Courage (brewery)
Encyclopedia
Courage is a former British
brewery
. The brands are now 100 per cent owned and brewed by Wells & Young's Brewery
as part of a venture called Courage Brands Ltd.
in Horsleydown
, Bermondsey
in 1787. He was a Scottish
shipping agent of French Huguenot descent. It became Courage & Donaldson in 1797. By 1888, it had been registered simply as Courage. In 1955, the company merged with Barclay, Perkins & Co Ltd (who were located at the nearby Anchor Brewery
) to become Courage, Barclay & Co Ltd. Only five years later another merger with the Reading
based Simonds' Brewery
led to the name changing to Courage, Barclay, Simonds & Co Ltd. In the late sixties, the group had assets of approximately £l00m, and operated five breweries in London, Reading, Bristol, Plymouth and Newark-on-Trent. It owned some 5,000 licensed premises spread over the whole of Southern England, a large part of South Wales and an extensive area of the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. It was employing some 15,000 people and producing something like 75 million impgals (340,956,750 l) of beer annually. It's name was simplified to Courage Ltd in October 1970 and the company was taken over by the Imperial Tobacco
Group Ltd two years later.
Their vast Worton Grange (now Berkshire) brewery was opened on the Reading
/Shinfield
border in 1978. The Anchor Brewery
closed in 1981 and all brewing was transferred to Reading. Imperial Tobacco was acquired by the Hanson Trust
in 1986 and they sold off Courage to Elders IXL
who were renamed the Foster's Brewing Group
in 1990. The following year the Courage section of Foster's merged with the breweries of Grand Metropolitan
. Its public house
s were owned by a joint-company called Inntrepreneur Estates. Scottish & Newcastle purchased Courage from Foster's in 1995, creating Scottish Courage as its brewing arm.
As of January 2007, the rights for the production, marketing and sales of the Courage brands have been sold to Wells & Young’s Brewing Company
of Bedford
. This is managed by a venture called Courage Brands Ltd Heineken retained a 17 per cent stake in the venture until 2011, when Wells & Youngs acquired complete control. The Berkshire Brewery closed in April 2010. Courage Best is currently undergoing a significant decline in sales from almost 600,000 hectolitres in 2001 to under 160,000 hectolitres in 2011. Courage Director's is faring little better, from 160,000 hectolitres in 2001, to 60,000 hectolitres as of 2011. Wells & Youngs recently announced that they have reintroduced the famous historic brew, Courage Russian Imperial Stout, which was first brewed in the eighteenth century by Thrale's brewery.
club the Exeter Chiefs
.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
brewery
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
. The brands are now 100 per cent owned and brewed by Wells & Young's Brewery
Wells & Young's Brewery
Wells & Young's Brewery was formed in October 2006 from the merger of the brewing operations of Charles Wells Ltd and Young's Brewery. Charles Wells have a 60% stake and Young's 40%. Wells & Young's is now responsible for brewing, distributing and marketing Charles Wells' and Young & Co's brands...
as part of a venture called Courage Brands Ltd.
History
Courage & Co Ltd was started by John Courage at the Anchor BrewhouseAnchor Brewhouse
The Anchor Brewhouse was a small brewery by Shad Thames in Horsleydown, near Tower Bridge in London. The brewhouse was bought in December 1787 by John Courage....
in Horsleydown
Horsleydown
Southwark St John Horsleydown was a small parish on the south bank of the River Thames in London, opposite the Tower of London. The name Horsleydown, apparently derived from the "horse lie-down" next to the river, is no longer used...
, Bermondsey
Bermondsey
Bermondsey is an area in London on the south bank of the river Thames, and is part of the London Borough of Southwark. To the west lies Southwark, to the east Rotherhithe, and to the south, Walworth and Peckham.-Toponomy:...
in 1787. He was a Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
shipping agent of French Huguenot descent. It became Courage & Donaldson in 1797. By 1888, it had been registered simply as Courage. In 1955, the company merged with Barclay, Perkins & Co Ltd (who were located at the nearby Anchor Brewery
Anchor Brewery, Southwark
The Anchor Brewery, Southwark, was situated off Southwark Bridge Road and had its main entrance on Park Street, Southwark.- History :The brewery was established in 1616 by James Monger and for many years was a relatively small concern. In the 18th century it was owned by the Thrale family, who were...
) to become Courage, Barclay & Co Ltd. Only five years later another merger with the Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
based Simonds' Brewery
Simonds' Brewery
H & G Simonds Ltd was a brewery founded in Reading, Berkshire, England in 1785 by William Blackall Simonds. The company amalgamated with Courage & Barclay in 1960, eventually becoming part of Scottish & Newcastle...
led to the name changing to Courage, Barclay, Simonds & Co Ltd. In the late sixties, the group had assets of approximately £l00m, and operated five breweries in London, Reading, Bristol, Plymouth and Newark-on-Trent. It owned some 5,000 licensed premises spread over the whole of Southern England, a large part of South Wales and an extensive area of the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. It was employing some 15,000 people and producing something like 75 million impgals (340,956,750 l) of beer annually. It's name was simplified to Courage Ltd in October 1970 and the company was taken over by the Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco is a global tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is the world’s fourth-largest cigarette company measured by market share , and the world's largest producer of cigars, fine-cut tobacco and tobacco papers...
