The Breweries of Old Glasgow
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 24 มี.ค. 2024
- Long ago, there were many breweries in Glasgow. Of all those that brewed ale or beer for the pubs, inns and taverns of the city in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, now only one remains: Tennent's in the Wellpark Brewery.
In this video I do my best to paint a picture of the brewing industry in Glasgow's past, an industry that, like most industries, has all but vanished, with only a few new brewers added to a list of not very many.
The history of Glasgow's brewing industry begins with maltsters and malt barns where barley was processed into malt. In truth, the industry probably began with monks and religious men who brewed beer and earned some money by selling some of it on. But in the medieval period maltings started to appear, and the resultant malt was sold to inns and taverns where ale was brewed on the premises for consumption by customers.
But gradually many maltsters released they could increase their profits by brewing the beer themselves and selling it to the inns and taverns, and so Scotland's brewing industry began.
In Glasgow there were many breweries, from Hugh Baird's Great Canal Brewery that existed from the early 19th century up until the beginning of the 20th century, to the large brewery at Anderston, by Warroch Street, known as the large brewery to perhaps distinguish it from another smaller brewery in Bishop Street that was also called the Anderston Brewery. Of course, back in the old days Anderston wasn't part of Glasgow, and was only incorporated into the city in 1846, but let's not nit-pick.
Back in the 18th century you also had Struther's Brewery in what is now the Barras Market area, between what is now Ross Street and Kent Street, where the finest porter in these lands was brewed from a secret recipe. Did Glasgow brew a dark porter or stout before Arthur Guinness in Dublin got his hands on the recipe? The Struthers family of brewers became so successful that they opened a new brewery - the Greenhead Brewery - a little further east, close to the edge of Glasgow Green. Later, this brewery was altered and re-used by brewers Steel, Coulson & Co, and late still, Calder's, then occupied by aerated water manufacturers and bottlers Joseph Dunn.
And then, of course, there's Tennent's, originally a family of maltsers going back to the 16th century who, like many maltsters, began brewing their own beer, probably in the 18th century in the Drygate, not far from the current Wellpark Brewery. Where would we be today without the world-famed Tennent's Lager?
Hi Ed, next time you're in the area of Tennent's, let me know. I'm a tour guide in the visitor centre, I'll give you a wee look round and some of the history patter!
Fantastic offer, @zeinno - give Ed a few samples on the visit, would be great to see that upload if he is able to share/record it.
Many thanks.
Believe it or not Tennents used to be an award winning beer.
Excellent, hugely well researched video (as ever), Eddie. Thanks again for broadening our knowledge of the history of Glasgow & its breweries. 🍻👌👍👏
Thanks Robert.
Excellent video thanks Ed, and such an interesting subject. You certainly carried out a lot of research to bring us this video. I'm glad you found time to enjoy a pint. Well deserved.
Cheers Bryce.
Watching this interesting video,whilst looking out my livingroom window at Bairds Malt plant at Hospitalfield Arbroath.
Fantastic video indeed of the Auld brewery's I remember the dark 🍺 beer it was the black n tan I think black beer and a short of whisky🥃 as you said and how true they were the good old days shame a lot of the breweries have now gone. Bring back the old days and the better times that's for sure...
It's fascinating how in the early days of the industrial revolution, a factory would be built in the grounds of a grand house, complete with extensive gardens and bowling green. This continued into the early C20th in some places. Impossible to imagine captains of industry living "over the shop" nowadays.
Brilliant Ed, class all the way to the rocking outro, so good I expected an end credit scene.
Thank you. I should probably have moved the pint-drinking clip to after the credits.
Fantastic Eddy.
love that bit of canal. did a walk to possil park and the main road goes right past the back of speirs wharf flats, you get to see them up close and from a different perspective. Still not a patch on the wharehouses in liverpool
Thank you Ed, another great video, I do enjoy your work. It would be fantastic to be able to taste some of the ales and porters produced by those breweries back then.
Oh to be transported back in time.
