Gourt Home::Gourt :: Carling O'Keefe
Carling O'Keefe was one of the smaller brewers in the Canadian beer market. It was acquired by Canadian beer giant Molson in 1989.
History
In 1840 Thomas Carling began a small brewing operation in London, Ontario selling beer to soldiers at the local military camp. When he died, his sons William and John took over, naming it the W & J Carling Brewing Co. John Carling became a prominent figure in Canadian business and politics and was later knighted in 1893. Sir John Carling died in 1911 and the company has changed hands numerous times since.
In 1862, Eugene O'Keefe created the O'Keefe Breweries.
Carling and Rothman Breweries merged in 1969 and resulted in a new brewer called Carling O'Keefe in 1973.
Carling O'Keefe was bought by Elders IXL of Australia in 1987 and later merged with Molson to form Molson Breweries Canada in 1989.
Carling brands are currently owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Company. In South Africa it is distributed by SABMiller.
Sponsorship
Carling sponsored Orteig Prize contenders Capt. Terry Tully, and Lieut. James Medcalf in their plane the Sir John Carling. They took off on August 28, 1927 from London, Ontario, headed for London, England (United Kingdom), but they never returned.
From 1993 to 2001 Carling was the sponsor of the FA Premier League, one of the top sporting leagues in the world, as well as Celtic Football Club and Rangers Football Club, the two largest Scottish teams. Carling is also known for sponsoring various live music venues in the United Kingdom, including Carling Academies in Brixton, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol, Islington, Liverpool and Newcastle upon Tyne; the Shepherd's Bush Empire; the Manchester Apollo and the Carling weekend music festivals which takes place at the end of August each year over two venues- Leeds and Reading.
Brands
- Carling Black Label is the best selling beer in the United Kingdom.
- Carling Premier a stronger version of Carling Black Label, with an alcohol percentage of 4.7%. In cans it is sold with a widget.
References
- Molson merges with Carling - CBC News: National, Broadcast Date: Jan. 18, 1989; reporter Tom Kennedy
External links
"Carling O'Keefe"