Boddingtons

Boddingtons is a British beer, originally from Manchester. The bitter is now sold in over 30 countries worldwide, and can be drunk on tap around the world in countries as diverse as New Zealand, China, the United States, and Canada.

Boddingtons cans have widgets, aimed at providing a 'draught experience' from a can.

Boddingtons contains 3.5% and 3.8% alcohol-by-volume in cask.

1778 The Strangeways Brewery was founded by two grain merchants, Thomas Caister and Thomas Fry. The location of the brewery, just outside the city centre, was chosen to avoid a grain tax levied by local mills that belonged to Manchester Grammar School.

1832 Henry Boddington joined the brewery as a traveller, and eventually rose up to become a partner in the company.

1853 Henry Boddington borrowed money to become the sole owner of the enterprise.

1963 Acquired Richard Clarke and Co.

1985 Acquired Higson's Brewery.

1989 Boddingtons remained a family company until the last family chairman, Mr Ewart Boddington, sold the Strangeways Brewery and the Boddingtons beer brand to Whitbread for £50.7 million.

2000 In May, the Whitbread Beer Company was acquired by Interbrew.

2004 In September, InBev announced plans to close the Strangeways Brewery and move production out of Manchester to Magor in South Wales and Glasgow. However, the brewing of Boddingtons cask ale was moved to Hydes' Brewery under contract.

Strangeways Brewery: Extract from a 1905 account

In about 1778 the Brewery existed under the style of Messrs. Caister and Fray. In those days brewers used to establish their industries outside the Manchester city boundaries, because all persons whether brewers or otherwise, had to have their grain crushed at the School Mills, on the banks of the River Irk. Strangeways Brewery was established beyond the Bridge-street boundary of the city. By 1800 Fray, Hole and Potter were the proprietors, and in 1809, Hole and Potter. There was another change in 1835, when Mr. Harrison became a partner, and the style of the firm Hole and Harrison. From the 18?? invoices were sent out Messrs. Harrison and Co.—in which firm the late Mr. Henry Boddington was a partner — until 1853 when Mr. Boddington became the sole proprietor. In 1832 Henry Boddington had gone to Strangewavs from Cuddington, in Buckinghamshire. After being in partnership with Harrison for several years he became sole proprietor in 1853. In 1870, Henry Boddington, the younger, entered the firm. In 1886 Henry Boddington, the elder, died, and a year later the company was, for private family reasons, converted into a public one.

The water used by the firm was obtained from artesian wells on the premises, the bore-holes being sunk over three hundred feet through the sandstone rock, which provided a pure and never-failing supply.

Note: Boulton and Watt supplied a small (4 HP) bellcrank engine to Fray, Hole and Potter in 1804.

See Also

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• [1] InBev UK

Sources of Information

• [2] Wikipedia