- Marston's Brewery
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Marston's plc 
Type Public (LSE: MARS) Industry Brewing Founded 1890 Headquarters Wolverhampton, UK Key people David Thompson, Chairman
Ralph Findlay, CEORevenue £650.7 million (2010)[1] Operating income £148.7 million (2010)[1] Net income £47.5 million (2010)[1] Employees 13,000 (2010)[2] Website www.marstons.co.uk Marston's (LSE: MARS) is the colloquial name for the brewer and pub operator Marston's plc (formerly known as Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries plc until 2007 when it rebranded as Marston's). The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index. As of 2010, it had a 1.1% share of the United Kingdom beer market, although historically this share has been declining.[3] It owns over 2000 public houses in the UK, and is the world's largest brewer of cask ale.[4]
Contents
Company history
In 1834 John Marston established J. Marston & Son at the Horninglow Brewery at Burton upon Trent. Marston & Son Ltd amalgamated with John Thompson & Son Ltd and moved to Albion Brewery, where the company still operates.[5][6] Banks & Co has been brewing at the Park Brewery since 1875.[7] The Company was formed in 1890 as Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries by the amalgamation of Banks & Co. with George Thompson & Sons and Charles Colonel Smith's Brewery.[8] It was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1947.[8] It acquired Camerons Brewery in Hartlepool in 1992[8] and sold it to Castle Eden in 2002, whilst retaining some of Cameron's tied pubs .[9]
In 1999 the Company purchased Marston, Thompson & Evershed of Burton upon Trent (including Marston's Brewery which had been founded in 1834).[8] Also in 1999 the Company purchased the Mansfield Brewery Company of Mansfield.[8]
In 2005 Marston's Brewery took over production under licence from Interbrew of Draught Bass, succeeding Coors. Later, in 2005, the Jennings Brewery of Cockermouth was also purchased and in 2007 Hampshire based Ringwood Brewery, which was established in 1978, and brews Best Bitter, Fortyniner, and Old Thumper, was acquired.[10]
In 2007 the Company changed its name from Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries plc to Marston's plc.[11]
Operations
The company now owns and operates five breweries: the Park Brewery in Wolverhampton brews Banks's, Hanson's and Mansfield beers; the Marston's Brewery in Burton upon Trent brews Marston's and Bass; the Jennings Brewery in Cockermouth;[12] the Wychwood Brewery in Witney (which includes the Brakspear Brewhouse); and the Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire. The company also owns a sizeable chain of pubs, and several hotels.[13]
Brewing methods
Marston's Brewery makes use of water from the famous Burton Well,[14] reputedly discovered by Benedictine monks in the 13th century.
Marston's is also the only remaining brewer to use Burton Union Sets; a system whereby fermentation barrels and troughs are linked together by a complex system of copper and brass pipework. The basic principle is one of preventing excessive beer and yeast loss through foaming, but the consequence is that the beer is both in contact with more wood and in contact with more beer (fermenting in a bigger volume). This results in a vastly more consistent flavour; and very little chance of a whole batch being ruined. All other large-scale brewers have abandoned this method in favour of stainless steel vats, which while they assure (through volume) a consistent flavour, do not permit the use of traditional yeast varieties. They also make selective use of the unusual double dropping process which introduces complex flavors due to a period of accelerated yeast growth.[15]
Brands
Bottle of Marston's Oyster Stout
The current range is as follows:[16]
- Banks's Mild (cask, bottle and can)
- Banks's Mild Smooth (keg and can)
- Banks's Bitter (cask, bottle, keg and can)
- Brakspear Bitter (cask, bottle)
- Brakspear Oxford Gold (cask, bottle)
- Brakspear Triple (keg, bottle)
- Brakspear EPA (keg)
- Jennings Cumberland Ale (cask and bottle)
- Jennings Bitter (cask and bottle)
- Jennings Cocker Hoop (cask and bottle)
- Jennings Dark Mild (cask)
