Houston Brewing Company

Last updated

Houston Brewing Company
Houstonlogo.jpg
Location Houston, Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK
Opened1997

The Houston Brewing Company was a brewery in the village of Houston, Renfrewshire, Scotland. It operated from 1997 to 2016.

Contents

For most of its existence was attached to, and operated in common with, the Fox & Hounds public house [1] and, as a result of its size, is classed as a microbrewery. [2] It produced a range of cask conditioned ales alongside a range of seasonal and bottled beers.

History

The Houston Brewing Company was established in 1997 by Carl Wengel in South Street, Houston in a premises attached to the Fox & Hounds pub and restaurant. In 2011 Houston Peter’s Well won Champion Beer of Britain [3] and in 2012 the business was sold with the new owners closing the brewery in 2016. At its height, the brewery was distributing throughout the United Kingdom, including to Aldi supermarkets and the Wetherspoons pub chain.

Awards

Various beers from the Houston Brewing Company won a number of awards and accolades from the Campaign for Real Ale and the Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) in both UK national and Scottish regional contests. Most notable amongst these achievements are:

Beers

The seven principal cask ales were (with alcohol by volume levels denoted):

A feature of the Houston Brewing Company was the range of season ales that are produced (currently one per month) for distribution throughout the UK. The caricature style labels for the seasonal beers often depict members of staff of the Fox & Hounds pub.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ringwood Brewery</span> Brewery in Ringwood, Hampshire, England

Ringwood Brewery is a brand of beer owned by Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company, and was formerly a small brewery on the edge of the New Forest in Hampshire, England, near the Dorset border. It produced mainly cask ales and some bottled beers.

Adnams is a regional brewery founded in 1872 in Southwold, Suffolk, England, by George and Ernest Adnams. It produces cask ale and bottled beers. Annual production is around 85,000 barrels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sinclair Breweries</span> Parent company of Orkney Brewery in Quoyloo, Stromness, Orkney, Scotland

Sinclair Breweries Limited is the parent company for Orkney and Atlas ales. Orkney Brewery was founded in March 1988 at the old schoolhouse in Sandwick, Orkney, one mile from Skara Brae and was one of Scotland's first microbreweries. Atlas was formed in 2002 and merged with Orkney Brewery, where both beers are now brewed. Owned and run by Orcadian, Norman Sinclair, Orkney Brewery is Orkney's oldest brewery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bitter (beer)</span> English term for pale ale

Bitter is an English style of pale ale that varies in colour from gold to dark amber, and in strength typically from 3% to 5.5% alcohol by volume.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greene King</span> British brewery and pub chain

Greene King is a British pub and brewing company founded in 1799, currently based in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. The company also owns brands including Hungry Horse and Farmhouse Inns, as well other pubs, restaurants and hotels. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), until it was acquired by CK Assets in October 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McEwan's</span> Scottish beer brand

McEwan's is a brand of beer owned by Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company. It was originally brewed by William McEwan's Fountain Brewery in Edinburgh, Scotland. The McEwan's brand passed to Heineken in 2008 after their purchase of Scottish & Newcastle's British operations. Heineken sold the brand to Wells & Young's in 2011, who sold their brewing operation, including the McEwan brand to Marston's in 2017. Cans and bottles are now brewed in Bedford, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wadworth Brewery</span> Brewery in Devizes, Wiltshire, England

Wadworth is a brewery company founded in 1875 in Devizes, Wiltshire, England, best known for their 6X beer brand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fuller's Brewery</span> Brewery in Chiswick, west London, England

Fuller's Brewery in Chiswick, west London, England, is the former brewing division of Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC. It was a family-run business from its foundation in 1845 until 2019, when it was sold to the Japanese international beverage giant Asahi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beer in England</span> Beer in England

Beer has been brewed in England for thousands of years. As a beer brewing country, it is known for top fermented cask beer which finishes maturing in the cellar of the pub rather than at the brewery and is served with only natural carbonation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timothy Taylor Brewery</span> Brewery in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England

