Tuesday 19 March 2019

UK Beer Imports during WW II

Before WW I, beer imports into the UK were at a very low level – just 50,000 barrels in 1910.   This figure shot up, however to 1.3 million barrels in 1924.   There was a very simple reason for this sudden massive increase: Irish independence. Over 95% of imports were a single beer, Guinness Extra Stout.

As you can see in the table below, little had changed by the time WW II kicked off.  Much as before the first war, imports from the rest of the world remained at a meagre 50,000 barrels or so. Judging by the main sources of these imports – Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands – it’s safe to assume most of this was Lager.

All of the countries from which the UK imported any quantity of beer (other than the Republic of Ireland) were in Axis hands during the war. So it’s pretty obvious they wouldn’t be supplying any beer for the duration.

Sadly, I don’t have figures for the source of imports during the war years. However, I do have the numbers for total Irish exports. Adjusting these to strip out Foreign Extra Stout and using the OG of Guinness to convert standard barrels to bulk barrels, I can come up with a reasonable estimate of Irish imports. And it matches very closely to the total volume of imports. Not that that should be any great surprise.

The fall in imports from Ireland in 1943 and 1944 is as a result of a dispute between the Republic of Ireland and the UK. In late 1943, in order to force the UK government to export more grain to Ireland, the Irish government banned the export of beer. The UK caved in, fearing what would happen in Northern Ireland where the vast majority of beer sold was from the Republic. Almost all in the form of Guinness.

After the war, imports picked up pretty much where they had left off. The only exception being Germany, from which no beer was imported until 1953.  Lack of availability would have been one of the main reasons. In the immediate post-war years the occupying powers severely restricted brewing in Germany. The British, for example, only allowed brewing for UK troops stationed in Germany.


UK Beer imports 1936 - 1951
Country of Origin 1936 1937 1938 1950 1951
Irish Republic 1,380,343 1,256,212 836,624 1,031,159 1,025,902
Other British Countries 128 121 108 22 31
Total from British Countries 1,380,471 1,256,333 836,732 1,031,181 1,025,933
Denmark 17,867 22,560 25,459 17,686 23,058
Germany 16,953 18,669 18,813 - -
Netherlands 8,824 9,143 8,708 2,685 3,492
Belgium 128 705 821 700 1,150
Czechoslovakia 3,806 3,882 3,810 915 903
Other Foreign Countries 241 180 278 224 1,703
Total from Foreign Countries 47,819 55,139 57,895 22,110 30,306
Total Bulk Barrels 1,428,290 1,311,472 894,627 1,053,291 1,056,239
Source:
“1955 Brewers' Almanack”, page 60.


Guinness Extra Stout exports to the UK 1939 - 1943
Years ended 31st March 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943
Irish Exports: Standard barrels 770,562 789,864 767,209 905,165 691,275
FES Exports: Standard barrels 17,639 18,810 17,630 9,847 13,864
Exports Extra Stout  752,923 771,054 749,579 895,318 677,411
Extra Stout OG 1055 1053 1048 1047 1046
Irish Exports: bulk barrels 752,923 800,150 858,893 1,047,712 809,947
UK imports 838,269 822,678 789,787 1,047,374 837,788
Sources:
“1955 Brewers' Almanack”, page 60.
“1955 Brewers' Almanack”, pages 107 - 110.

Guinness Extra Stout exports to the UK 1944 - 1947
Years ended 31st March 1944 1945 1946 1947
Irish Exports: Standard barrels 483,031 661,674 802,122 676,485
FES Exports: Standard barrels 22,660 19,939 15,338 29,974
Exports Extra Stout  460,371 641,735 786,784 646,511
Extra Stout OG 1046 1046 1046 1042
Irish Exports: bulk barrels 550,444 767,292 940,720 846,621
UK imports 572,389 765,602 929,028 860,161
Sources:
“1955 Brewers' Almanack”, page 60.
“1955 Brewers' Almanack”, pages 107 - 110.


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