Group Ltd two years later.
Their vast Worton Grange (now Berkshire) brewery was opened on the Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
/Shinfield
Shinfield
Shinfield is a village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire, just south of Reading. It contains and is administered by the unitary authority of Wokingham District.-Geography:...
border in 1978. The Anchor Brewery
Anchor Brewery, Southwark
The Anchor Brewery, Southwark, was situated off Southwark Bridge Road and had its main entrance on Park Street, Southwark.- History :The brewery was established in 1616 by James Monger and for many years was a relatively small concern. In the 18th century it was owned by the Thrale family, who were...
closed in 1981 and all brewing was transferred to Reading. Imperial Tobacco was acquired by the Hanson Trust
Hanson plc
Hanson plc is a British based international building materials company, headquartered in Maidenhead. Traded on the London Stock Exchange and a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index for many years, the company was acquired by a division of German rival Heidelberg Cement in August 2007.-History:Hanson...
in 1986 and they sold off Courage to Elders IXL
Elders Limited
Elders Limited is an Australian based agribusiness company.It was founded in 1839 in South Australia by Alexander Lang Elder as a new arm of his family's Scottish based merchant and shipping business. Its core business was a trading company and commission agent for wool and other agricultural...
who were renamed the Foster's Brewing Group
Foster's Group
Foster's Group is a beer group with interests in brewing and soft drinks. Foster's Group is the brewer of the Foster's Lager. Foster's Group Limited is a publicly-listed company on the Australian Securities Exchange and is based in Melbourne, Victoria...
in 1990. The following year the Courage section of Foster's merged with the breweries of Grand Metropolitan
Grand Metropolitan
Grand Metropolitan plc is a former United Kingdom-based company operating hotels, holiday centres, entertainment centres, public houses and casinos...
. Its public house
Public 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...
s were owned by a joint-company called Inntrepreneur Estates. Scottish & Newcastle purchased Courage from Foster's in 1995, creating Scottish Courage as its brewing arm.
As of January 2007, the rights for the production, marketing and sales of the Courage brands have been sold to Wells & Young’s Brewing Company
Wells & Young's Brewery
Wells & Young's Brewery was formed in October 2006 from the merger of the brewing operations of Charles Wells Ltd and Young's Brewery. Charles Wells have a 60% stake and Young's 40%. Wells & Young's is now responsible for brewing, distributing and marketing Charles Wells' and Young & Co's brands...
of Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
. This is managed by a venture called Courage Brands Ltd Heineken retained a 17 per cent stake in the venture until 2011, when Wells & Youngs acquired complete control. The Berkshire Brewery closed in April 2010. Courage Best is currently undergoing a significant decline in sales from almost 600,000 hectolitres in 2001 to under 160,000 hectolitres in 2011. Courage Director's is faring little better, from 160,000 hectolitres in 2001, to 60,000 hectolitres as of 2011. Wells & Youngs recently announced that they have reintroduced the famous historic brew, Courage Russian Imperial Stout, which was first brewed in the eighteenth century by Thrale's brewery.
Brands
Beers bearing the Courage name include:- Courage Best Bitter (4 per cent ABV in cask and keg, 3.8 per cent in bottles and cans). It is described as 'pale in colour, fully balanced with a malty flavour and distinctive hop character, [and] makes for an easy drinking session beer'. Courage Best Bitter sponsors local events within its south west of England heartland. It remains one of the UK's top ten cask ales.
- Courage Directors (4.8 per cent ABV). Available in cask, bottles and cans. Courage Directors was originally brewed exclusively for the Directors of the Alton brewery, but following demand, the beer was made available to the public. It is described as 'full bodied with a clean, bitter taste, balanced with a sweet burnt, malty and fruity notes with a distinctive dry-hop aroma and flavour'. It has a strong following in London and the South East, and across the UK as a whole remains in the top ten premium cask ales, and the top twenty bottled ales. It is brewed with English Target hops, burnt Pale and Crystal malts.
- Courage Mild (3 per cent). A mild aleMild aleMild ale is a low-gravity beer, or beer with a predominantly malty palate, that originated in Britain in the 17th century or earlier. Modern mild ales are mainly dark coloured with an abv of 3% to 3.6%, though there are lighter hued examples, as well as stronger examples reaching 6% abv and...
available in keg form only. - Courage Light Ale (3.2 per cent) 10 fl oz bottles often used to make "light and bitter" with Courage Best Bitter
- John Courage Amber (4.7 per cent). A premium bitter brewed for the export market, especially the USA, since at least 1979.
- Courage Russian Imperial Stout (10 per cent).
Advertising
The Rockney duo Chas & Dave's single "Gertcha" was used in a series of television commercials for Courage Bitter shown in the South of England during the 1980s.Sponsorship
The brewery sponsored Reading FC from 1984 until 1990. Courage sponsored the English Premiership rugby union league for ten years from 1987 until 1997. Courage Best Bitter is a sponsor of rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club the Exeter Chiefs
Exeter Chiefs
Exeter Rugby Club are a rugby union club based in Exeter, Devon.The Exeter club was formed around 1871 and played its first match in 1873. The first team has been rebranded as the Exeter Chiefs and play in a strip of Black , White ....
.