Robinson's Old Tom
Frederic Robinson's Old Tom Ale
(With thanks to Sue Lightfoot, Stockport & South Manchester CAMRA, and Robinson's Brewery)
Brewery Buildings, near the Wheatsheaf in Langham, Rutland, was where Alfred Evan Munton (later to be known as Fred) started life in 1870. His father, also Alfred, worked as a cooper and brewer in the nearby brewery (which later became Ruddles).
In the late 1870s, the family moved to Edward Street in Salford where Alfred senior continued working as a brewer, later moving to work in Stretford where he died in 1893. Young Alfred became a brewer himself, and by the time he was 30 he had his own family and lived in Loyalty House, Loyalty Place, in Stockport. He had married Emma Robinson, a daughter of Frederic Robinson, in 1893 and continued family tradition by naming his first son Alfred, born in 1899.
This proved an important year in another way as it was on 1 November 1899 that Fred devised a recipe for a new beer, Brew No. 261, and drew a sketch of the brewery cat, Old Tom, who inspired the name of the beer. The historic page from the brewer’s book is shown opposite.
Alfred 'Fred' Munton was head brewer at Robinsons for nearly 30 years, but died in 1918. His son became a brewer as well.
Old Tom went on to win some of the industry’s most prestigious awards, including World’s Best Ale. It has remained in continuous production since 1899.
-
Alfred Munton -
-