- Jennings Cumberland Cream (keg)
- Jennings Smooth Bitter (keg)
- Jennings Sneck Lifter (cask and bottle)
- Mansfield Smooth Creamy Ale (keg)
- Mansfield Original Bitter (keg)
- Mansfield Cask Ale (cask)
- Mansfield Dark Smooth Ale (keg)
- Mansfield Dark Mild (keg)
- Marston's Burton Bitter (cask and bottle)
- Marston's Old Empire (cask and bottle)
- Marston's Smooth (keg)
- Marston's Resolution (bottle)
- Marston's Oyster Stout (keg and bottle)
- Ringwood Best Bitter (cask)
- Ringwood Fortyniner (cask)
- Ringwood Old Thumper (cask)
- Wychwood Hobgoblin (cask, bottle, can)
- Wychwood BeWyched
- Wychwood Wychcraft
- Wychwood Goliath
- Wychwood Circlemaster
- Wychwood Fiddler's Elbow
- Wychwood Black Wych
- many guest and seasonal beers
Marston's also brews Draught Bass for A-B InBev and Tetley Mild and Dark Mild for Carlsberg[17]
Marston's Pedigree
Marston's Pedigree is a bitter; it is Marston's flagship brand, selling 150,000 hectolitres in 2010.[18] It is the only beer to use the oak Burton Union System so that it is fermented in wood; the ingredients are mineral enriched Burton Water, Maris Otter barley, and Fuggles and Goldings hops. The cask-conditioned and canned versions are 4.5% abv; since April 2009, the pasteurised bottle versions have been 5% abv.[19][20][21][22]
Sponsorship
- Wrexham FC - Under the terms, the Mold Road Stand at the Racecourse Ground will be renamed the Marston's Stand, while the brewery will also become the supplier of beers to the club for sale inside the ground and also at the club's function and hospitality rooms. And recently it was revealed that Marstons would be the new sponsors of Cambridge United. Marstons have signed of sponsorship for Abbey Stadium south stand.[23]
- England & Wales Cricket Board - Marstons became the official beer of the England Cricket team after a deal in February 2007. The three year deal stipulates that Marstons will be the official supplier of beer at all home Test Matches and will have exclusive beer advertising rights.[24]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Annual Report 2010
- ^ Marstons: Corporate Profile
- ^ Euromonitor, 'Company Shares of Beer by National Brand Owner 2006-2010', 2010
- ^ http://www.marstons.co.uk/default.asp
- ^ http://www.marstonsbeercompany.co.uk/brewing_history/burton.asp
- ^ http://www.marstonsbeercompany.co.uk/brewing_history/burton.asp
- ^ http://www.marstonsbeercompany.co.uk/our_brands/bankss/bankss.asp
- ^ a b c d e Marston's History
- ^ End of an era at Castle Eden Northern Echo, 15 July 2002
- ^ CAMRA fears “domino effect” following purchase of Ringwood by Marston's
- ^ Marston's:Change of Name
- ^ Marston's: About us
- ^ Marston's Pub Company
- ^ Marston's brands
- ^ Burton Union sets
- ^ Marstons: our brands
- ^ CAMRA Good Beer Guide; 2010
- ^ Alcoholic Drinks: Euromonitor from trade sources/national statistics
- ^ "Marstons Pedigree (Cask) from Marstons (Marstons plc) - Ratebeer". www.ratebeer.com. http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/marstons-pedigree-cask/44797/. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
- ^ "Marstons Pedigree (Pasteurised) from Marstons (Marstons plc) - Ratebeer". www.ratebeer.com. http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/marstons-pedigree-pasteurised/5995/. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
- ^ "Marston's Pedigree exceptional premium ale". www.marstonsdontcompromise.co.uk. http://www.marstonsdontcompromise.co.uk/beer/pedigree.asp. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
- ^ "Marstons Pedigree 5% (Pasteurised) from Marstons (Marstons plc) - Ratebeer". www.ratebeer.com. http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/marstons-pedigree-5-pasteurised/103829/. Retrieved 2010-03-17.
- ^ Dragons receive a brewery boost
- ^ Marston's official beer of England cricket team
External links
- Marston's PLC website
- Marston's Beer Company divisional website
- Marston's Inns & Taverns, the managed pub estate
- Marston's Pub Company, the leased and tenanted estate
- RateBeer
Categories:- Companies listed on the London Stock Exchange
- Beer and breweries in England
- Companies based in Wolverhampton
- Companies established in 1890
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