European Breweries History: Beamish Brewery
In 1792, Richard Henrick Beamish and Arthur Frederick Sharman
Crawford formed a partnership to purchase an old brewery in Cramer's
Lane, Cork. Under the agreement the new company, known as The Cork Porter
Brewery started brewing on a site where brewing had been carried out
since before 1650 and possibly as far back as 1500. The home of the brewery
at South Main Street, lies in the heart of what was the medieval city.
Originally one of the old city gates stood nearby as did the Cork jail. Indeed
a stone from the jail, upon which the severed heads of the executed used
to be displayed, now stands outside the counting house door at the brewery.
The huge lock on the door also came from the jail.
The business partnership prospered and within fifteen years output
at Beamish & Crawford had grown from 12,000 barrels per year to a phenomenal
100,000 barrels in 1805, making it the largest brewery in the country
and the third largest in Britain and Ireland. In 1865, the brewery was completely
rebuilt and modernised and in 1901, the company went public and the present
company of Beamish & Crawford Ltd was formed. In the early 1900's the company
continued to grow by taking over a number of smaller local breweries.
In 1962, the entire share capital of the company was purchased by
Canadian brewer Carling O'Keefe Ltd. In 1964, the brewing of Carling Black
Label lager commenced, followed by Bass Ale from 1968 and Carlsberg Lager from 1973.
In 1987, Elders IXL (now Foster's Brewing Group) purchased Canadian Breweries
which included Beamish & Crawford - shortly afterwards brewing of Foster's
draught commenced at the plant. 1995, saw the acquisition of Beamish & Crawford
by Scottish & Newcastle plc, the largest brewer in the UK. Scottish & Newcastle
have an extensive portfolio of brands which includes Newcastle Brown Ale,
McEwan's, Theakston's, John Smiths and of course Foster's Lager.
In 1996, Beamish & Crawford was appointed franchisee for Miller
Genuine Draft by the Miller Brewing Company of Milwaukee, USA. In March
1997, Miller Genuine Draft, brewed at Beamish & Crawford in Cork, was
launched in Ireland on draught and the brand is currently the fastest
growing main stream lager in the Irish market.
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