If you’re wondering why 1941 is missing, it’s because the brewery was closed due to bomb damage.
From 1943 on, there’s a significant increase in both the quantity and proportion of total production of IP. Going from 753 barrels and 23% in 1939, to 1,945 and 40% in 1945. A significant switch from Mild to Bitter after 1942. Is this when England started falling out of love with Mild?
What could the reason be? XX dropped down to its bottom OG of 1028º in 1943. While IP was 1041º. Were drinkers trading up to Bitter because Mild was getting too watery for them? Or was it simply that they had more cash and could afford the more expensive option?
I’ve included the 1951 figures to show that the trend from Mild to Bitter continued after the war.
Just one brewery. How typical was it? Certainly, got me thinking.
| Boddington output by type in April 1939 - 1945 | ||||||
| Year | Beer | XX | IP | St | CC | total |
| 1939 | barrels | 2,303.22 | 753.39 | 93.83 | 98.33 | 3,248.78 |
| % | 70.90% | 23.19% | 2.89% | 3.03% | ||
| 1940 | barrels | 3,390.14 | 636.83 | 93.83 | 94.86 | 4,215.67 |
| % | 80.42% | 15.11% | 2.23% | 2.25% | ||
| 1942 | barrels | 3,878.58 | 1,011.58 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4,890.17 |
| % | 79.31% | 20.69% | 0.00% | 0.00% | ||
| 1943 | barrels | 3,520.78 | 1,477.36 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4,998.14 |
| % | 70.44% | 29.56% | 0.00% | 0.00% | ||
| 1944 | barrels | 2,670.69 | 1,466.39 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4,137.08 |
| % | 64.56% | 35.44% | 0.00% | 0.00% | ||
| 1945 | barrels | 2,910.06 | 1,944.58 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4,854.64 |
| % | 59.94% | 40.06% | 0.00% | 0.00% | ||
| 1951 | barrels | 2,681.42 | 2,108.69 | 200.06 | 0.00 | 4,790.11 |
| % | 55.98% | 44.02% | 4.18% | 0.00% | ||
| Source: | ||||||
| Boddington brewing record held at Manchester Central Library, document number M693/405/129. | ||||||
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2 comments:
Just a theory, but did people generally have more disposable income during the war? There were jobs for everyone who wanted one; women had also entered the workforce. And men in the army were guaranteed a steady pay packet.
I think the declining strength of mild would have had a big impact on the rise in sales of bitter as well.
What about adulteration? Landlords would have had a lot more incentive to water down their mild when supplies were short.
If you have any accounts of what happened during the bombing, how they reacted in the aftermath, and how they rebuilt, it would be great to hear someday.
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