# Old Tom History

---
description: "Some key milestones in the history of Old Tom, one of our most awarded real ales."
og_title: "Old Tom History"
og_description: "Some key milestones in the history of Old Tom, one of our most awarded real ales."
og_image: "https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/07/Robinsons-Brewery-scaled-1-1024x683.jpg"
og_type: "website"
og_url: "https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/our-beers/about-old-tom/old-tom-history/"
---

![](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/warmwelcome-1024x530.png)# Old Tom History

## The History of Old Tom

On 1st November 1899, Robinsons’ Head Brewer Alfred ‘Fred’ Munton put pen to paper and wrote down the recipe for his new brew, ‘No. 261. Old Tom’. Alongside his recipe, he quickly sketched an image of the brewery cat who had inspired his new ale, and who is still the face of Old Tom today. Since this winter’s day at the end of the 19th century, Old Tom has been in continuous production. It is recognised as one of the world’s premier strong ales, winning multiple national and international awards for its flavour and design. This year, Old Tom celebrates 125 years of brewing. In the words of our late Director David Robinson… ‘We can claim without serious challenge that there is nothing quite like Robinsons Old Tom Ale.’

![Old Tom bottle and pump clip](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/oldtom125-1024x683-1.png)## 2024

Old Tom celebrates 125 years of continuous production. A limited edition bottle featuring the earliest Old Tom label in the Robinsons Brewery Archives is released for the occasion.

### 
 **125th Birthday**
 

![Coronation Ale](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/CoronationAle-1024x683.png)## 2023

Old Tom is used as the base recipe for Robinsons’ Coronation Ale, released to celebrate the accession of King Charles III.

### **A Coronation Ale**

![Old Tom Bottle and glass](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/OldTomBottles-1024x683.png)## 2017

Old Tom gets an innovative rebrand and wins World’s Best Designed Beer at the World Beer Awards.

### **Old Tom gets a new look**

![Tom and berry 2013](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/tomandberry-1024x683.png)## 2012 - 2013

Tom & Berry, a winter warmer variant on the Old Tom recipe brewed for the festive season, is first introduced to customers. It has continued to be brewed as a seasonal ale for the winter months. This popular beer would return in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

### **A festive Tom**

![Ginger Tom and Chocolate Tom bottles](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/tomginger-1024x683.png)## 2008

Robinsons release two new variants of Old Tom – Ginger Tom, brewed with ginger root and botanical extracts, and Chocolate Tom, brewed with cocoa. Ginger Tom was so popular that it's become a permanent feature of the Old Tom range.

### **Ginger Tom & Chocolate Tom**

![Old Tom pump clip](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/oldtomaward_1-1024x683.png)## 2007 - 2009

The World Beer Awards are the global awards selecting the very best internationally recognised beer styles. Organised by www.tastingbeers.com, this annual tasting selects, awards and promotes the 'Best Beers in the World' to consumers throughout the world. In 2007 & 2009 Robinsons Old Tom picked up the ultimate accolade when it was named the World's Best Ale, described as "dangerously drinkable" and a "Mozartian symphony" of beer by the judging panel.

### **Old Tom crowned Worlds Best Ale**

![old tom awards](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/oldtomawards-1024x683.png)## 2000s

The turn of the 21st century sees more awards flood in for Old Tom – including from CAMRA, the World Beer Awards and the Brewing Industry Awards.

### **More praise for Old Tom**

![old tom award pump clip](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/oldtom_award-1024x683.png)## 1990

The Champion Winter Beer of Britain (also known as WiBOB) is an award presented by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), at their annual National Winter Ales Festival in January. Old Tom has won this accolade in 1990, 94, 97, 00, 02, 03, 23 and was voted Overall Champion in 2001.

### **CAMRA - Champion Winter Beer of Britain**

![Old Tom voted Britain's best strong ale 1980](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/1980-1024x683.png)## 1980s

In 1987, Old Tom is named Best Strong Ale at CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival. This wasn’t to be the last award for Old Tom…

### **Awards for Old Tom**

![Young Tom](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/youngtom-945x1024.png)## 1960s

Robinsons release Young Tom – a blonde, lower ABV ale – as a companion beer to Old Tom.

### **Young Tom**

![Old Tom barley wine pump clip ](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/oldtom-1024x683.png)## 1940s

In the late 1940s, Robinsons commission J. & J. Murdoch of Glasgow to design a new front and neck label for Old Tom.

### **Old Tom gets a new look**

![Old Tom Ale label](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/oldtomlabe30s-1024x683.png)## 1930s

Initially only available on draught, Old Tom becomes available in bottle, attracting a wider audience of ale drinkers.

### **Old Tom in bottle**

![Alfred Munton](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/alfredmunton-1024x683.png)## 1918

Alfred Munton, the man behind Old Tom, passes away after almost 30 years as Head Brewer at Robinsons.

### **The end of an era**

![Old Tom recipe 1899](https://www.robinsonsbrewery.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/1899-1024x931.png)## 1899

On 1 November 1899, Robinsons’ Head Brewer Alfred ‘Fred’ Munton writes down the recipe for Old Tom for the first time. Alongside the recipe, he sketches the brewery cat who inspired the name of the ale, marking the beginning of the Old Tom story.

### **The first brew**