Franciscan Well
{{Short description|Cork pub and brewery}}
{{Infobox brewery
| name = Franciscan Well Brewery and Brew Pub
| logo =
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| image = Franciscan Well.jpg
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| image_caption = Entrance to the brewery and pub
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| location_city = Cork
| location_state = County Cork
| location_country = Ireland
| coordinates = {{coord|51.90120|-8.48212 |dim:100000_region:IE|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| mapframe-zoom = 4
| opened = 1998
| closed =
| key_people = Shane Long, Michael Sheehan
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| owner = Shane Long
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| website = {{URL|https://www.franciscanwellbrewery.com}}
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File:Beer garden in Franciscan Well with old monastery walls visible.jpg
File:Franciscan Well Brewery, Cork.jpg
The Franciscan Well, founded in 1998, is a craft brewery and pub located in Cork, Ireland.
The brewery and pub are located on the north bank of the River Lee, on the site of an old Franciscan monastery from 1219,{{cite news |last1=Brennan |first1=Colin |title=Craft Beer: Franciscan Well founder Shane Long knew at age six he wanted to own a pub |url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/whats-on/craft-beer-franciscan-well-founder-3261113 |access-date=September 15, 2023 |work=Irish Mirror |date=March 27, 2014}} and the monastery walls (including the eponymous well){{cite web |last1=Clarke |first1=Amanda |title=Cork City Wells Revisited |url=https://holywellscorkandkerry.com/2021/01/30/cork-city-wells-revisited/ |website=Holly Wells of Cork & Kerry |publisher=Amanda Clarke |access-date=September 15, 2023}} now surround the beer garden adjacent to the pub, where contemporary fermentation vessels are also visible.{{cite news |title=Irish Pub Awards |work=Irish Independent |date=November 21, 2018}} During the 1940s the area was used to bottle Guinness beer, manufactured in Dublin, for Cork customers.
While the Franciscan Well beer brand was acquired by Molson Coors in 2013,{{cite news |last1=Hilliard |first1=Mark |title=Franciscan Well founder raises glass as major buys his brewery |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/agribusiness-and-food/franciscan-well-founder-raises-glass-as-major-buys-his-brewery-1.958529 |access-date=September 15, 2023 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=January 15, 2013}} the pub and brewery are still in the hands of the original owners.{{cite web |last1=Ryan |first1=Kate |title=There's a new brewery in Cork city... and things are about to get retro |url=https://www.echolive.ie/corklives/arid-40969652.html#:~:text=So%2C%20Shane%20Long%2C%20owner%20of,Well%20beer%20brand%20in%202013. |website=EchoLive.ie |publisher=Echo Live |access-date=September 15, 2023}} Beer brands originated in Franciscan Well include Chieftain IPA, Rebel Red, Shandon Stout (created in partnership with Jameson distillers), Well Hazy, Archway Lager, and Friar Weisse. In 2016, the packaging was rebranded from the original image of a monk, and several of these brands were selected for nationwide and overseas distribution in 330ml cans.{{cite news |last1=O'Riordan |first1=Sean |title=Can-do attitude by Franciscan Well for their craft beers |work=Irish Examiner |date=August 25, 2016}}
By 2018, two decades since the brewery had been established, the annual production reached 90,000 kegs, and the brewery had become a well-established brand in Cork and Ireland.{{cite news |last1=O'Neill |first1=Kevin |title=Franciscan Well celebrates its 20-year journey from a microbrewery into one of the country's biggest beer producers |url=https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-40159299.html |access-date=September 15, 2023 |work=Echo Live |date=November 28, 2018}}
The bar resumed brewing in 2022 under a different name Original7 . The bar has always remained in the ownership of Shane Long and now the brewery is independent once again .
Many brewing collaborations have been done since with the likes of Jameson and famed Cork soft drinks producer Tanora