Castle Lager
Castle Lager is the flagship beer of South African Breweries.
Castle Lager is a pale lager from South Africa and the main brand of South African Breweries. Its popularity and local production have made it widely regarded as the country's national beer.
The beer began during the 1886 Johannesburg gold rush. Charles Glass, who founded the Castle Brewery, saw an opportunity and started selling beer to miners. It quickly caught on with gold prospectors, and in 1889 a Johannesburg newspaper called *The Digger's News* described it as "a phenomenal success." Building on Castle Lager's success, South African Breweries (SAB) was formed in 1895, with its headquarters at the Castle Brewery. Two years later, SAB became the first industrial company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Today, Castle Lager is brewed in nine countries and sold in more than forty. In 2000, it won the "World's Best Bottled Lager" category at the Brewing Industry International Awards.
In 2002, South African Breweries bought Miller, creating SABMiller. Anheuser-Busch InBev then acquired SABMiller in 2016.
Castle Lager currently sponsors The Rugby Championship in South Africa as its head sponsor. Past sponsorships include being the premier sponsor of the South African football team (Bafana Bafana), team sponsor of the South African cricket team (Castle Lager Proteas), and associate sponsor of the South African rugby team (Springboks). Castle Free was the head sponsor of the South African rugby sevens team (Blitzboks). The brand has also been the official beer supplier to the HSBC Sevens World Series leg in Nelson Mandela Bay, the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament, and the Premier Soccer League.
In 1960, South African Breweries and Castle Lager backed the Cold Castle National Jazz Festival, held annually for four years. Performers included The Jazz Epistles, Chris McGregor's Blue Notes, the Jazz Ambassadors, the Jazz Dazzlers, and Philip Tabane's Malombo. The 1962 edition, held at Moroka-Jabavu Stadium outside Johannesburg, was the first open-air jazz festival on the continent. The album *Cold Castle National Jazz Festival 1962* featured key South African jazz artists like Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Kippie Moeketsi, and Gideon Nxumalo. In 1963, Chris McGregor formed the Castle Lager Big Band, which included Kippie Moeketsi and Dollar Brand, and with the company's support produced the album *Jazz: The African Sound*.
Quick Facts
- Abv
- 5%
- Manufacturer
- South African Breweries (AB InBev)
- Origin
- South Africa
- Introduced
- 1895 (under the SAB banner)
- Related
- Castle Lite, Castle Milk Stout
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Castle Lager's origins trace to the Johannesburg gold rush of 1886. Charles Glass, founder of the Castle Brewery, began selling beer to miners after noticing a gap in the market. The beer soon became popular among prospectors, and in 1889 The Digger's News declared it 'a phenomenal success.' In 1895, South African Breweries (SAB) was founded on the success of Castle Lager, with its head office at the Castle Brewery. Two years later, SAB became the first industrial company to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Today, Castle Lager is brewed in nine countries and available in over 40 countries worldwide. In 2000, it won 'World's Best Bottled Lager' at the Brewing Industry International Awards. In 2002, South African Breweries bought Miller, forming SABMiller, and in 2016 Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired SABMiller.
Reader's Guide
Castle Lager holds a central place in South African culture as the country's de facto national beer. Its sponsorship history reflects deep ties to South African sports: it has been head sponsor of The Rugby Championship in South Africa, premier sponsor of the South African football team Bafana Bafana, team sponsor of the South African cricket team (Castle Lager Proteas), associate sponsor of the Springboks rugby team, and head sponsor of the Blitzboks rugby sevens team under the Castle Free brand. It has also been official beer supplier to the HSBC Sevens World Series leg in Nelson Mandela Bay, the Vodacom Super Rugby tournament, and the Premier Soccer League. Beyond sports, Castle Lager and South African Breweries sponsored the Cold Castle National Jazz Festival from 1960 for four years. The 1962 edition, held at Moroka-Jabavu Stadium outside Johannesburg, was the first open-air jazz festival on the continent. The festival produced the album Cold Castle National Jazz Festival 1962, featuring artists such as Chris McGregor, Dudu Pukwana, Kippie Moeketsi, and Gideon Nxumalo. In 1963, Chris McGregor formed the Castle Lager Big Band, whose members included Kippie Moeketsi and Dollar Brand, and produced the LP Jazz: The African Sound with the company's support.
Did You Know?
- Castle Lager was first brewed during the Johannesburg gold rush of 1886.
- Castle Lite, introduced in 1994, is packaged with South Africa's first thermochromic temperature indicator.
- The 1962 Cold Castle National Jazz Festival was the first open-air jazz festival on the African continent.
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