Carling is the name of a brand of lager in Canada, Australia, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Carling brands are currently owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Company. In South Africa it is distributed by SABMiller.
The Carling story dates back to 1818 when Thomas Carling, a farmer in the English county of Yorkshire, took his family to the rich farmlands of eastern Canada, settling at what is now the city of London, Ontario. During his first year there Tom Carling cleared a small area. Then, in accordance with the custom of the day, he called on his neighbors to help at a "stumping bee", a cooperative effort in which each man brought his own oxen and tools and the land was cleared of tree stumps. All that these helpful neighbors asked was that they be refreshed and fed. Thomas Carling's refreshment, a home-brewed ale, was of such quality that soon he was brewing it for other stumping bees. In time, it grew so popular that he abandoned farming for full-time brewing. The first Carling brewery was a modest affair - a couple of kettles, a horse to turn the grinding mill and six strong men to work on the mash tubs. Carling was his own sales and shipping department. He started by trundling his wares through the streets of London on a wheelbarrow. This was the humble beginning of what was to become a worldwide brewing organization. Tom Carling established the brewing company that bears his name in London in 1840.
In 1840 Thomas Carling began a small brewing operation in London, Ontario, Canada selling beer to soldiers at the local military camp. By 1878, when his sons, John and William, built a new six-story brewery in London, Carling was a national name in Canada. The new brewery was destroyed by a fire just a year after opening. William Carling, after fighting the fire and losing the battle, died of pneumonia shortly after the fire.
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 and the company has changed hands numerous times since. Sir John Carling, brewer, politician (born in London Twp, Upper Canada 23 January 1828; died at London, Ontario 6 November 1911). His father, Thomas C. Carling, a Methodist agricultural labourer, had emigrated from Yorkshire in 1818. At age 21 John joined the brewing and malting business which his father had established in 1843 near Victoria Barracks, London. He inherited the business in 1849 and continued as president, but he left its operation to his brother William and entered politics. He represented London as a Conservative in the assembly of the Province of Canada 1857-67 and in the Ontario Assembly 1867-73.
After Confederation, Carling also sat in the House of Commons 1867-74, 1878-91 and 1892-95. He held several Cabinet posts, most notably as postmaster general, under John A. MACDONALD 1882-85, and minister of agriculture 1885-92. In 1893 he was created KCMG; he sat in the Senate 1891-92 and 1896 to his death. The incorporation of the Carling Brewing and Malting Co in 1883 helped to finance his political career.
In 1999 Carling achieved sales of 1 billion pints in the UK, breaking the previous record and strengthening its position as the No.1 selling lager. In 2007 they sold 2.3 billion pints in the UK, over 6 billion worldwide
Brands
- Carling, formerly known as Carling Black Label, is the best selling beer in the United Kingdom and South Africa;citation needed alcohol content of 4.1%
- Carling Black Label Ice, commonly referred to as just simply "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 & logo.
- Carling Lager is a no-preservatives lager sold in Canada; not to be confused with 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 strong cream-flow premium 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 colder version chilled to 2°C, was launched in 2002, and is available in British pubs.
- C2 is the low-alcohol version of Carling, with a 2% volume. It has been tagged, "The swift-one-at-lunch pint."citation needed
- Carling Black Label Supreme is an inexpensive, powerful 8% brew.
- Carling Black Label Big 10 is also inexpensive, yet an even stronger beer with a 10% alcohol content. As of today it is almost a culture in the town of Pincourt, Quebec, to consistently drink Black Label "Big 10".Drunk mostly among teenagers who like the cheap price. It is used on many occasions in the small town.
Black Label
Black Label is a brand of beer well known throughout the former British Empire, where it is best known for its slogan "Hey Mabel, Black Label!"The most famous slogan for this product was, "I bet he drinks Carling Black Label!" In several countries it is also known as Carling Black Label. However, in the UK it is now known as just 'Carling' - they dropped the 'Black Label' in 2000 in response to public demands for a snappier call at the bar (according to the company). Black Label has the slang/street name of Zamalek in South Africa. This is because it is considered a strong beer. Zamalek is an Egyptian soccer team that came to beat South African side, which had on the soccer kit resembling the branding on Carling Black Label.
Other brand history
WCRS also created hugely successful television and cinema adverts for Carling Premier. Carling Premier adverts were renowned for their unusual cinematography and stylish soundtracks. Cult film director Wim Wenders shot one commercial in Iceland, starring actor James Buller and actress Rebecca Godwin showing Buller riding a bicycle on a highwire over a waterfall. This advertising campaign alone cost in excess of £1 million. All Carling Premier adverts were large budget and designed to promote the premium nature of the brand.
Carling is currently the main sponsor of Rangers F.C and Celtic F.C in an attempt to make the brand more popular in Scotland. Scotland is the only region in the UK where Carling is not the top selling Lager currently outsold by Tennent's Lagercitation needed. They are also the main title sponsor of the Football League Cup, and were former sponsors of the Premier League.
Carling is also a major sponsor of live music in the UK, sponsoring the Academy Music Group venues (including Brixton Academy).
Carling were the first sponsors of the English Premier League. They began their sponsorship in 1993, one year after the league's creation, and continued until 2001 when they ended their backing and were replaced by Barclaycard.
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