UK hopping rates 1940 - 1968

As thromised, part two of my look at British hopping rates in the 20th century.

You must tell me, by the way, if all these numbers start getting too tedious. It won't make me stop posting them, but it may make you feel better.

That hopping rates fell during WW II is no surprise. After more than a third of the new crop was destroyed by an air raid on 29th December, 1940, the government ordered brewers to cut their hopping rates.

"Consumption of hops by brewers was cut in June, 1941, under instructions of the Ministry of Food, by 20%. of the rate used per standard barrel. This cut ceased to operate in 1947"
1955 Brewers' Almanack, page 64.

The fall between 1940 and 1942 is indeed around 20%. And, like magic, hopping rates started to climb again in 1948. It's a good illustration of how government directly interfered in the technical aspects of brewing. Many features of beer and pubs have been fiddled with in this way. To a greater extent than in most other industries.

The rise in hopping rates didn't last long. In 1951 they started to decline again and that trend continued until the end of the table.  What's odd about the fall between 1960 and 1968, is that there was a swing away from Mild to Bitter in that period. You would expect the hopping rate to have increased.

UK hopping rates 1940 - 1968
year	bulk barrels	hops	lbs hops per barrel	Average OG	oz. hops per gravity point
1940	24,925,704	265,512	1.19	1040.62	0.47
1941	28,170,582	251,354	1.00	1038.51	0.42
1942	29,584,656	223,007	0.84	1035.53	0.38
1943	29,811,321	231,589	0.87	1034.34	0.41
1944	31,380,684	243,900	0.87	1034.63	0.40
1945	31,990,334	244,822	0.86	1034.54	0.40
1946	31,066,950	226,197	0.82	1034.72	0.38
1947	30,103,180	217,759	0.81	1032.59	0.40
1948	28,813,725	231,470	0.90	1032.66	0.44
1949	26,744,457	233,158	0.98	1033.43	0.47
1950	25,339,062	232,979	1.03	1033.88	0.49
1951	24,870,564	229,106	1.03	1036.99	0.45
1952	25,285,589	228,512	1.01	1037.07	0.44
1953	24,789,130	225,569	1.02	1036.87	0.44
1954	24,153,387	216,841	1.01	1036.97	0.44
1955	24,324,623	217,716	1.00	1037.13	0.43
1956	24,187,096	218,820	1.01	1037.22	0.44
1957	24,839,755	215,114	0.97	1037.42	0.41
1958	24,129,462	208,870	0.97	1037.48	0.41
1959	25,023,044	216,037	0.97	1037.52	0.41
1960	26,313,796	226,371	0.96	1037.25	0.41
1961	27,600,860	234,611	0.95	1037.41	0.41
1962	27,736,049	226,437	0.91	1037.70	0.39
1963	27,942,561	226,565	0.91	1037.70	0.39
1964	29,485,128	237,356	0.90	1037.66	0.38
1965	29,579,855	236,424	0.90	1037.67	0.38
1966	30,178,056	232,119	0.86	1037.63	0.37
1967	30,751,420	221,793	0.81	1037.46	0.35
1968	30,763,106	200,254	0.73	1037.36	0.31
Sources:
Brewers' Almanack 1955, p. 50
Brewers' Almanack 1955, page 62
Brewers' Almanack 1962, p. 48
Brewers' Almanack 1971, p. 45
1971 Brewers'Almanack, page 54

I must see if I can find the figures for after 1968. I must have them somewhere.