Carling O'Keefe

Brewery

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Carling O'Keefe was a brewing conglomerate in Canada. The company is now owned by Molson Coors Brewing Company.

In 1840 Thomas Carling began a small brewing operation in London, Ontario selling beer to soldiers at the local military camp. When he died, his sons William and John took over, naming it the W & J Carling Brewing Co. John Carling became a prominent figure in Canadian business and politics and was later knighted in 1893. Sir John Carling died in 1911. The Carling operation then changed hands several times. In 1930 the Carling company was sold to Canadian Breweries Limited, founded by E. P. Taylor.

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Carling O'Keefe was a brewing conglomerate in Canada. The company is now owned by Molson Coors Brewing Company.

In 1840 Thomas Carling began a small brewing operation in London, Ontario selling beer to soldiers at the local military camp. When he died, his sons William and John took over, naming it the W & J Carling Brewing Co. John Carling became a prominent figure in Canadian business and politics and was later knighted in 1893. Sir John Carling died in 1911. The Carling operation then changed hands several times. In 1930 the Carling company was sold to Canadian Breweries Limited, founded by E. P. Taylor.

Eugene O'Keefe, a wealthy banker, purchased the Hannath & Hart Brewery in 1862. By 1864, one of his partners had died, while the other Patrick Cosgrave left to found his own brewery. The business was renamed O'Keefe and Company. It was the first to produce lager beer in Canada along with the traditional ale and porter. In 1891 the company was incorporated as O'Keefe Brewing Company Limited. In 1911 another new brewery was built with an annual capacity of 500,000 barrels. O'Keefe was one of the first to use trucks for beer delivery, the first to build a mechanically refrigerated warehouse, and one of the first to advertise extensively.

O'Keefe died in 1913. The company became owned by a holding company, O'Keefe Litd., controlled by Sir Henry Pellatt, Sir William Mulock and Charles Vance Millar.

Carling was acquired in 1930, and O'Keefe by 1934. Canadian Breweries Limited was a conglomerate, having purchased about 30 breweries. Some of the original brand names stayed in use during this time.

Canadian Breweries was sold to Rothmans 1969 and resulted in a new brewer called Carling O'Keefe in 1973. The company changed hands numerous times – it was acquired by Canadian Breweries, which was eventually renamed Carling O'Keefe, which merged with the Molson Brewery, which then merged with Coors to form Molson Coors.

 

 

Subject ID: 37311

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Subject ID: 37311