Timothy Taylor's is a family-owned regional brewery, founded in 1858 by Timothy Taylor, in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England. Timothy Taylor's moved to larger premises in 1863 at Knowle Spring in Keighley, where they remain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moorhouse's Brewery</span> Brewery based in Burnley, Lancashire, UK

Moorhouse's is an independent brewery founded in 1865, by William Moorhouse in Burnley Lancashire, England, as a producer of mineral waters and low-alcohol beers known as hop bitters. It first produced cask ales in 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McMullen's Brewery</span> Brewery in Hertfordshire, England

McMullen's, known locally as Mac's, is a regional brewery founded in 1827 in Hertford, England, the United Kingdom. The brewery expanded during the second half of the 19th century by purchasing other breweries and their associated pubs. In 1902 it was the second largest brewery in Hertfordshire. The brewery has occupied several different sites in Hertford and moved to its current location in 1891. There have been several breweries on this site and the current one opened in 2006. As of 2021, members of the 6th generation of the McMullen family are still involved with the business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skinner's Brewery</span>

Skinner's is a British brewery founded in 1997 by Steve Skinner in Truro, Cornwall, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beer in the United Kingdom</span>

Beer in the United Kingdom has a long history, and has quite distinct traditions. Historically the main styles were top-fermented Bitters, Porters, Stouts and Milds, but after World War II lagers took over half the market by volume. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) was founded in 1971 and has encouraged the preservation and revival of traditional styles of ale. In particular CAMRA has promoted cask conditioned beer, which completes its maturation in casks in the cellar of the pub rather than at the brewery. As of 2014 the UK drank 634 million imperial pints of cask ale, representing 60% of ale in pubs and restaurants and 17% of all beer in pubs. In total 42.42 million hectolitres of beer were produced in 2013 of which 48% was sold in the off-trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courage Brewery</span> English brewery founded in 1787

Courage Brewery was an English brewery, founded by John Courage in 1787 in London, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leeds Brewery</span> Brewery in Leeds, England

The Leeds Brewery is an independent brewery established in June 2007 in Leeds, UK by former local radio presenter Michael Brothwell. The company uses a 20 barrel brewing plant located in a trading estate on the outskirts of the city; it is capable of delivering 150,000 pints of beer a week, and produces five regular brands, including their flagship Leeds Pale Ale at 3.8%, a 4.3% best bitter Leeds Best and the award winning mild ale Midnight Bell. The company also produces a series of monthly specials. The company had seven pubs in Leeds, with a microbrewery upstairs at The Brewery Tap and two pubs in York but these were sold to Camerons Brewery in 2016. In January 2023, Leeds Brewery ceased trading and the Leeds Brewery brand was sold to Kirkstall Brewery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wells & Young's Brewery</span> Brewery formed by a merger of Charles Wells Ltd and Youngs Brewery

Wells & Young's Brewery was formed in 2006 from a merger of the brewing operations of Charles Wells Ltd and Young's Brewery. Charles Wells initially had a 60% stake and Young's 40%. In 2011, Charles Wells took full control when it bought Young's 40% stake. Wells & Young's is now responsible for brewing, distributing and marketing Charles Wells' and Young & Co's brands at the Eagle Brewery in Bedford.

The Brew Company is an independent award-winning craft brewery located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It produces a permanent range of cask ales as well as seasonal specials and house beers for pubs in the Sheffield area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theakston Brewery</span> Brewery in Masham, North Yorkshire, England

T&R Theakston is a brewery in the market town of Masham, North Yorkshire, England. The company is the sixteenth largest brewer in the UK by market share, and the second largest brewer under family ownership after Shepherd Neame. Its best known beer is Old Peculier.

References

  1. "Fox & Hounds".
  2. "Renfrewshire Community Website - Houston". Renfrewshire Council. Archived from the original on 1 March 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
  3. "Houston Brewery Success as they gain the title Champion Best Bitter of GB". dramscotland.co.uk. 10 August 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2024.