chiswick Bitter have all been named Champion Beer of Britain in the annual CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) Awards – a feat not matched by any other brewer.

The full‐bodied ESB ale has won the UK’s independent CAMRA’s Best Strong Ale award on seven separate occasions – more times than any other beer. 

Founded in 1654 and incorporated in 1845 as Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC by John Bird Fuller, Henry Smith and John Turner, Fuller’s still operates Griffin Brewery on the same property at Chiswick in London. 

Empire Liquor began in 1978 as an agent for small wineries such as d’Arenberg and Pauletts, and now counts these and more than a dozen others in its portfolio, along with world famous German beer, Hofbrau and now Fullers from the UK.