Spying with beer

I have a large collection of brewery histories. They are often a frustrating read, concentrating on owning family members or the company's finances. But some are much handier. Providing some real insights. The first volume of Heineken's history falls into the latter category.

Published in 1949, just a few years after the end of the war, the conflict was clearly still in the author's mind. There are some passages which layout the attitude and goals of the C.B.K. (Centraal Brouwerj Kantoor), the Dutch brewers' organisation.

"We have just mentioned two fundamental aspects of the C.B.K. However, the practical side of the unity of the brewing world vis-à-vis the occupying forces must also be emphasized. Initially, the requisitioning of brewery staff took place on an individual basis. Due to the intervention of the management of the C.B.K. However, it has been achieved that such individual actions will not be taken. Afterwards, the C.B.K. also led the Germans to classify the brewery staff and beer merchants as indispensable. Furthermore, the C.B.K. took action when the occupiers took the position of allowing some breweries to continue working and forcing others to close: it was possible to manage that all breweries were allowed to continue working. In order to arrive at this result, reference was made to the mandatory deliveries to the "Wehrmacht", which, however, never amounted to more than 8 percent of the total turnover and guaranteed that sales to Dutch customers, which were always seriously threatened, would continue. It could also be averted by invoking those mandatory deliveries by pointing to Hitler's demand "Bier soll sein" and so too could the threat of copper requisitioning. This was of great significance. In the previous war the copper requisitioning in Belgium had fatal consequences for the brewing industry of our southern neighbors and the consequences for our breweries would certainly have been even more serious in connection with the serious shortage of materials that existed after the Second War."
Korte Geschiedenis der Heineken's Bierbrouwerij Maatschappij N.V. 1873-1948, H. A. Korthals, 1949, pages 390-391.

The primary aim of the C.B.K. was to keep all Dutch breweries open until the end of the war.Specifically, they wanted to avoid the fate og Belgium's breweries in WW I, when most were stripped of their copper by the Germans. Many never to reopen. They managed to convince the Germans that all breweries needed to stay open in order to supply the Whrmacht. Even though only 8% of production was needed. Leaving plenty of beer for Dutch civilians.

Unwisely, the Germans let the C.B.K. organise beer deliveries to German units.

"It is worth mentioning that the regulation of deliveries to the "Wehrmacht" proposed by the C.B.K. enabled the agency to determine almost exactly the strength of the troop concentrations in the various parts of our country. This information was also passed on to the English spy service. The leadership of the C.B.K. had, however, anticipated the possibility of "passing on" the figures when setting up the scheme and, when submitting the proposals in the accompanying letter, it had pointed out - otherwise unspecified - dangers associated with the scheme. When Mr. Stikker was called to account, he was able to point out to the Germans that he had alerted them to possible dangers and furthermore he argued that he could hardly be held responsible for the "leak" in the C.B.K. where no fewer than 70 people worked!"
Korte Geschiedenis der Heineken's Bierbrouwerij Maatschappij N.V. 1873-1948, H. A. Korthals, 1949, page 391.

It seems that the Germans were so keen to let someone else organise their beer for them, that they didn't worry about the information about their troops that was being given away. I wonder exactly how the information was passed on to British intelligence? It's not like they could just call them on the phone. 

(My translation.)

Who was drinking Lager in the 1970s?

With my head stuck firmly up the arse of the seventies, this is a question which has crossed my mind often of late. Who were all the new coverts to Lager that were making its sales boom?

I could make all sorts of prejudiced guesses and assumptions. But, thankfully, someone bothered to do research at the time. Not exactly disinterested research, as it was at the behest of Lager brewers themselves.

Let's start with a brewer close to home: Heineken. 

"The company have also carried out an extensive research project into the market for draught lager and they have found that most draught lager drinkers tend to be in the younger age group, half of the present drinkers being under 35, and three quarters under 45."
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, March 1970, page 44.

I'm amazed that 25% of Lager drinkers were over 45. Had they been drinking Lager for years or were they new converts, too? Or, perhaps, Scottish?

There was a downside, though. These new Lager drinkers had little brand loyalty:

"Heineken's view on the annual 30 per cent increase in this market is that one-bird of the present draught lager drinkers started drinking it in the last year. It was also found that brand preferences are low - nine out of ten people would willingly accept another brand if their usual one was not available."
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, March 1970, page 44.

What had these new Lager drinkers been drinking before?

"Heineken say that most people who do not drink draught lager have not tried it because they regard it as too expensive. In view of this they strongly recommend that the retail price for Draught Heineken should be at 2s. lOd. per pint. Finally, although many licensees appear to think that the introduction of draught lager will hit bottled lager sales, it seems to Heineken that a sizeable proportion of the present draught lager drinkers are drawn from the ranks of previous draught bitter and keg drinkers - hence the promotion of Draught Heineken as a new draught beer."
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, March 1970, page 44.

What a surprise - cask and keg Bitter. Though I'm sure there must have been some converts from Mild, too.

