Cains Brewery
Encyclopedia
Cains is a brewery
in Liverpool
, England, founded in 1858 by Robert Cain. The company, with its 200 pub estate, merged with Peter Walker & Son in 1921, with the brewery operation being taken over by Higsons
in 1923. Boddingtons of Manchester
took over in 1985, and shut it down in 1990. It was reopened by GB Breweries, who became part of Bryggerigruppen
in 1991, and in 2002 was sold to Gardener-Shaw for £3.4 million.
and brewed his own ale
s.
Within 25 years of founding his brewery, Cain had established 200 pubs, including the Philharmonic Dining Rooms, the Vines and the Central Commercial Hotel, which are currently listed as being of architectural merit. His personal mansion had each window arch inscribed with his monogram. In 1887 construction began on a second brewery.
In 1921, 14 years after Cain's death, the Cains brewery merged with Peter Walker and Co of Wrexham
, becoming Walker Cains. Then in 1923 the original Stanhope Street Brewery was sold to Higsons
, who continued to brew Cains ales.
In 1985, Higsons was bought by Boddingtons of Manchester
. Five years later Boddingtons opted to concentrate on pub ownership and sold all its breweries to Whitbread
, at which point the Stanhope Street site was closed.
However, not wishing to see the Cains name die, the Danish Brewery Company reopened the site. The new Robert Cain & Co Ltd faced financial disaster in 2002, but was rescued by the Dusanj brothers — the first Asian
owners of a British brewery. At the time it had a turnover of £30 million.
A reverse takeover
of AIM
-listed pub operator Honeycombe Leisure plc was agreed by the company’s board in June 2007, giving Cains access to Honeycombe's 109 outlets and their stock market listing. The company was renamed Cains Beer Company PLC.
On 7 August 2008 the company was placed in administration
following problems caused by an unpaid tax bill. Negotiations with its bank failed to reach a conclusion that would have avoided administration.
The brewery and eight original pubs have since bought back by the Dusanj brothers.
Brewery
A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England, founded in 1858 by Robert Cain. The company, with its 200 pub estate, merged with Peter Walker & Son in 1921, with the brewery operation being taken over by Higsons
Higsons Brewery
Higsons is a Liverpool brewery founded in 1780, closed in the 1990s, and reopened in 2005.- The beginning :Higsons Brewery was originally formed in 1780 at 64 Dale Street, Liverpool. The company brewed beer at this site until 1914, when it moved to the Windsor Brewery in Upper Parliament Street.-...
in 1923. Boddingtons of Manchester
Boddingtons
Boddingtons Bitter is a bitter ale originally brewed at the Strangeways Brewery, Manchester, England. It was promoted as The Cream of Manchester from the late 1980s until 2004, when the Strangeways brewery was closed and production moved to Magor, South Wales and Salmesbury, Lancashire...
took over in 1985, and shut it down in 1990. It was reopened by GB Breweries, who became part of Bryggerigruppen
Royal Unibrew
Royal Unibrew is the second largest brewery group in Denmark, selling under the brands Ceres, Faxe and Albani, although their best selling beer is marketed as Royal...
in 1991, and in 2002 was sold to Gardener-Shaw for £3.4 million.
History
The Cains brewery was founded by Irish immigrant Robert Cain in 1858 when he was able to buy an established brewery. Cain had begun his brewing career aged 24 when he purchased a pubPublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
and brewed his own ale
Ale
Ale is a type of beer brewed from malted barley using a warm fermentation with a strain of brewers' yeast. The yeast will ferment the beer quickly, giving it a sweet, full bodied and fruity taste...
s.
Within 25 years of founding his brewery, Cain had established 200 pubs, including the Philharmonic Dining Rooms, the Vines and the Central Commercial Hotel, which are currently listed as being of architectural merit. His personal mansion had each window arch inscribed with his monogram. In 1887 construction began on a second brewery.
In 1921, 14 years after Cain's death, the Cains brewery merged with Peter Walker and Co of Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, becoming Walker Cains. Then in 1923 the original Stanhope Street Brewery was sold to Higsons
Higsons Brewery
Higsons is a Liverpool brewery founded in 1780, closed in the 1990s, and reopened in 2005.- The beginning :Higsons Brewery was originally formed in 1780 at 64 Dale Street, Liverpool. The company brewed beer at this site until 1914, when it moved to the Windsor Brewery in Upper Parliament Street.-...
, who continued to brew Cains ales.
In 1985, Higsons was bought by Boddingtons of Manchester
Boddingtons
Boddingtons Bitter is a bitter ale originally brewed at the Strangeways Brewery, Manchester, England. It was promoted as The Cream of Manchester from the late 1980s until 2004, when the Strangeways brewery was closed and production moved to Magor, South Wales and Salmesbury, Lancashire...
. Five years later Boddingtons opted to concentrate on pub ownership and sold all its breweries to Whitbread
Whitbread
Whitbread PLC is a global hotel, coffee shop and restaurant company headquartered in Dunstable, United Kingdom. Its largest division is Premier Inn, which is the largest hotel brand in the UK with around 580 hotels and over 40,000 rooms. Its Costa Coffee chain has around 1,600 stores across 25...
, at which point the Stanhope Street site was closed.
However, not wishing to see the Cains name die, the Danish Brewery Company reopened the site. The new Robert Cain & Co Ltd faced financial disaster in 2002, but was rescued by the Dusanj brothers — the first Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
owners of a British brewery. At the time it had a turnover of £30 million.
A reverse takeover
Reverse takeover
A reverse takeover or reverse merger is the acquisition of a public company by a private company so that the private company can bypass the lengthy and complex process of going public...
of AIM
Alternative Investment Market
AIM is a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange, allowing smaller companies to float shares with a more flexible regulatory system than is applicable to the main market....
-listed pub operator Honeycombe Leisure plc was agreed by the company’s board in June 2007, giving Cains access to Honeycombe's 109 outlets and their stock market listing. The company was renamed Cains Beer Company PLC.
On 7 August 2008 the company was placed in administration
Administration (insolvency)
As a legal concept, administration is a procedure under the insolvency laws of a number of common law jurisdictions. It functions as a rescue mechanism for insolvent entities and allows them to carry on running their business. The process – an alternative to liquidation – is often known as going...
following problems caused by an unpaid tax bill. Negotiations with its bank failed to reach a conclusion that would have avoided administration.
The brewery and eight original pubs have since bought back by the Dusanj brothers.
Notable achievements
- Construction of the Philharmonic Dining Rooms, an extravagant public housePublic houseA public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. - First brewery to print responsible drinking advice on beer labels in 2003 in response to government initiatives.
- First British brewery to be owned by an AsianAsian peopleAsian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
family. - Cains is the official beer of Liverpool's 2008 European Capital of CultureEuropean Capital of CultureThe European Capital of Culture is a city designated by theEuropean Union for a period of one calendar year during which it organises a series of cultural events with a strong European dimension....
celebrations. - Cains wins Red Tractor Mark, 2009
- 'Cains Export Lager' wins Gold Medal from the British Bottlers Institute, 2009
- "Cains Finest Export Lager" The Greatest Bottled Lager by GQ MAGAZINE
- GQ the upmarket Men's Magazine has Voted Cains Finest Lager No2 out of 100 for The 100 Best Things in the World. (You cannot afford to live without them!)
- Christopher Routledge,Cain's: The Story of Liverpool in a Pint, (Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2008). ISBN 978-1846311505