History

Thomas Fentiman, an iron worker from West Yorkshire, acquired a recipe for botanically brewed ginger beer in 1905 when a fellow tradesman approached Fentiman for a loan but never repaid it. The firm became a door-to-door ginger beer sales company. During the mid-1960s the company ran into trouble, as supermarkets were taking over the door-to-door trade, and closed down. In 1988, Eldon Robson, great-grandson of Fentiman, started the business again, relaunching the brand.

The Pennsylvania-based Lion Brewery, Inc.

Lion Brewery, Inc.

Lion Brewery, Inc, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States, is one of the oldest breweries still in operation within Pennsylvania. Its beers and sodas are sold in Pennsylvania and neighboring states.-History:...

 brew and distribute Fentimans products in the United States. During 2009 there will be an investment of £190,000, for such things as converting its basement into a laboratory, for in-house product development.

The original building of Fentimans is a listed building in Gateshead

Gateshead

Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England and is the main settlement in the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. Historically a part of County Durham, it lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne opposite Newcastle upon Tyne and together they form the urban core of Tyneside...

, Tyne & Wear. The Fentimans logo, which is built into the building, is based on Fearless, Thomas Fentiman's prize German Shepherd Dog, twice winner of the Crufts Obedience Test.

Fentiman's recently came under negative media coverage after the sale of its Victorian Lemonade was banned for minors in Houlton, Maine

Houlton, Maine

Houlton is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, on the United States – Canada border, located at . As of the 2010 census, the town population was 6,123. It is perhaps best known as being at the northern terminus of Interstate 95 and for being the birthplace of Samantha Smith...

. The label on the beverage states that it contains less than 0.5% alcohol by volume, below the limit legislated for soft drinks in the United States of America. This is similar to the amount of alcohol in Sprite

Sprite

sprite or SPRITE may refer to:* any meaning of "spirit"** a ghost, the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living...

 and equal to the amount in 7-Up. Despite a minor needing to consume 200 ounces of the beverage to equal the intoxication level of one beer, the beverage was still banned for sale to minors in the city.

Products

Fentimans current products are:

• Ginger Beer
  Ginger beer
  Ginger beer is a carbonated drink that is flavored primarily with ginger and sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners.-History:Brewed ginger beer originated in England in the mid-18th century and became popular in Britain, the United States, and Canada, reaching a peak of popularity in the...
  
  
• Fentimans Curiosity Cola
• Tonic Water
  Tonic water
  Tonic water is a carbonated soft drink in which quinine is dissolved. Originally used as a prophylactic against malaria, tonic water usually now has a significantly lower quinine content and is consumed for its distinctively bitter taste...
  
  
• Mandarin and Seville Orange Jigger
• Shandy
  Shandy
  Shandy, or shandygaff, is normally a beer mixed with citrus-flavored soda, carbonated lemonade, ginger beer, ginger ale, or cider. The proportions of the two ingredients are adjusted to taste, normally half-and-half. There are also non-alcoholic shandy mixes known as “rock shandies”...
  
  
• Victorian Lemonade
  Lemonade
  Lemonade is a lemon-flavored drink, typically made from lemons, water and sugar.The term can refer to three different types of beverage:...
  
  
• Dandelion & Burdock
  Dandelion and burdock
  Dandelion and burdock is a traditional British soft drink, drunk in the British Isles since about 1265. Traditionally it is made from fermented dandelion and burdock roots, and is naturally fizzy.- History :...
  
  
• Cherry Tree Cola
  Cherry Tree Cola
  Fentimans Cherrytree Cola, is a fermented, botanical cherry-flavoured cola with Ginger and Herbal Extracts soft drink. It is the 9th flavour to be produced by Fentimans, and is brewed and distributed in the United States by Lion Brewery, Inc. The drink is due to be launched in Summer 2011. The...
  
  
• Rose Lemonade

External links

• Fentimans North America
• Fentimans