6 days ago
Glasgow plaque 'reveals source' of Barr's Irn Bru's flavour
It claims that founder Robert Barr accidentally spilled his tea on the rocky spot which turned it into a "bright orange liquid" which became the iconic Irn Bru flavouring.
The tongue in cheek marker is attached to the fence near Kelvinbridge subway station to mark the site of "Robert Barr's Guid Ore Mine."
Passersby can stop and take in the "history" of the "mine" (rail tunnel).
The tall-tale of Robert Barr's 'Guid Ore Mine' (Image: Newsquest)
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The plaque reads: "In 1863, Robert Barr, the son of a Falkirk cork-maker, was brewing tea on this spot when he accidently knocked over his kettle.
"To his surprise, the hot water dissolved some of the rocky outcrop on which he sat, turning it into a bright orange, effervescent liquid.
"Out of curiosity, but with much trepidation, Barr tasted the resulting concoction and was surprised to find it had a unique, slightly metallic, and not entirely unpleasant flavour.
"Realising the opportunity, Barr borrowed enough money to purchase the land around the outcrop.
"He then set to work mining what he called his' guid ore' which he turned into a health tonic he named Iron Brew and advertised as being made in Scotland from 'guid ore': It was an instant hit, and within a matter of months it had made him a millionaire many times over.
"By 1890, Barr had extracted all of the guid ore he could and despite an exhaustive search, he couldn't locate another source.
"By then he'd stock-piled enough to ensure the continuous production of his Iron Brew (which was rebranded as Irn-Bru in the 1940s) until 2037, but after that date, the company he founded will no longer be able to produce any more.
"In 1892, Barr sold the mine to the Caledonian Railway Company, who used it as the basis of a new railway line connecting the west of Glasgow to the city centre via this tunnel.
"However, the steam from the engines mixed with the last traces of guid ore' in the rock, creating a distinctive dour which made it unpopular with the more refined residents of Glasgow's fashionable west end and it closed soon after."
This is of course, a bit of a fabrication on the truth behind Scotland's favourite drink that's "made from girders."
The plaque was erected by the Glasgow Information and Kultural Identity Taskforce (GlaIKIT).
It's one of several across the city which GlaIKIT say are their "guide to the interesting (and some would say unbelievable) events which we feel have helped shape the city we call home."
For anyone visiting Glasgow for the @UciWorldCycling and who wants to learn a little more about the host city, we have provided a number of informative plaques. They're not remotely not true, but they are informative! #glasgow #glaikit #glasgowhistory #glasgowhumour — Glasgow Information & Kultural Identity Taskforce (@Glaikit_Scot) August 11, 2023
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The plaques previously caught people's attention as one at the Duke of Wellington Statue claimed to provide the inside story ofthe 'Ancient Tradition Behind The Cones On Glasgow's Statues'.
Others tell tall-tales of "the short-lived prohibition on potatoes" in the city and one famous gig in King Tut's in the city centre, claiming that "the Gallagher brothers only got their big break as the result of a typographic error."
Glasgow plaque 'reveals source' of Barr's Irn Bru's flavour (Image: Newsquest) Other humorous plaques detail fierce battles like "The Legendary Bun Fight At The Byres Road Corral."
While all the stories are a bit far-fetched, they offer a city wanderer the opportunity to stop and take in the sights around them that they may have overlooked.
As for Irn Bru, the secret recipe to its iconic taste still remains a mystery...
