Thursday 21 March 2019

UK brewing 1938 - 1949

WW II was a challenging time for British brewers, though, due to a variety of factors, not nearly as difficult as WW I.

The biggest difference was that, unlike in WW I, beer production was maintained at it pre-war level.  Even in terms of standard barrels, which take the OG of the beer out of the equation. In terms of bulk barrels, production actually increased by 25%.

The difference between the two wars was due to a variety of factors. Better preparation, an assumption that the war would last several years, and controlling food supply right from the outset meant that raw materials were never in as short supply. But another important factor was the more sympathetic approach of the government. In WW I the authorities had been positively hostile to the industry.

At first glance it might seem odd that imports held up so well during WW II. In WW I, imports had dwindled to zero. But it’s all about Ireland, which in 1939 was an independent country. But still supplying large quantities of beer to the UK. Imports during the war years were almost exclusively from Ireland. And the vast majority of it a single beer, Guinness Extra Stout.

There was one thing which suffered: the strength of beer, which dropped by almost 20%. Average gravity would never return to its level of 1939, settling down at around 1037º in 1951. Where it remained for the next forty years.  It was one of the most long-lasting effects of the war.

Beer production and consumption, which both fared well during the war, weren’t so lucky during the peace. They fell all through the 1950s and only got back to their 1948 level in 1961.  Falling demand was one of the factors behind the large scale rationalisation in the 1950s.


UK brewing 1938 - 1949
Year Production (bulk barrels) Production (standard barrels) Consumption (bulk barrels) Exports (bulk barrels) Imports (bulk barrels) Average OG
1938 24,205,631 18,055,539 25,087,393 281,284 1,163,046 1041.02
1939 24,674,992 18,364,156 25,229,287 283,974 838,269 1040.93
1940 25,366,782 18,738,619 25,922,694 266,766 822,678 1040.62
1941 26,203,803 18,351,113 26,768,038 225,552 789,787 1038.51
1942 29,860,796 19,294,605 30,813,374 94,796 1,047,374 1035.53
1943 29,296,672 18,293,919 30,027,441 107,019 837,788 1034.34
1944 30,478,289 19,193,773 30,973,081 77,597 572,389 1034.63
1945 31,332,852 19,678,449 31,968,011 130,443 765,602 1034.54
1946 32,650,200 20,612,225 33,391,810 187,418 929,028 1034.72
1947 29,261,398 17,343,690 30,011,879 109,680 860,161 1032.59
1948 30,408,634 18,061,390 31,067,391 205,098 863,855 1032.66
1949 26,990,144 16,409,937 27,611,545 254,147 875,548 1033.43
change 1938 - 1949 11.50% -9.11% 10.06% -9.68% -24.74% -18.50%
Source:
Brewers' Almanack 1955, pages 50 and 57.

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