Tennent Caledonian facts for kids
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| Industry | Brewing |
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| Predecessor | J. & R. Tennent |
| Founded | 1740 |
| Founder | Hugh and Robert Tennent |
| Headquarters | Glasgow, Scotland, UK |
| Products | Beer |
| Parent | C&C Group plc |
Tennent Caledonian is a company in Glasgow, Scotland, that makes beer. It started way back in 1740. Two brothers, Hugh and Robert Tennent, founded it near a stream called the Molendinar Burn.
Today, the company is owned by C&C Group plc. They bought Tennent Caledonian in 2009 from a big Belgian company called Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Tennent Caledonian is famous for making Tennent's Lager. This type of pale lager has been Scotland's most popular brand since it was first made in 1885. It's brewed at the Wellpark Brewery.
Contents
A Look at History
The Wellpark Brewery, where Tennent's beer is made, was once known as the Drygate Brewery. It was started by Hugh and Robert Tennent in 1740. This makes it one of the oldest businesses in Glasgow that has been running continuously. Even before 1740, their family had been brewing beer on the same spot since 1556!
Growing the Business
Hugh Tennent's sons, John and Robert, took over the family business in 1769. They called their company J. & R. Tennent. In the 1790s, they bought another brewery nearby. This made their brewing site much bigger, about 5 acres (20,000 square meters), and they renamed it Wellpark Brewery.
At first, the company mainly made dark beers called stout and strong ales for export. By the mid-1800s, J. & R. Tennent was the biggest exporter of bottled beer in the world!
New Owners and New Beers
After John and Robert Tennent passed away, Hugh Tennent (Robert's son) took charge in 1827. Later, his son Charles ran the business. In 1884, another Hugh Tennent, Charles's son, took control. He was the one who first brewed Tennent's Lager in 1885. He even built a new part of the brewery just for making lager, which was finished in 1891.
Tennent's was always trying new things. They made the first draught lager (beer from a tap) in 1924. Then, they introduced the first canned lager in 1935. In 1963, they made the first keg lager.
Changes Over the Years
In 1963, a company called Charrington United Breweries bought J. & R. Tennent. A few years later, in 1966, it joined with another Scottish brewery to form Tennent Caledonian Breweries. Most of the brewing then happened at the Wellpark Brewery.
Over the years, the company changed hands several times. It was owned by Bass, then by Interbrew (a Belgian company), and later by Anheuser-Busch InBev.
In 2009, an Irish company called C&C Group bought the Wellpark Brewery and the Tennent's brand. They also got the rights to distribute other popular beers like Beck's and Stella Artois in Scotland and Ireland.
In 2014, C&C Group teamed up with another company, Williams Bros Brewing Co., to open a new craft brewery on the Wellpark site. They called it Drygate Brewing Co., named after a nearby street.
Famous Beers
Tennent's Lager is the most popular pale lager in Scotland. About 60% of all lager sold in Scotland is Tennent's! It was first brewed in 1885 and even won a top award at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Good news for vegetarians: Tennent's Lager is certified as suitable for them.
For a while, Tennent's cans were famous for having pictures of female models on the side. People called them "The Lager Lovelies." This stopped in 1989, and now those old cans are collector's items! Today, the cans are bright yellow with a big red "T" logo. They also say: "Scotland's favourite beer, only ever brewed at Wellpark Brewery, Glasgow."
Some of the beers made by Tennent's include:
- Tennent's Lager (4% ABV)
- Tennent's Special (3.5% ABV)
- Tennent's Ember (4.2% ABV)
- Caledonia Best (3.2% ABV)
- Lemon T (2.8% ABV)
- Black T (4.7% ABV)
- Tennents Stout (4.4% ABV)
Sponsorships
Tennent's is well-known for sponsoring music and sports events.
Music Events
From 1994 to 2016, Tennent's sponsored T in the Park. This was Scotland's biggest outdoor music festival. They also sponsored other music events like T On The Fringe and Triptych.
Sports Events
In football, Tennent's has sponsored many events. They sponsored the Scottish Cup for 18 years! They also sponsored the FA Community Shield and the Tennents' Sixes.
Tennent's used to sponsor the Scotland national football team. This deal started in 2006 and ended in 2010.
From 2010 to 2013, Tennent's sponsored Scotland's two biggest football clubs: Celtic and Rangers. They also sponsored an English club, Preston North End, from 2010 to 2012. Today, Tennent's sponsors the Irish Cup football competition in Northern Ireland.
See also
In Spanish: Wellpark Brewery para niños
