Beer zoning

Remember me mentioning in the comments the recipe for 1916 Barclay Perkins XLK (Watney), that during WW II brewery's supplied each other's pubs to save on transport? Beer zoning is what it was called.

And here are some more details:

"Questions on Beer Zoning
"Evening Post" Reporter
Speculation is rife as to what may happen when the details of the Beer Zoning Scheme have been hammered out by the Ministry of Food in collaboration with the brewers.

As outlined In "The Yorkshire Evening Post" last night, the aim of the authorities is two-fold: to avoid long-distance haulage and secure fairer distribution. To this end, the country is being divided into regions, Yorkshire being allotted six areas, with Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield and York (for the East Riding) the principal centres.

Brewers whom I consulted to-day were unable to throw any light what is likely to happen. The whole situation is honeycombed with question marks.

In the first place, is conservation of transport intended apply only to road haulage, to save petrol and rubber, does the term embrace rail facilities?

This is important, having regard, for example, to the demand for Burton and Edinburgh beer in Leeds and other West Riding centres, and to the popularity some of the Yorkshire firms' products in Blackpool during the hollday season.

Again, will Leeds brewers, who have a considerable interest at stake, be debarred from continuing to send supplies to their own licensed houses Bradford, and vice-versa? On this point, an authority in the trade told me he did not consider likely that a semi-local arrangement of this character would be upset.

The position as it affects bottled beers and stouts, brewed outside the County, also would appear to be in conslderable doubt. All that is certain regards Leeds is that the Leeds taste tor local beverages — and the term "local" can include Tadcaster ale — will let alone."
Yorkshire Evening Post - Wednesday 03 February 1943, page 6.

Interesting how the distinction was being made betwen road and rail transport. Hoping one wouldn't be affected, really. I suspect draught Bass remained nationally available. Guinness surely was. My guesss would be that zoning was particularly aimed at draught beer, which is where most of the weight was. Especially during the war when production of bottled beer was restricted by things like a shortage of bottles.

More to come on beer zoning.