Ryan Reynolds And Rob McElhenney Have Bought A Brewery
By
3 weeks ago
Wrexham Lager is getting the celebrity treatment
Three years on since taking over football club Wrexham AFC, Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are expanding their Welsh empire – this time, with beer. In their latest investment move, the pair have bought Wrexham Lager Beer Company Ltd, said to be the oldest British lager brewery still in existence.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Buy Wrexham Lager
The duo announced their latest venture in a YouTube video, titled ‘Welcome To Wrexham Lager’. Neither actually speak in the video, joking that they’re using 1882 technology in a nod to the beer’s historic roots, and the drink has left them ‘literally speechless’. The caption reads: ‘We’re now proud co-owners of Wrexham Lager, brewed since 1882, which is why we’re using 1882 technology.’
Wrexham Lager was founded by two Germans, Ivan Levinstein and Otto Isler, who set out to brew lager in the UK. They had an idea to go against the grain and use a new paler malt, brew it with top-fermenting ale yeasts and store the beer for longer in a bid to imitate the properties of traditionally made continental lagers.
The pair decided on Wrexham for the location, and despite initial challenges – with the help of industrialist Robert Graesser – the lager went on to become a success.
However, during the 20 century the brand became overshadowed by modern brands, and UK production came to a halt in 2002. In 2011, though, a local MP called Martin Jones revived the company, along with his family. They will continue to co-own the business in its new Hollywood era, alongside Reynolds and McElhenney.
If their work at Wrexham FC is anything to go by, this could spark a huge rise for the brand. Since buying the club in 2021, the pair have overseen its meteoric rise to the third division of English football, which is documented in Disney+ documentary Welcome To Wrexham.
Their latest move follows a string of celebrities venturing into the alcohol sphere: Beyonce recently launched a whisky brand, joining names like Kylie Minogue, Matthew McConaughey, Kendall Jenner and Emma Watson.
