It comes as no surprise that Old Monk Rum, India's quintessential companion of the evening drink is the world's third largest selling rum. Yet, Mohan Meakin Limited is not the immediate parental lineage that comes to mind. The company holds the unique distinction of being Asia's first brewery, incorporated in the year 1855 as Dyer Breweries by a British entrepreneur named Edward Dyer at Kasauli in the lap of the Himalayas. This brewery at Kasauli produced Asia's first indigenous beer that rose to acclaim, holding its own as India's largest selling beer for close to a century up to the 1960s only to be overtaken by its own Golden Eagle brand till the 1980s. Especially popular among the British troops, one of the posters had a British Tommy declaring Lion beer as being 'as good as back home!' Solan, a town near the British summer capital Simla, as naturally gifted region for brewing as any in the world with abundant supply of fresh spring water and temperate climate, soon found its first brewery under the company. Arduously expanding the scale of operations, Dyer set up distilleries and breweries in Simla, Lucknow and Burma, known as Mandalay then, gaining fame as a brewing pioneer and thirst quencher extraordinaire.
Meanwhile, an enterprising compatriot and contemporary, H. G. Meakins came with a brewing legacy on his shoulders with its roots in Burton-on-Trent, England. He founded Meakin & Co. Ltd. and bought over the the old Simla and Kasauli breweries. He also established breweries in Dalhousie, Ranikhet, Chakrata, Darjeeling and Kirkee. In an inevitable marriage of enterprise, Dyer & Meakin merged in the second decade of the twentieth century and jointly quenched the market with indigenous beer as great in quality and taste as its imported counterparts, yet available at rock bottom prices. During World War II, the company had a valuable role in keeping the Allied troops in good spirits, and soon after the end of the war all manufacturing plants at Solan, Kasauli and Lucknow were upgraded to automatic ones, augmenting production to greater levels.
In 1949, Late Padmashree N. N. Mohan traveled to London and raised funds to acquire a majority stake in Dyer & Meakins Breweries, catapulting the home grown to greater success. The name of the company was changed to Mohan Meakins Breweries Limited in 1967 and further to Mohan Meakin Limited in 1980 to project a more all-liquor image. Especially relevant given the popularity of the star in its constellation. The dark, 42.8% alcohol rich, vatted Old Monk Rum is India's biggest IMFL brand and has been for many years. Under the leadership of its current director Padmashree Brig. (Dr.) Kapil Mohan, the group diversified its operations to include mineral water, fruit juices and food products achieving great success even in its newer ventures. However the company remains best known as the producers of Golden Eagle Beer and Old Monk Rum.
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Whiskey |
Beer |
Rum |
Gin |
Brandy |
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Summer Hall |
Golden Eagle |
Old Monk Supreme
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Big Ben London |
Triple Crown |
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Colonel's Special |
Gymkhana Premium
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Old Monk Gold Reserve
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Doctor's Reserve No.1
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Golden Eagle |
Asia 72 |
Old Monk XXX |
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D.M. |
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Top Brass |
Black Knight |
Old Monk White |
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MMB |
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Diplomat Deluxe |
Solan No.1 |
Old Monk Deluxe XXX
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Black Knight |
IQ |
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Solan No.1 |
Lion
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Cellar 117 |
Meakins 10000 |
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MMB |
Old Monk 10000 |
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Blue Bull |
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