Beamish and Crawford's Slogans & Taglines

Beamish and Crawford was established in 1791 when two successful merchants, William Beamish from Cork and William Crawford from Bangor, County Down, entered into a partnership with brewers Richard Barrett and Digby O'Brien. They set up the Cork Porter Brewery on South Main Street, and the first porter was brewed there on January 17, 1792. The brewery quickly became Ireland's leading producer, with output soaring from 12,003 barrels in 1793 to 63,230 by 1800, thanks to favourable tax reforms and the skill of its brewers. It remained the largest brewery in Ireland until the 1830s, when it was overtaken by Guinness. In 1901, the company went public, and in 1962 it was purchased by Canadian brewing firm Carling-O'Keefe. After passing through multiple owners, the brewery closed in 2009 with the loss of 120 jobs, and production was moved to a nearby Heineken-operated facility, ending over two centuries of brewing on the original Cork site.

The brand's core products were Irish stouts and porters, led by Beamish Genuine Irish Stout—a full-bodied, deep black, creamy brew with roasted nutty toffee sweetness and dark chocolate bitterness. Its aromatic hops and smooth, slightly fruity character made it a favourite in Cork and beyond, traditionally served at a slightly warmer temperature than its Dublin rivals to fully reveal its complex flavour.

From its origins as a merchant partnership to its status as a Cork institution, Beamish and Crawford built its identity on quality and local pride. The brand's legacy endures through Beamish stout, which remains a symbol of southern Irish brewing tradition and the city's industrial heritage, embodying over 220 years of craftsmanship.