The drink was first produced in 1901 under the name Iron Brew. Other soft drink manufacturers in Scotland, such as Hays or Sangs, produce their own versions of Iron Brew and keep the original spelling, but only Barr, the major vendor, changed to the phonetic spelling in 1946 ostensibly to circumvent government regulations on product naming.
When half-flat, cold, and combined with the previous night's haggis dinner, it is widely reputed to be an excellent cure for hangovers.
Rather surprisingly, it also makes an excellent mixer with vodka, which explains why it sells more in Russia than Scotland (although this information may be out of date).
When McDonald's restaurants first opened for business in Glasgow they did not serve Irn Bru. This was an insult to the Scots who, as a result, picketed many restaurants until the McDonald's Corporation relented.
The manufacturer is A.G. Barr, plc, United Kingdom
