Wellpark Brewery 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 | , |
| Products | Beer |
| Parent | C&C Group plc |
Wellpark Brewery is a famous place in Glasgow, Scotland, where beer is made. It's located on Duke Street in the East End of the city.
The brewery started way back in 1740. It was founded by two brothers, Hugh and Robert Tennent. Today, it is owned by a company called C&C Group plc. They bought the brewery in 2009 from a Belgian company.
Wellpark Brewery is well-known for making Tennent's Lager. This beer has been Scotland's most popular type of light beer since it was first made there in 1885.
Contents
History of Wellpark Brewery
Wellpark Brewery was first called the Drygate Brewery. It was started by Hugh and Robert Tennent in 1740. They named their business H & R Tennent. It was built near Glasgow Cathedral, by the Molendinar Burn river.
But brewing had been happening at this spot even earlier! An ancestor of the Tennent family, Robert Tennent, was making beer there since 1556. This makes Wellpark Brewery the oldest business in Glasgow that has been running without stopping.
Growing the Brewery 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, the Tennent family bought another brewery nearby. They then renamed their whole site Wellpark Brewery. It became a large area, about 5 acres.
At first, the company made dark, strong beers and special ales for export. By the middle of the 1800s, J&R Tennent was the biggest exporter of bottled beer in the world.
New Leaders and Lager
After John and Robert Tennent passed away, Hugh Tennent (Robert's eldest son) took charge. He retired in 1855, and his son Charles Tennent took over. But Charles also passed away a few years later. The brewery was then run by people who managed it for Charles Tennent's sons, Archibald and Hugh.
In 1884, Hugh Tennent (one of Charles's sons) became the head of the company. He made the very first Tennent's lager in 1885. He then built a new brewery just for lager at the Wellpark site. This new building was started in 1889 and finished in 1891.
J&R Tennent was also a leader in how beer was sold. They made the first tap lager in 1924. They also made the first canned lager in 1935. And they introduced the first keg lager in 1963.
Changing Owners
In 1963, J&R Tennent was bought by Charrington United Breweries. A few years later, in 1966, it joined with another Scottish brewery to form Tennent Caledonian Breweries. Most of the beer making then happened at Wellpark Brewery.
Later, the company became part of a bigger group called Bass Charrington. In 2000, a Belgian company called Interbrew bought it. This company later became part of Anheuser-Busch InBev.
Then, in 2009, an Irish company called C&C Group bought Wellpark Brewery and the Tennent's brand. They also got the right to sell other popular beers in Scotland and Ireland.
In 2014, C&C Group started a new craft brewery at the Wellpark site. It's called Drygate Brewing Co.
Tennent's Beers
Tennent's Lager is the most popular light beer in Scotland. About 60% of all light beer sold there is Tennent's. Hugh Tennent first made this lager in 1885. In 1893, it won a top award at the Chicago World's Fair.
The cans of Tennent's Lager used to have pictures of female models on them. People called them "The Lager Lovelies." This design was used until 1989. Today, these old cans are special items for collectors. Now, the cans are mostly yellow with a big red "T" on them. A message on the can says: "Scotland's favourite beer, only ever brewed at Wellpark Brewery, Glasgow."
Here are some of the beers made by Tennent's:
- Tennent's Lager (4% ABV)
- Tennent's Special (3.5% ABV)
- Tennent's Ember (4.2% ABV)
- Tennent's Light Ale (3.1% ABV)
- Sweetheart Stout (2.0% ABV)
- Tennent's Original Export (4.7% ABV)
- Caledonia Best (3.2% ABV)
- Lemon T (2.8% ABV)
- Black T (4.7% ABV)
- Tennents Stout (4.4% ABV)
- Tennents Whisky Oak (6.0% ABV)
- Tennents 1885 Lager (5.0% ABV)
- Tennents Scotch Ale (9.0% ABV)
- Tennents Extra (9.3% ABV)
Tennent's also makes a lager beer for another company, Innis & Gunn.
Sponsorships and Support
The Tennent's brand helps support music and sports events. For many years, they sponsored Scotland's biggest outdoor music festival, T in the Park. This sponsorship lasted from 1994 to 2016. They also supported other music events like T On The Fringe and Tennents ViTal.
In football, Tennent's has sponsored many events and teams. They sponsored the Scottish Cup for 18 years. They also sponsored the FA Community Shield for a few years. Tennent's also supported the Scotland national football team for a while.
From 2010 to 2011, Tennent's sponsored two famous Scottish football teams: Celtic and Rangers. They also sponsored an English football club, Preston North End, from 2010 to 2012. Today, Tennent's sponsors the Irish Cup football competition in Northern Ireland.
Images for kids
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Tennent's Wellpark Brewery, near the Glasgow Necropolis, with the Bluevale and Whitevale Towers and Celtic Park in the background
See also
In Spanish: Wellpark Brewery para niños
