Murphy's Brewery

Murphy's Brewery
(Heineken Brewery Ireland, Ltd.)
Industry Alcoholic beverage
Founded 1856
Founder James J. Murphy
Headquarters Cork, Ireland
Products Beer
Owner Heineken International
Website http://www.murphys.com/

Murphy's Brewery was a brewery founded in Cork, Ireland in 1856 by James Jeremiah Murphy (James J. Murphy).[1][2] It was known as Lady's Well Brewery until it was purchased by Heineken International in 1983, when the name changed to Murphy Brewery Ireland Ltd.[3] The name of the brewery was recently changed to Heineken Brewery Ireland, Ltd. The brewery produces Heineken, Murphy's stout and other Heineken products for the Irish market.

By 1906, Murphy’s Brewery was Ireland’s second largest brewer (after Guinness).[4]

Brands

1919 advert for Murphy's Cork brewery

Murphy's Stout

Main article: Murphy's Irish Stout

Murphy's is a dry stout. The brewers describe Murphys Irish Stout as "smooth and creamy, with a subtle bitterness," and it is a main competitor of Guinness.

Murphy's Irish Stout has a slightly nutty flavor with a slight hint of coffee which is less bitter than the Guinness brand of stout. The manufacturers had a television advertising campaign in the UK voiced by actor Tony Clarkin, which played on this fact — "like the Murphy's, I'm not bitter". In the U.S., Murphy's has relied on "discovery" and word of mouth to build the brand. The Murphy's brand hit its volume pinnacle in the U.S. in 1997, but in subsequent years it has declined due to other company priorities.

Irish Red

A glass of Murphy's Irish Red

In 1983, after the Murphy's brand was bought by Dutch brewer Heineken International, "Irish Red" was launched for the export market, as it was hoped that it would be more popular than stout overseas.[5]

The label copy for Murphy's Irish Red (33cl bottle) states : "Product of the Netherlands".

References

  1. Terry Gourvish; Richard G. Wilson (1 September 2003). The Dynamics of the Modern Brewing Industry. Taylor & Francis. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-203-44069-8.
  2. "Murphy's". The Mayor Of Old Town. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  3. The Oxford Companion to Beer. Oxford University Press. 9 September 2011. p. 428. ISBN 978-0-19-991210-0.
  4. Murphy's Brewery - UCC Library
  5. The Oxford Companion to Beer. Oxford University Press. 9 September 2011. p. 601. ISBN 978-0-19-991210-0.

Further reading

Ó Drisceoil, Diarmuid and Ó Drisceoil, Donal 'The Murphy's story : the history of Lady's Well Brewery, Cork'. Cork : Murphy Brewery Ireland, 1997

External links