Coors Brewers

Lore & Background

The company originates from Bass Brewers Limited, founded in 1777. In 1926 Bass Brewery merged with William Worthington's. The company was purchased in 2000 by Interbrew and then forced to change its name due to the purchase by Coors in 2002, as Interbrew kept the brand name Bass. In 2009, following the merger between Molson and Coors in 2006, Coors Brewers Limited changed its name to Molson Coors Brewing Company (UK) Ltd. The operations in England are now part of Molson Coors Europe.

The UK arm has three main sites: Burton Brewery (the largest), Tadcaster Brewery, and Shobnall Maltings, which provides malt for all UK sites and many other breweries. Burton Brewery houses the National Brewery Centre and the White Shield Brewery, which brews all special and limited run beers and is the sole production site for Worthington White Shield. The company has the capacity to turn barley into malt, and brew, bottle, can, keg and cask beer.

Coors Brewers hold the sole contract to produce Carling in the UK, and also produce Coors and Doom Bar. The company has recently bought out the majority share in Cobra and runs contracts for Scottish & Newcastle and Magners Cider.

Reader's Guide

Coors Brewers Limited, later Molson Coors Brewing Company (UK) Limited, represents a significant lineage in English brewing, tracing its roots to Bass Brewers Limited founded in 1777. Its history includes a notable merger with William Worthington's in 1926, followed by a series of corporate acquisitions and name changes reflecting the consolidation of the global brewing industry. The company's Burton upon Trent headquarters and its three main sites—Burton Brewery, Tadcaster Brewery, and Shobnall Maltings—anchor its operations. Burton Brewery houses the National Brewery Centre and the White Shield Brewery, which produces special and limited run beers, including Worthington White Shield. As the 5th largest brewer in the world with a 20% market share, the company holds the sole UK contract for Carling and produces a wide portfolio of brands including Doom Bar, Coors, Cobra, and Sharp's. Its capacity to handle the entire process from malting barley to packaging beer underscores its vertical integration. The company also imports and distributes brands such as Rekorderlig Cider and Bavaria. Through its online ordering platforms barbox.com and coorsdirect.com, it serves customers directly. The legacy of Coors Brewers is one of adaptation and scale, maintaining traditional brewing sites while operating as a major global player.