Marston's
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| Marston's | |
|---|---|
| Location | Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire England |
| Year opened | 1834 / 1898 |
Marston's is the colloquial name for the brewer and pub operator Marston's PLC (formerly known as Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries PLC); some of its beer output; and the Marston's Brewery.
Contents |
[edit] Company history
John Marston founded his brewery in 1834, and it moved to its present site in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England after Marston's company merged with Thompson's in 1898.
In 1999, Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries purchased Marston, Thompson & Evershed PLC of Burton upon Trent (including Marston's Brewery). Marston's Brewery took over production – under licence from Interbrew – of Draught Bass in 2005, succeeding Coors.
On 8 January 2007, Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries PLC rebranded as Marston's PLC.[1]
[edit] Brewing methods
Marston's Brewery makes use of water from the famous Burton Well, reputedly discovered by Benedictine Monks in the thirteenth century.
Marston's is also the only remaining brewer to use Burton Union Sets; a system whereby fermentation barrels and troughs are linked together by a complex system of copper and brass pipework. The basic principle is one of preventing excessive beer and yeast loss through foaming, but the consequence is that the beer is both in contact with more wood and in contact with more beer (fermenting in a bigger volume). This results in a vastly more consistent flavour; and very little chance of a whole batch being ruined.
All other large-scale brewers have abandoned this method in favour of stainless steel vats, which while they assure (through volume) a consistent flavour, do not permit the use of traditional yeast varieties. They also make selective use of the unusual double dropping process which introduces complex flavors due to a period of accelerated yeast growth.
[edit] Beers
- Pedigree
- Marston's flagship beer is Pedigree, a bitter. Typically Marston's uses the standard combination of Maris Otter barley and Fuggles and Goldings hops.
- Burton Bitter
- Resolution
- Old Empire
- Marston's Smooth
- Double Drop
- Oyster Stout - Introduced in 1994 as a 4.5% standard stout marketed to accompany oysters.
[edit] The brewery
Marston's brewery is open to visitors.
[edit] Sponsorship
- Former shirt sponsor of Derby County F.C..
- Official beer of the England and Wales Cricket Board during the 2006/07 Ashes series in Australia.