Wow! This is seriously cool! 🤯 I have a soft spot for history, especially the industrial kind. I always get curious about the old buildings you see around the city, wondering what they were. This video dives right into that!
Many thanks. I'm working on a similar video about breweries in old Edinburgh, but oh my goodness but it's complicated. How to whittle down a zillion facts and figures.
Love your videos. Keep up the good work. One video that, I would love to see is on the old town of Straiton, Midlothian. There are still some cottages left. Your video on Newhaven was fantastic too.
Many thanks Louise.
Cheers to you, Ed 🍻💞
And you.
Another great video. Thank you!
Cheers Sarah.
Nice video Ed. Very interesting info about the history of the brewing industry in Scotland. Cheers!
Lynn in Naples FL
Thanks Lynn.
Hi Ed, as usual an interesting and informative video. I was looking at the map with the Kingston bridge on it trying to see if the flour mill to the right of the bridge was there, but I couldn't see it. When I drove for Archibald Brechin in Pinkston road I frequented a lot of the distilleries in the area. It was all whisky though, not beer.
Thanks Ed, I thoroughly enjoyed this presentation on old Glasgow breweries. And finishing with the Tennents brewery. When I was on a pilgrimage
to Scotland, the birthplace of my father (in Dundee) I finished my adventure in Glascow with a tour of Tennents establishment. I also found that they
produce an excellent product. We had a jolly time on our last night in a Glascow hotel meeting many joyful Glaswegians and wetting our necks with
easy drinking Tennants beer. The memories shall never fade. Your channel is well received down here in Queensland, Australia ED!
Thanks John. The Tennent's Visitor Centre at Wellpark Brewery is really very good. Highly recommended. All the best to Australia.
Interesting and very enjoyable to watch this Ed, was not aware of The Glasow Porter possibity either. Really enjoyed your music at the end too.
Cheers. 👍
Great watch & listen, thanks Sir.
Thank you.
great idea for a video my friend nice to see you again. hope all is well and thankyou from the sunny south side
Many thanks.
@@EdExploresScotland awk its always nice when one of your videos pops up i look forward to them
Well its a pint of Tennent's for me. Great stuff Ed.
McEwans's for me am afraid. 🤩
Cheers Stevie.
Such a shame that all those fascinating and varied old brewers have gone.
Fantastic upload Mr Burns. Can you do a similar review of the Edinburgh Breweries, that would compliment the Glasgow upload. I notice your no wearing yer new boots that need broken in (no see them for a few uploads now), are they okies? 🤪
Thank you. May wear those boots again, the ones that aren't made for walking. Had to wait until my feet recovered.
Great video again Ed 👍
Would there be any chance of doing one about the old breweries of Edinburgh?
Thanks Raymond. I'm researching Edinburgh just now. If I do a video it'll be a bit different to this one. Edinburgh has way more brewery buildings still standing. But, like Glasgow, it's all very complicated.
That's great to hear Ed. Yeah I bet, so much history of breweries in both Glasgow and Edinburgh. Look forward to the video mate 👍
I wonder if James Aitken was related to the Aitkens in Falkirk who had a famous brewery right up until the sixties. ?
Yes, that's certainly an interesting thought. How many James Aitkens brewing beer were there in the old days?
Canny be that many Ed, would be a crazy coincidence @@EdExploresScotland
They like a gargle in Glasgow!
Very informative video however Tennents Lager “world famed”?World derided more like.Its just another adjunct keg lager.Thank god for West brewery just down the road.
HI, I was in Glasgow last Sunday, Monday, and noticed that you dont get
a pint anymore. You pay for a pint,but thats only if it is filled up to the rim.
The companies are making 5 to 8 percent extra on every pint an already over priced
product.Bring back lined the BSI Mark and lined pint!
ATB and cheers.
Totally agree. Sometimes you get a pint glass filled to the brim with beer and no head, which makes it nigh impossible to get it to your lips without spilling any. Lined glasses definitely the way to go.