Another Lager brewer found a similar age profile:

"Since lager is increasing in popularity each year, who is drinking it? According to a market survey conducted recently for Skol, it is men and women between the ages of 20 and 40 who find lager their favourite tipple. People generally have more money in their pockets these days and are prepared to spend it on more “sophisticated” drinks providing they offer value for money."
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, March 1970, page 46.

Young people with too much money. That's who's to blame. As always.

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1941 Heineken Donker Lagerbier

Another wartime Heineken recipe. A beautifully watery one. But isn't low-alcohol beer all the rage?

Heineken’s other Lagerbier suffered the same gravity reduction as its paler sibling. Down to the waste of time drinking level.

A lot has been going on with the grist. First, there’ the placement, as with all their beers, of some of the malt by sugar. The quantity of caraamber has declined a little, that of caramel malt almost doubled along with a massive increase in the amount of carafe. The latter change I’m sure being to maintain the colour after the addition of so much sugar.

Unlike the pale version, dark Lagerbier has had its hopping rate cut, reducing the (calculated) IBUs from 14 to 12. Bugger all, really, even for a beer this watery. The hops were the same “SuK” from the 1940 season is in the pale version.

1941 Heineken Donker Lagerbier
pilsner malt	2.75 lb	63.51%
caramel malt 60 L	0.25 lb	5.77%
caraamber	0.25 lb	5.77%
carafa III	0.33 lb	7.62%
sugar	0.75 lb	17.32%
Hallertau 90 mins	0.25 oz
Hallertau 60 mins	0.25 oz
Hallertau 30 mins	0.33 oz
OG	1021
FG	1005.5
ABV	2.05
Apparent attenuation	73.81%
IBU	12
SRM	15
Mash double decoction
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	48º F
Yeast	WLP830 German Lager

 This recipe is one of 553 in my recently-released BlitzKrieg!, the definitive book on brewing during WW II.

Get your copy now!

The second volume contains the recipes. But not just that. There are also overviews of some of the breweries covered, showing their beers at the start and the end of the conflict.

Buy one now and be the envy of your friends!

 

Let's Brew - 1941 (late) Heineken Beiersch

I'm so glad that I have some Heineken brewing records from WW II. If only to demonstrate that things weren't all that bad in the UK

The other vaguely-intoxicating Heineken beer of this period is Beiersch. Though, like Pils, it’s had 10º lopped off its OG.

Similar changes to the grist to in Donker Lagerbier have been made. Namely a doubling of the quantity of caramel malt and a big increase in the amount of carafa. And just about 20% of the base malt has been replaced by sugar. Despite more dark malt being employed the colour has become quite a bit paler.

Quite a sizeable reduction in the hopping rate has, despite the fall in gravity reduced the (calculated) bitterness level from 15 IBU to 12 IBU. The hops were a single type of Hallertau from the 1940 crop. 

Mash in at 35º C (95º F)	5 minutes
Warm whole mash to 52º C (126º F)	20 minutes
Rest whole mash at 52º C (126º F) (protein rest)	15 minutes
Draw off first mash and without a rest bring to the boil	30 minutes
Boil first mash	10 minutes
The rest of the mash remains at 52º C (126º F)	40 minutes
Mash at 70º C (158º F)	25 minutes
Rest whole mash at 70º C (158º F) (saccharification rest)	30 minutes
Draw off second mash and without a rest bring to the boil	15 minutes
Boil second mash	10 minutes
Mash at 76º C (169º F) and mash out	20 minutes

1941 (late) Heineken Beiersch
pilsner malt	4.25 lb	71.67%
caramel malt 60 L	0.25 lb	4.22%
caraamber	0.25 lb	4.22%
carafa III	0.18 lb	3.04%
sugar	1.00 lb	16.86%
Hallertau 90 mins	0.125 oz
Hallertau 60 mins	0.33 oz
Hallertau 30 mins	0.50 oz
OG	1029
FG	1007.5
ABV	2.84
Apparent attenuation	74.14%
IBU	13
SRM	11
Mash double decoction
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	48º F
Yeast	WLP830 German Lager

This recipe is one of 553 in my recently-released BlitzKrieg!, the definitive book on brewing during WW II.

Get your copy now!

The second volume contains the recipes. But not just that. There are also overviews of some of the breweries covered, showing their beers at the start and the end of the conflict.

Buy one now and be the envy of your friends!

 

Looking back (part eight): Draught Lager prices in 1972

More early 1970s pricing fun. This time, it's the turn of Lager. How will this type turn out in terms of value for money?

Crap, obviously. Especially when compared with more traditional British styles. But we'll be getting back to that later.

At this point, most breweries were trying to brew their own Lager. Four of the ten examples come from regional breweries: Greenall Whitley, Vaux, Hall & Woodhouse and Youngs. Another four are international brands: Carling, Heineken, Carlsberg and Tuborg. Though two of those - Carling and Heineken were brewed under licence by Big Six brewers, namely Bass and Whitbread, respectively.

