Charles Wells' History
Charles Wells Today
By 1976, the growing demand for Charles Wells beer meant the original Charles Wells site was just not big enough. The move to the Brewery in Havelock Street, Bedford gave the company the opportunity to install the most up to date brewing equipment, which is why when our beer leaves this site it is of consistently excellent quality.
Wells Bombardier English Premium Bitter and Wells Eagle Bitter are our key ales. We also produce Red Stripe Lager, the Jamaican lager which we brew under licence. Charles Wells also brews the Indian lager, Cobra. Japanese lager Kirin Ichiban, a global beer brand, is also brewed in and distributed from Bedford. In fact, the brewery is one of only three other breweries outside Japan which are permitted to brew Kirin, which gives some idea of the regard in which Charles Wells is held by the world's leading brewers.
Today, Charles Wells beer is not just sold in the UK. In fact approximately 10% of the company's output is exported and you can find our beer being sold in bars in 23 countries around the world, including pubs, which Charles Wells owns in Italy, Spain and in France. And in 1997 our success in the export market meant that we were awarded the Queens Award for Export Achievement.
In the UK Charles Wells also distributes to a flourishing national Free Trade and Take Home business. So, although still a family based business, you can find our products far and wide, not just in our estate of over 250 Charles Wells pubs, but in pubs, bars, restaurants, off-licenses and supermarkets nationwide and worldwide.
