The Legend

THE LEGEND

The history of brewing in Glasgow can be dated back as far as 1136. This is when monks began building the Glasgow Cathedral on the site of St. Mungo’s grave, the acknowledged founder of the city.

THE LEGEND

1556

1556

A LEGEND IS BORN


The origin of the Tennent family's association with brewing dates back to 1556 when Robert Tennent, who believed "this place is perfect for brewing beer", established his artisanal brewery in Glasgow.

1740

A MILESTONE IN SCOTTISH HISTORY


The Tennent family continued their tradition of brewing for generations. However, brewing on a commercial basis only started in 1740 when the two Tennent brothers, Hugh and Robert, established the H&R Tennent partnership. They were the sixth generation of the Tennent family to be involved in brewing.

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In 1745, Bonnie Prince Charlie and his army lodged in the brewery following their retreat from England. In the Glasgow City Hall records, it is written that every man was refreshened and heartened by the Tennent’s brothers delicious brew.

1769

A NEW HOME, A NEW NAME


After the death of the brothers, Hugh's sons followed in their father's footsteps and established the J&R Tennent company, leading to an expansion of 5 acres. It was in this year that Wellpark Brewery was born.

1797

TENNENT’S GOES TO AMERICA FOR THE FIRST TIME


It was under John and Robert's stewardship, in the 18th century, that the first recorded export of Tennents to America took place. They sent consignments of ale, which were high in strength in order to withstand the long voyage, to expatriate Scots in 1797.

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If you are planning a holiday to the Caribbean, aside from enjoying the beautiful beaches and local food, make sure you look out for old ceramic Tennent’s bottles in the souvenirs shops! Taking one home would be quite the memento!

1860

SUCCESS IN A BOTTLE


Under the control of Hugh Tennent Senior, the firm became the world's largest exporter of beer. In less than a century! A triumph by anyone's standards.

1876

1876

OUR T, OUR IDENTITY: BECOMING AN ICON


Following their growing success, the iconic Red T logo is registered as a trademark across the British Empire. It goes on to become a symbol of 'home' to every Scottish person that sees it.

1885

THE FIND OF THE CENTURY


In the 1880s, during a trip in Bavaria, Hugh Tennent developed a passion for a lighter, sparkling beer that he discovered whilst visiting – referred to as 'German beer' or lager. He wasted little time with the first bottles of Tennents lager rolling off the production line in 1885. The local press dubbed the success of his lager as "a madman's dream" as it contrasted the darker, heavier ales that Scotland was accustomed to.

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Now TENNENT'S Lager is the best selling beer in his its homeland, Scotland. 1 in every 2 pints of Lager sold in Scotland is TENNENT'S Lager.

1900

STILL STANDING


Brewers faced difficult conditions in the early part of the twentieth century due to economic instability and the outbreak of the First World War. Of the 14 brewers that were operating in Glasgow before the war, only Tennents survived. The inter-war years were equally as difficult for the brewing industry yet Tennents continued to innovate. Most notably, Tennents were amongst the first British firms to sell beer in cans in 1935.

1969

ONE BIG STEP FOR BEAUTIFUL BEER


The design of the cans became a feature amongst brewers in the UK market in the 1950's. Tennents launched a series of pictures on its cans of Scottish and English landmarks. Tennents were inundated with requests for "pin ups" of women, particulary Ann Johansen. Out of this the infamous 'Lager Lovelies' series was launched, featuring photos of various female models at the side of the cans. Today authentic Lager Lovely cans are highly sought after amongst collectors.

1989

PROUD SCOTLAND SUPPORTER


We cemented our commitment to Scottish football by sponsoring the Scottish Cup (over the years, we have also become proud sponsors of the Scottish National Team, as well as Celtic and Rangers).

1994

1994

"T IN THE PARK": AT THE HEART OF SCOTLAND


In 1994, Tennent's started an ongoing national tradition: T in the Park, the biggest music festival in Scotland. In 1996, T Break was founded: a ground breaking music platform for discovering home grown talent.

2009

LEGENDARY SUCCESS


1 in 2 pints of lager sold in Scotland is Tennent's. The brewery is redone.


2012

WORLD WIDE WIN


The Tennent's Authentic Export range is released on the market.

2016

A GREEN BREWERY


One of the latest sustainability achievements was the 3% reduction of total electricity used in our brewing process (per 100L of beer). 2016 also saw Tennent’s invest in a new fleet of trucks, which have reduced vehicle Co2 emissions by 68%. Similarly, we have improved water consumption by 10% year on year, emphasizing our commitment to staying as green as we can.

TODAY

A CONSCIOUS, ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY


We organize and work together with a number of great charities. With the help of our friends at KidsOut Scotland, we recently held a charitable dinner that raised over £50,000. We also run many of our own initiatives – one being Yes Chef, aimed at training ex-offenders to become chefs. €1 million has been invested at Wellpark to deliver significant energy efficiencies to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions. Over the last year Wellpark sent zero process waste to landfill. In 2017, Wellpark received a Silver award from Keep Scotland Beautiful, recognizing our contribution to the local community and efforts to be as environmentally friendly as we can. Recognising our contribution to the local community and efforts to be as environmentally friendly as we can, Wellpark received a Silver award from Keep Scotland Beautiful in 2017