Lion Brewery Co

Lion Brewery Co was a London brewery established in 1836 on the south bank of the River Thames at Belvedere Road, beside Hungerford Bridge. The site was leased by James Goding, and the brewery was designed by architect Francis Edwards on land associated with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Its brewing water came from five wells within the property rather than directly from the Thames. During the nineteenth century, the brewery operated under the Goding family and developed an important export business. Its beers were shipped from Britain by sea to trading ports and outposts across the British Empire. Long voyages created demanding technical requirements: beer intended to survive journeys of several months needed substantial hopping and relatively high strength. This export tradition formed part of the wider development of the heavily hopped pale ales that became associated with India Pale Ale, although the available reference material does not identify a single named Lion recipe as the direct origin of IPA. The brewery remained a visible landmark on the South Bank and was also notable for three Coade stone lion statues created by sculptor W. F. Woodington. The best-known statue stood on the roof parapet, while another guarded one of the brewery gates. In 1924, Lion Brewery was acquired by Hoare and Co, the Wapping brewer. The business was badly damaged by fire in 1931 and subsequently closed. Its buildings stood derelict for many years before being demolished in 1949 to make way for the Royal Festival Hall. Two of the historic lions survived. The roof statue, now known as the South Bank Lion, stands near the southern end of Westminster Bridge opposite the Houses of Parliament. The other was relocated to the west-gate entrance of Twickenham Stadium and was covered in gold leaf before the 1991 Rugby World Cup in England. These surviving sculptures preserve a physical connection to the brewery after the industrial site disappeared. The Lion Brewery name was revived in the late 2010s. In 2017, the Lion Brewery trademark was re-licensed in the United Kingdom and Singapore by two Englishmen. By December 2018, the revived business was trading with beers brewed in Southeast Asia. Its initial offerings included Straits Pale Ale and Island Lager, which were available in Singapore and Cambodia. The revival gives the name a continuing commercial presence, but it is distinct from the original London brewery in location, operating era, and production base.

The original Lion Brewery was founded in 1836 on Belvedere Road on London's South Bank, immediately beside Hungerford Bridge and the River Thames. The property was leased by James Goding, while architect Francis Edwards designed the brewery buildings. Although the site stood beside the Thames, the brewery used water from five wells located within the building. The arrangement reflects the importance placed on obtaining a reliable brewing water supply rather than simply drawing water from the adjacent river. The Goding family was central to the brewery's nineteenth-century development. Lion became an exporter of beer to ports and trading settlements throughout the British Empire. At a time when sea transport from Britain to distant destinations could take approximately six months, brewers had to formulate beers that could withstand heat, handling, and prolonged storage. Higher hopping rates and stronger ales helped provide greater stability. Lion's export trade therefore belonged to the same commercial and brewing environment that popularized heavily hopped pale ales, later widely known as India Pale Ale. The brewery also became a landmark because of three Coade stone lion statues made by W. F. Woodington. One was placed on the parapet above the brewery, and another stood above a gate. The statues gave the business a distinctive architectural identity and later became important survivals of the demolished complex. In 1924, Lion Brewery was taken over by Hoare and Co, a brewer based in Wapping. The original operation did not survive the following decade. A serious fire badly damaged the brewery in 1931, after which the business closed. The damaged buildings remained derelict until 1949, when they were demolished as part of the redevelopment of the South Bank for the Royal Festival Hall. The demolition did not eliminate all physical traces of Lion Brewery. Before the site disappeared, King George VI ordered the preservation of the prominent roof lion and one surviving gate lion. The former was later installed near Westminster Bridge and became known as the South Bank Lion. The other was moved to Twickenham Stadium. It was gilded before the 1991 Rugby World Cup, giving the sculpture a new public and sporting context. A separate modern phase began when the Lion Brewery name was re-licensed in the United Kingdom and Singapore in 2017. The revived business began trading by December 2018, producing beer in Southeast Asia rather than at the former London site. Its reported early beers were Straits Pale Ale and Island Lager, sold in Singapore and Cambodia. The modern venture continues the name's association with beer and export-oriented markets, but it should not be confused with the original Lambeth-area brewery, which ceased operations after the 1931 fire.

• 2018

  Modern brewery begins trading

  [1]Lion Brewery Coen.wikipedia.org

  The revived Lion Brewery began trading with beers brewed in Southeast Asia, including Straits Pale Ale and Island Lager.

• 2017

  Lion Brewery name re-licensed

  [1]Lion Brewery Coen.wikipedia.org

  The Lion Brewery trademark was re-licensed in the United Kingdom and Singapore, beginning the modern revival of the name.

• 1991

  Twickenham lion gilded

  [1]Lion Brewery Coen.wikipedia.org

  The surviving lion at Twickenham Stadium was painted with gold leaf before the Rugby World Cup held in England.

• 1949

  Brewery buildings demolished

  [1]Lion Brewery Coen.wikipedia.org

  The derelict brewery was demolished to clear the site for the Royal Festival Hall.

• 1931

  Fire damages the brewery

  [1]Lion Brewery Coen.wikipedia.org

  A major fire badly damaged the brewery, which then closed.

• 1924

  Acquisition by Hoare and Co

  [1]Lion Brewery Coen.wikipedia.org

  Lion Brewery was taken over by Hoare and Co, the Wapping-based brewer.

• 1836

  Lion Brewery founded in London

  [1]Lion Brewery Coen.wikipedia.org

  The original brewery was established on Belvedere Road on the south bank of the Thames beside Hungerford Bridge.

A heritage London brewery name associated historically with strongly hopped export ales and, after a twentieth-century closure, with a modern Southeast Asian beer revival.

• Beer

  Export ales

  The original London brewery was known for shipping strongly hopped ales by sea to ports and trading posts across the British Empire. The beers were made for long voyages, during which increased hopping and strength helped them remain more stable. This export orientation placed Lion within the nineteenth-century tradition that helped establish the commercial importance of India Pale Ale-style beers.

• Pale ale · 2018

  Straits Pale Ale

  Straits Pale Ale was one of the first beers associated with the modern revival of the Lion Brewery name. It was brewed in Southeast Asia and was reported as available in Singapore and Cambodia when the revived business began trading in 2018. The available reference does not provide further recipe, alcohol-content, packaging, or distribution details.

• Lager · 2018

  Island Lager

  Island Lager was introduced alongside Straits Pale Ale during the modern Lion Brewery revival. The beer was brewed in Southeast Asia and sold in Singapore and Cambodia by the end of 2018. No additional technical or commercial specifications are provided in the available source material.

1. 1Lion Brewery Coen.wikipedia.org