Felinfoel Brewery Company

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History

The brewery is situated in Felinfoel, a small village adjoining Llanelli, in Wales. The brewery originates with the Union Inn, a toll gate, tavern, and Inn, and brewery, and it's founder David John. The beer brewed there proved so popular that the ale began to be sold to other houses. In 1878, a proper brewery was constructed opposite the pub to keep up with demand. The brewery was registered as a private company in 1906. Shortly thereafter, David John's daughter Mary Anne married a man named John Lewis. Mary Anne herself became the principle operator of the brewery after her husband's death.

In 1935, Felinfoel was the first brewery in Britain to offer beer in a can. During World War II, Felinfoel was one of the few manufacturers awarded military contracts to continue producing beer in cans. Beer brewed in cans at Felinfoel's brewery reached as far as Malta, North Africa, and Japan. As an unintended side affect of this exportation, Felinfoel recognized the possibility of foreign markets for their wares. Despite their innovation with canned beer, times were lean for the brewery, which teetered near bankruptcy.

In 1965, another brewery from Llanelli, Buckley's, attempted to buy the Felinfoel Brewery. The John family still owned a significant percentage of the shares, and having been approached privately decided to indeed sell out to Buckley. The Lewis family still maintained control of the other significant percentage of shares as well as operational control of the company. The John family sold their shares to Buckley, representing 49.5% of the company. The Lewis family, however, refused to sell. Thus, the brewery remains under the control of the Lewis family, with John Lewis as the current managing director. He represents the 5th generation of the Lewis family to own and operate the Brewery.

Today Felinfoel's ales, bitters, and stouts are still produced in the village of Felinfoel and exported all over the UK and the world, including their signature Double Dragon Bitter, "The National Ale of Wales."