Beer Guide to the 1970s (part thirty-two)

We're almost at the end of the independent breweries. You're probably glad to hear that. Until you realise how many breweries Whitbread and Bass Charrington operated in the 1970s. Which means I'm only about two-thirds of the way through.

Two of today's breweries are sill open. Well, sort of. As Charles Wells sold their brewery and then opened a new one a couple of years later. As it's the same company with much of the same tied estate, I'd count it as a continuation rather than a new start.

Wadworth
Devizes,
Wiltshire.

Founded:    1768
Closed:            still open
Tied houses:    148

A regional brewer in the Southwest of England, Wadworth had a pretty good reputation, especially for 6X, their Best Bitter. Possibly because almost all of their pubs sold cask beer. I thought their beers were pretty good, despite the black mark against them for not brewing a cask Mild. I happily drank plenty of 6X when I lived Swindon. 

beer	style	format	OG	description
Pale Ale	Pale Ale	draught	1031	distinctive flavour
IPA	IPA	draught	1035	slightly stronger
6X	Pale Ale	draught	1040	well flavoured, not sweet at all
Old Timer	Old Ale	draught	1053	pale, heavy and fruity
Mild Ale	Mild	draught		Dark Mild
Golden Keg	Pale Ale	keg	1035	high-gravity Bitter
Pale Ale	Pale Ale	bottled	1028
Green Label	Pale Ale	bottled		strong
Old Timer	Old Ale	bottled
Brown Ale	Brown Ale	bottled	1031	medium sweet
Middy Brown	Brown Ale	bottled		stronger and sweeter
Oatmeal Stout	Stout	bottled		dryish

Ward
Sheffield,
South Yorkshire.

Founded:    1837
Closed:            1999
Tied houses:    96

Ward was the smallest, brewery in Sheffield and was owned by Vaux of Sunderland. Their Mild was pretty nice, but, sadly, difficult to find. As already by the mid-1970s, Mild was dead in Sheffield. Most of their pubs were in the Sheffield area, but stretched as far south as Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. They had a good reputation and most of their pubs served cask. Bought by Vaux in 1972.

beer	style	format	OG	description
Bitter	Pale Ale	draught		distinctive flavour, malty
Best Bitter	Pale Ale	draught	1038.7	stronger
Mild	Mild	draught	1034	Light Mild, agreeable flavour
Pale Ale	Pale Ale	bottled
Brown Ale	Brown Ale	bottled
Kirby Ale	Brown Ale	bottled		stronger
Welcome Stout	Stout	bottled

Charles Wells
Bedford,
Bedfordshire.

Founded:    1818
Closed:            still open (sort of)
Tied houses:    269

One of the larger independent brewers in the Southeast, Wells their tied estate was mostly located to the North of London, stretching as far as Cambridge in the East and Northampton in the West. I mostly came across their beers at festivals. I can’t say that they left much of an impression on me. Only around a quarter of their pubs sold cask. The brewery and brands were sold to Marston in 2017. The Wells family opened a new brewery in 2019.

beer	style	format	OG	description
IPA	IPA	draught	1036	well-hopped
Fargo	Pale Ale	draught	1051	dark and smooth
Mild	Mild	draught		darkish, nutty
Noggin Keg	Pale Ale	keg	1040	hoppier than average
Ace Lager	Lager	keg
Light Ale	Pale Ale	bottled
Star Special	Pale Ale	bottled		strong
Fargo Ale	Strong Ale	bottled
Old Bedford Ale	Old Ale	bottled
Brown Ale	Brown Ale	bottled		similar to the Mild
Welcome Brown	Brown Ale	bottled		sweet
Bowman Stout	Stout	bottled		medium sweet