Carling Brewery

The Carling Brewery was founded in 1840 by Thomas Carling in London, Upper Canada. Carling lager was first sold in the United Kingdom in 1952, and in the early 1980s became the UK's most popular beer brand by volume sold. The company was acquired by Canadian Breweries, renamed Carling O'Keefe, and merged with the Molson Brewery, which then merged with Coors to form Molson Coors.

History

The origin of Carling dates back to 1818, when Thomas Carling, a farmer from the English county of Yorkshire, and his family settled in Upper Canada, at what is now the city of London, Ontario. He brewed an ale which became popular, and eventually took up brewing full-time. The first Carling brewery had two kettles, a horse to turn the grinding mill and six men to work on the mash tubs, and Carling sold his beer from a wheelbarrow on the streets of London, Ontario.

In 1840, Carling began a small brewing operation in London, selling beer to soldiers at the local camp. In 1878, his sons, John and William, built a five-storey brewery in London, which was destroyed by fire within four years of opening, on 13 February 1879.[1]

Sponsorships

Carling, part of Molson Coors, were title sponsors of English football's Premier League from its second season in 1993 until 2001[6], returning as an official partner from 2016 to 2019[7] before being replaced by Budweiser, and the Reading and Leeds festivals from between 1998 and 2007. Carling was the official beer of the Scotland national football team from 2010 until 2015[8], and was an additional sponsor between 2010 and 2014 of the Scottish Cup as the competition's official beer.[9]. In 2012, Carling ended their nine-year sponsorship of the Football League Cup, then called the Carling Cup.[10] Carling sponsored Northern Ireland's IFA Premiership from 2009[11] until 2012.[12] Carling sponsored the two leading Scottish football clubs, Celtic and Rangers, from 2003 to 2010.[13][14] Since the 2022-23 season, Carling has sponsored both men and women's FA Cups, with the deal running until 2027[15][16] In 2024, Carling was named the official beer of the Scottish Professional Football League until at least the end of Season 2026/27 [17]

Carling was a major sponsor of live music in the UK, sponsoring the Academy Music Group venues (including Brixton Academy), from 2003 to 2009 until being replaced by O2.[18]

In 1927, Carling offered a $25,000 prize for the first Canadian or British pilot to fly from London, Ontario to London, England. This offer was made just after Lindbergh had made his successful flight. The pilot, Terrence Tully, and James Medcalf the navigator made the attempt in a Stinson SM-1. The plane took off on 29 August 1927, but soon turned back due to heavy fog. Their second attempt a few days later brought them to Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, from which on 7 September they headed for London, England. After two days had passed with no sighting of them, it was assumed they were lost at sea.[19]

Carling in 1972 and 1973 sponsored race driver Larry Smith in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series; Smith died in a crash during the 1973 Talladega 500. For 1974 the company sponsored Canadian native Earl Ross; after his second place in that year’s Motor State 400 Ross' team was merged by Carling with the Junior Johnson #11 team of driver Cale Yarborough. Yarborough had won six races during the season and won four more under Carling colors while Ross stunned the sport by winning at Martinsville Speedway. Despite the success Carling unexpectedly dropped their sponsorship, this despite signing a deal lasting through 1977.

Beers

Carling Black Label is a mass market lager. It is the best-selling beer in South Africa, where it has an alcohol content of 5.5%, and in the United Kingdom, with an alcohol content of 4%.

Carling Black Label Ice, or "Black Ice", is a strong, low-priced ice beer sold in Canada with an alcohol content of 6.1%; sold as Molson Ice in the United States using a variation of the Black Label Ice label and logo.

Carling Lager is a no-preservatives lager sold in Canada, distinct from Carling (Black Label).

Carling Ice is an ice-brewed product from the Carling line.

Carling Light is a lighter variation of Carling Lager.

Carling Premier is a cream-flow lager with an alcohol content of 4.7%, introduced to celebrate Carling's sponsorship of the FA Premier League in 1992. In cans it is sold with a nitrogen widget, similar to those used in some canned ales. Unlike most lagers, Premier needs time to settle.

Carling Extra Cold is a version sold in British pubs chilled to 2 °C, launched in 2002.

C2 is the low-alcohol version of Carling, with 2% alcohol by volume.

Carling Black Label Supreme is an inexpensive 8% alcohol brew.

Carling Black Label Big 10 has 10% alcohol content.

Carling Chrome is a bottled lager, brewed for a less bitter taste at 4.8% abv.

Carling Cider - available in regular and Black Fruit flavors.

Carling Zest is a 2.8% lager that has different flavors, including ginger and citrus.

Black Label

Carling Black Label is the name of the brand in Australia, Canada, and South Africa. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, the beer has been sold simply as Carling since 1997. In Sweden, it is known as Carling Premier.

Black Label is well-known throughout the former British Empire, where it employed the slogan "Hey Mabel, Black Label!". During the eighties and nineties, its slogan was "I bet he drinks Carling Black Label!" which was a reworking of an unsold campaign for the UK Milk Marketing Board, "I bet he drinks milk!"[20]

Carling Black Label won Monde Selection's Grand Gold Award in 2008.[21]

Other brand history

Film director Wim Wenders shot an advert in Iceland with actors Bryan Carney and Rebecca Godwin, showing Carney riding a bicycle on a highwire over a waterfall; it cost over £1 million. In 1996, Carling Premier used Gary Numan's 1979 song "Cars", and sponsored his tour of that year.

producttype	Beer, cider
currentowner	Molson Coors (since 2005)
introduced	1840 in London, Upper Canada
website	carling.com
footnotes	Carcinogenicity: IARC group 1