Friday 28 June 2024

Should I include this in "Keg!"?

I've done quite a lot of research for my book on the 1970s, "Keg!". And assembled all sorts of tables. Just not sure I should use everything.

One which has troubled me pretty much sine I assembled it, is of all the UK breweries in the mid-1970s and the beers they brewed. I ind it interesting. But it will take up a lot of space. And does anyone other, than me, give a toss about this stuff?

I'm undecided as to its use. And I'd be interested in your opinion. Would it just be a waste of paper? Or a fascinating insight into 1970s brewing?

To help you decide, here are a couple of examples. Let me know i you'd like more brewery info, like its location and county.

Adnams
Tied houses 70      
beers        
Mild Mild draught 1032 Dark Mild
Bitter Pale Ale draught 1036 distinctive
Strong Ale Old Ale draught 1042
Tally Ho Barley Wine draught 1075  Winter only
Bitter Pale Ale keg    
Champion Pale Ale Pale Ale bottled 1032  
Fishermans Strong Pale Ale bottled    
Braodside Pale Ale bottled 1068  
Tally Ho Barley Wine bottled 1075  
Nut Brown Ale Brown Ale bottled   medium sweet

Ann Street
Tied houses 50      
Best Bitter Pale Ale keg   well hopped
Extra Special Bitter Pale Ale keg   stronger and sweeter
Mary Ann Pale Ale Pale Ale bottled    
Mary Ann Special Pale Ale bottled    
Mary Ann Brown Ale Brown Ale bottled   medium sweet
Mary Ann Stout Stout bottled   Dry Stout


10 comments:

Phil said...

Adnams: fascinating, a window on the past, wonder what the Fisherman's was like...

Ann Street: who? what? who cares?

So there's your answer, or at least an answer - historical information for breweries people already know about is interesting. Maybe you could include all the breweries that made it into the 21st century in the book & relegate the rest to an online appendix.

Richard said...

For historical purposes I would find it interesting but further information on where the breweries were located would be needed

Anonymous said...

Yes please do.
Oscar

Bribie G said...

Thinking back to those days quite a few breweries were mostly cask but experimented with a keg or two. For example Brains of Cardiff who briefly launched a keg bitter called Tudor Bitter. I remember it as being pretty nasty and I often wondered if it came out of the same pipeline as their two pint flagons of Bitter sold in off licences.
I'd guess that for the "Keg" book, detailed lists of such a brewery's non-Keg beers might detract a bit from the flow.

However more info about the location and size of each brewery would be great.

Thom Farrell said...

Yes! Bring on the data

Chris Pickles said...

I'd be more interested in a list like that from the 60's. Of course it would be longer - maybe needs a separate project?

Chris Pickles said...

Ann Street - 50 tied houses, on Jersey, Is that right?

Rob Sterowski said...

Do it as a separate book.

There's been debate for some years, since the massive expansion in the number of breweries caused by small brewery duty relief, of spinning off the breweries section of the Good Beer Guide into a separate volume, as it’s now as big as the pubs section.

The 1970s Brewery Directory would not sell in great numbers but would be unique and invaluable for research. Having done the work on it, it would be a shame not to publish it. Imagine how useful it would be for a future version of yourself.

Thom Farrell said...

What were Theakstons doing at this time

Chris said...

An overview per region North, Northwest etc. would be enough for me plus special or unique beers in a region.