beverage

Waghorn and Sons - Mackay 1930 -1980 Waghorn's and Sons cordial factory was commenced on 1 April 1930 from a factory located at 64 Gordon Street. The Waghorn's took over the business from the Balzer family. Even though the Balzers were only in business only 9 months, Waghorn's continued the Balzer's Aerated Waters name for a few years afterward. The business won the first prize at the Queensland Royal National Show in Brisbane in 1940 for Waghorn’s special dry ginger ale. They also held the franchise for the "Jusfrute" drinks in Mackay for many years. The Waghorn family continued the business until Charles Waghorn, one of the ‘sons’ retired and sold the business to Charlie Takagaki on 1 July 1967. The business continued to trade under the name of Waghorn and Sons and was later moved from Gordon Street to a new factory in Victoria Street in 1979. In 1980 the business was taken over by Harrup’s Mackay. The old factory in Gordon Street was demolished in mid-1984 to make way for extensions to the New Pioneer Motors car yard. Source: www.mackayhistory.org/research/softdrink/waghorns.html

English Hops were introduced by Flemish farmers who had fled their homeland—a major hop producing area in the High Middle Ages—during the French–English Hundred Years War (1336–1453), but it is not entirely certain when the first hop was cultivated in England. The hop had a hard time getting established in England. By the mid-1400s, ales that were hopped became known as “beer,” whereas only unhopped brews continued to be called ales. In fact, while hops were being legislated into beer on the European Continent, it seems they were being legislated out of beer in the British Isles, notably by King Henry VIII, who in the 1530s—obviously taking time out from his strenuous philandering—forbade the use of hops outright at his court. He considered hops an aphrodisiac that would drive the populace to sinful behavior (such was the pious duplicity of a ruler who managed to go through countless mistresses—not to speak of six wives, two of whom lost their heads in the Tower). By 1775, however, virtually all British ales were made with hops. Although modern British brewers are making increasing use of hops from far-flung regions (particularly the United States and New Zealand), British hops remain singular. The overall character of English hops trends to a certain stone-fruit earthiness of aroma that is distinctly different from the more citrus-like notes of New World varieties. Indeed, American craft brewers widely use English hops to help bring those flavors to British-inspired pale ales and bitters. Many British beer enthusiasts, although they appreciate New World hops, cannot imagine a classic British bitter without distinctively English hop aromatics. Source: beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/Kt199IKhon/

Father and son duo Alfred and Frank Wimmer arrived in Australia in 1887 from Germany, armed with an original cordial recipe made from Sarsaparilla root, with plans to establish a soft drink factory and start brewing. In 1910 the Wimmers family set up a soft drink manufacturing plant at Nambour on the Sunshine Coast, later moving to Cooroy where it is still manufactured today. It was at the Sunshine Coast plant Wimmers Soft Drinks became the first company in Australia to blend and develop Lemon Lime and Bitters in a bottle. One hundred years later, Wimmers Soft Drinks still uses the same old recipes to ensure their beverage range tastes as good today as it did all those years ago. The Wimmers Soft Drink brand has evolved over the years and has cemented its market share through a commitment to providing innovative new products whilst still delivering the reliable quality of the 100-year-old recipe. While the process of making soft drinks has changed dramatically throughout the last 100 years Wimmers Soft Drinks still taste the same. Maintaining that quality with good service is the secret to success. The company has overcome some major challenges in its hundred-plus years including the arrival of the global soft drink giants, the invention of the screw cap, and the modern trend of retailers aligning with exclusive brands. Source: www.noosabeverages.com.au/wimmers-soft-drinks