Photo by monticello ()
Tennent Caledonian, one of the UK’s oldest brewers, can boast of a heritage that stretches back centuries. Archival evidence confirms that brewing was already taking place on the banks of the Molendiner Burn in Glasgow as far back as the 1550s. This is the same site of today’s Wellpark Brewery, which has been in operation since 1885. Tennent’s lager has long been established as Scotland’s best-selling pint.
The UK’s largest beer attraction is the Tennent’s Story Heritage Centre, an immersive, guided experience tracing the history of local brewing across five centuries. Other aspects of the brand’s identity brought to light here are its support for Scottish music and football. The center also offers a collection of vintage and retro packaging and shows advertising clips from decades past. Among the artifacts on display is a 150-year-old bottle of stout brewed in Wellpark and discovered in a shipwreck off Australia. A wee pint of brewery-fresh Tennent’s tank beer is the crowning glory to one’s visit.
Admission to the center, located at 161 Duke Street, Glasgow G31 1JD, is free for visitors of all ages.
In addition to touring the center, a variety of brewery tours are also available, from all-access tours to master tasting classes.
Tennent’s international brands include Italy’s Menabrea, Magners Irish cider and the U.S.’s Pabst Blue Ribbon. Caledonia Best, a brew released in 2011, is the product of a partnership between Scotland’s barley farmers and a team made up of both young experimental and master brewers.
