1886 - 1899

1886-1899

1899

• Three year Anglo-Boer War disrupts economic and social conditions.

1898

• Listed on The London Stock Exchange. (Diggers' News Headline: Castle Lager beer a phenomenal success. Taste its brilliancy, taste its flavour, 6 pence per glass)

1897

• Listed on The Johannesburg Stock Exchange – the first industrial share.

1896

• SAB pays a 15% maiden dividend and increases its capital to £500 000, first bar erected on company land in central Johannesburg.

1895

• SAB founded with share capital of £350,000 and £300,000 of debentures (The drink of choice in South Africa's dusty prospecting fields was raw potato spirit mixed with tobacco juice and pepper. Small wonder beer was well received.)
• Castle Lager launched from a newly-commissioned lager brewery – capacity 50 000 barrels per annum.

1886

• Proclamation of the Witwatersrand goldfields, mining town of Johannesburg established.