Charles Wells
Charles Wells is a vertically integrated British regional brewer founded in 1876 by Charles Wells in
Bedford,
England.
Charles Wells biography
Charles Wells, after whom the company is named, was born in Bedford in 1842; he left school at the age of 14 and ran away to sea by boarding the frigate 'Devonshire' which was bound for
India. In the late 1860s, Wells was promoted to Chief Officer when he fell in love with and proposed to a Josephine Grimbley. Unfortunately, his prospective father-in-law put paid to his plans when he announced that no daughter of his would marry a man who would be away at sea for months at a time. And so Wells, desperate to marry his sweetheart, left his sea-faring career and in 1876 established the Charles Wells Family Brewery to provide
beer for the local population of
Bedfordshire.
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History
The Charles Wells Family Brewery was founded by Charles Wells in 1876. In 1875, a two and a quarter acre site came to auction on the banks of the
River Ouse as it ran through Bedford. This site contained both a coal depot and a brew house; included in the price were 35 pubs, mainly in Bedford and the surrounding area. Wells thought that beer would always be in demand, and with the help of his father he purchased the site and began work to turn the small brew house into a fully fledged brewery which could serve the county.As water is an essential ingredient for any beer, good quality water is needed in order to create the best beer. In 1902, Wells climbed a local hill a couple of miles from the brewery and sank his own well to tap into an underground
reservoir of water, purified through layers of
chalk and
limestone. All Charles Wells beer, and with the recent joint venture with
Youngs all
Youngs beers, are made with water drawn from this well.By 1976, exactly 100 years since the Brewery was established, the Brewery moved from its Horne Lane site to a brand new site on Havelock Street, the Eagle Brewery. The move came about due to an increased demand for the companies beers, spurred on by the Breweries deal with Red Stripe brewery
Desnoes & Geddes. This offered the company the chance to install the most up-to-date brewing equipment, and a state of the art Bottling line.Today, the Company is still in the Family's hands, with the fifth generation coming into the business. There are currently three members of the family who work at the brewery, all serving on the boards of directors for both Charles Wells and Wells & Young's. The Company now has an estate of more than 250 pubs across the Eastern region, and has its beers sold by Well & Young's in bars across 23 countries through its
John Bull enterprise.
Wells & Youngs
On May 23rd 2006 the company announced that it was to form a new joint venture brewing company with the
Young & Co's brewery, who moved their brewing production from the Ram Brewery in Wandsworth. The firm is called Wells & Young Brewing, with Charles Wells having a 60% stake and Young & Co 40%, it went into operation on the 2nd October 2006. Wells & Youngs are now responsible for brewing, distributing and marketing Charles Wells' and Young & Co's brands at the Eagle Brewery in Bedford. The company is operated at arms' length from both Young's and Charles Wells. Directors from both companies sit on the Wells & Young's Board.In January 2007, Wells & Youngs announced the purchase of the
Courage beer brands from
Scottish & Newcastle . Wells & Young's now brew Courage Directors, Best and Light Ale.
Charles Wells Beers
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Well's Banana Bread Beer
Bombardier Bitter (4.3% abv)An award winning flagship English bitter which is described by Alastair Gilmour (British Guild of Beer Writers) as a "Superlative bitter with an unexpectedly light, fruity flavour and a mere suggestion of
malt settles on the palate after a lap of honour over every curve of the tongue." Available in bottles at 5.2% abv.
Bombardier Burning Gold (4.7% abv)A new member of the Bombardier range of beers. Golden coloured light ale.
Bombardier Satanic Mills (5.0% abv)Another new member of the Bombardier range of beers. Heavier, dark coloured bitter.
Banana Bread BeerA beer made with bananas. Available filtered and pasteurised in bottles at 5.2% abv, and unfiltered in the cask at 4.3% abv.
Eagle IPA (3.6% abv) This session pint is described by award winning beer writer Alastair Gilmour as follows: "The aroma is of freshly sliced ripe apples. Its amber hue is emphasised by a tight rich head which set it up as an
Ale with real credentials."
Summer Solstice (4.1% abv) Summer Solstice is a full flavoured bitter, with a refreshingly malty flavour and a distinctive bitterness, derived from a blend of high quality English Challenger hops.
John Bull (4.1% abv)John Bull uses the high quality English 'Challenger' and 'East Kent Goldings' hops. Sampled by hand, only the most flavoursome part of the ripest hops are used, guaranteeing a distinct hop bitterness and tempting citrus fruit aroma. The English 'Crystal' malt is crushed rather than ground. This helps to bring out the ‘tang’ of a traditional ‘London-style’ bitter and its golden tawny colour.
Contract Brewing Lagers
Kirin Beer (5.0% abv)Kirin is a
Japanese-style
lager, brewed under licence in Bedford by Kirin's Japanese Master Brewer. The traditional Japanese recipe, which uses
rice, is carefully replicated ensuring that Kirin drinkers enjoy the unique flavour sensations. Kirin is identified as "having a clean crisp refreshing taste."
Red Stripe Lager (4.7% abv)Red Stripe is brewed under licence and follows the authentic recipe using specially imported
Yakima hops from the
Washington state. "It is rooty with a fresh, earthy, aroma and a mellow, unruffled sweetness."
Cobra BeerCobra Beer is a UK-based beer company, for which Charles Wells brews Cobra 5% Premium Beer. The company was founded in 1989 by
Karan Bilimoria and was originally an import-only beer brewed in
Bangalore, India. From 1997 it has been brewed for the UK market by Charles Wells, and from 2006 by Wells & Youngs
References
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External links
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