Barley Wine During WW II

What happened to Barley Wine during WW II? Not much, apart from disappear. Beers of that sort of strength just weren’t brewed after the first year or two.

The last mention of Bass No. 1 in the British Newspaper Archive is an advertisement from March 1942.  Though I doubt it was still being brewed in 1942. I’m sure Bass, like Truman still aged their Barley Wine for a long period, probably at least 12 months. My guess would be that it was dropped no later than mid-1941.

As the Barley Wine that was available during the war had either been brewed before it started or in the early years, I doubt that there was much, if any, change in strength.

I only have details of one wartime Barley Wine: Truman Stock 1. Brewed in Burton, this was the aged component of the blend which made up their No. 1 Barley Wine.

9th Apr 1940 Truman Stock 1
OG	1105.3
FG	1034.9
ABV	9.31
App. Attenuation	66.84%
lbs hops/ quarter	12.73
hops lb/barrel	5.83
pale malt	72.09%
high dried malt	23.26%
invert sugar	4.65%
hops	English (1939)
Source:
Truman brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number B/THB/C/341.

After 12 months ageing, the FG would have been considerably lower.aged component of the blend which made up their No. 1 Barley Wine.