Light Ale hops 1968 - 1984

We’ll end with the hops, of which there are also loads. Every beer contains at least two different types. While most have three or more.

There was a reason for this: so that when the supply of one hop ran out, it’s replacement wouldn’t alter the flavour of the beer too much. The Watney Mann Quality manual insists that at least three different growths be used in all beers.

The vast majority of the hops were English. Which is what you would expect in this period, when the UK was pretty much self-sufficient in hops. The only foreign hops are two lots of Styrian and one of British Columbian.

Where specified, the English hops are all from Kent or Worcester. Which makes sense as these were the largest hop-producing regions.

As for the varieties, most would likely have been Fuggles or Goldings, simply because they were the most produced types. At least at the start of the period.

Later, Northern Brewer, Bramling Cross, Bullion, Wye Northdown and Wye Challenger became more prominent. The Watney Mann Quality Manual states that no more than a third of the hops should be of these new varieties. The remainder being Fuggles or Goldings.     

Light Ale hops 1968 - 1984
Year	Brewer	Beer	hop 1	hop 2	hop 3	hop 4	hop 5
1977	Adnams	LBA	English	English	English
1971	Boddington	Bod	English	English
1984	Eldridge Pope	BAK	English	English	English	English	Styrian
1968	Fullers	LA	Worcester 1967	EK 1966	Styrian 1967
1972	Shepherd Neame	LA	Kent 1970	Kent 1971	Kent 1972
1969	Truman	LK	English 1967	English 1967	English 1968	British Colombia 1967
Sources:
Adnams brewing record held at the brewery.
Boddington brewing record held at Manchester Central Library, document number M693/405/134.
Eldridge Pope brewing record.
Fullers brewing record held at the brewery.
Shepherd Neame brewing book held at the brewery, document number 1971 H-5O5.
Truman brewing record held by Derek Prentice.