Worthington Brewery

The Worthington Brewery (Worthington & Co.) was founded by William Worthington in the English Midlands town of Burton upon Trent in 1761, making it the second oldest continuously brewed beer brand in the country after Whitbread. By the time of Worthington's death in 1800, Worthington & Co. ranked among the largest of the provincial breweries.

From 1866 a Worthington chemist, Horace Tabberer Brown, pioneered brewing science in the separation and cultivation of pure yeast strains, and from 1872 the company was the first in the world to systematically utilise a laboratory in the brewing process. The company merged with local rival Bass in 1927. Throughout the 1920s until the 1960s the brand, in bottled form, ranked alongside Bass and Guinness as one of only three nationally distributed beers. Bottled beer sales declined as keg beer grew in popularity throughout the 1960s. The Worthington brewery was closed in 1965. The brand was reorientated as a keg brand from the 1960s, under the name Worthington E, followed by Worthington Best Bitter from the 1980s, and the nitrokeg Worthington Creamflow product from the 1990s.

The brand was purchased from Bass by the American brewing giant Coors in 2002, which became Molson Coors in 2005 following a merger. Creamflow is the third highest selling ale in the United Kingdom, as well as the highest selling ale in Wales. Worthington's White Shield India Pale Ale has continued to be brewed since 1829, and has been the recipient of a number of awards. In 2010, Molson Coors opened the William Worthington microbrewery, which brews historical and seasonal beers.

The Worthington brand has had an association with rugby union sponsorship since the latter half of the twentieth century. The brand also sponsored the Football League Cup from 1998 until 2003.