Harp is listed as being brewed by Guinness, but at this point it was also brewed by Courage. It was an odd period, as not all the Big Six owned their Lager brand. Something that was going to increase in importance as Lager slowly caught up with, and the surpassed, Bitter in popularity. All the weirder, given the amount of advertising effort they put into Lager.

Why were brewers so keen on Lager? Because the profit margins were larger. In theory, Lager cost more to brew than Bitter or Mild. That's if you brewed it the continental way and lagered it for a couple of months. But that wasn't how Lager was usually brewed in the UK. Harp, whose recipe was devised by a German brewer, was originally decocted, lagered for several weeks and "spundet" so that it conditioned naturally. Though I think all of that had been dropped by 1972.

The four Lagers from regional brewers won't have been decocted. And almost certainly weren't even bottom-fermented. They were just very pale and bland Ales.

The average price is almost 18p per pint. That's more than 50% greater than the average for Mild Ale, while being not much greater in strength. Which, along with being committed to cask, was why I never drank Lager myself. It was simply awful value for money. trying to think when I first drank Lager. It might well have been when I first visited the continent in 1979. When I drank Jupiler in Paris.

There's no correlation in this set between value for money and the size of the brewery. With Youngs Saxon second worst and Allied's Skol next to best. 

Draught Lager prices in 1972
Brewer	Beer	Price	º gravity per p	% ABV per p	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation
Greenall Whitley	Grunhalle	16	2.33	0.24	1037.3	1007.3	3.90	80.43%
Allied Breweries	Skol	15	2.21	0.23	1033.2	1007	3.40	78.92%
Vaux & Co	Norseman	16	2.21	0.23	1035.3	1007.6	3.60	78.47%
Carling	Black Label	18	2.17	0.24	1039.1	1006.1	4.30	84.40%
Guinness	Harp	17	1.93	0.19	1032.8	1006.6	3.30	79.88%
Heineken	Lager	17	1.93	0.21	1032.8	1005.9	3.50	82.01%
Hall & Woodhouse	Brock	18	1.83	0.19	1033	1006.8	3.40	79.39%
Carlsberg	Lager	18	1.64	0.17	1029.5	1005.6	3.10	81.02%
Young & Co	Saxon	21	1.50	0.17	1031.5	1004.6	3.50	85.40%
Tuborg	Lager	22	1.33	0.14	1029.3	1005.4	3.10	81.57%
Average		17.8	1.91	0.20	1033.4	1006.3	3.51	81.15%
Source:
Daily Mirror July 10th 1972, page 15

Trends

Being trendy is not something I've often been accused of. Having determinedly kept my finger as far away from the pulse as physically possible for five decades. I'm just glad that I still have a pulse.

Not living under a rock and occasionally venturing out, I do sometimes notice things. For example, while Andrew is loading up with this week's special offer Pils, I often run my eyes over Dirk's* beer selection. 

IPA started turning up a few years back. But relatively mainstream ones, in the form of Brand or 't Ij. More recently, crafty stuff has been appearing. OK, Oedipus, now owned by Heineken, isn't true craft any more. Some of the others are more worthy of the description. (If you think that it still means something.)

Great you might say. Not so much for me. Because they no longer sell any Trappist beers. As elsewhere in Holland, the range of Belgian beers available is being trimmed back. There's still Leffe Gulden Draak, Kasteel, La Chouffe, Duvel and Tripel Karmeliet on offer. Even Duvel Tripel Hop. But that's about it for Belgium.

When I was first in Holland, "special beer", as it was called, was all about Belgium. Even if the beer didn't come from there, it was inspired by it. T Ij, and the handful of other small Ducth breweries, mostly brewed Dubbels, Tripels and the like. Though there are still quite a few Belgian beers hanging around, newer Dutch brewers seek their inspiration elsewhere. Mostly the other side of the Atlantic. (Like everywhere else in the world.)

In the last couple of years there's been a big change in the draught offerings from pubs. Once about all you could expect was Pils, Witbier, De Koninck and maybe La Chouffe or an Ij beer. De Koninck, once the most widely available draught beer after Pils, has become a rarity. La Chouffe, which used to be all over the place, is becoming scarcer, too.

What's the current situation? Pils still reigns supreme,, obviously. That's far from displaced as Holland's favourite. But Witbier is increasingly being replaced by Hefeweizen. Usually either Paulaner (owned by Heineken), Augustiner Franziskaner (AB-Inbev) or Grolsch (Asahi).

Popping up everywhere is IPA. Like to guess which one is most common? It's not local favourite 't Ij IPA (now with a non-sexist label). No. Obviously, it's Lagunitas. Belonging to the Heineken stable helps. What with them having so many pubs tied to them.

That sums up what's happening in mainstream pubs, that is, non-specialist craft places. It's very different from the oceans of Pils and few bottles of Trappist on offer when I first arrived here. Craft places. Well, the few times I pop my around their doors, it's all the usual international stuff: Loads of IPAs of varying degrees of sludginess.

One thing hasn't changed, though. Most of the pub trade is still in the hands of big brewers. They've just, wisely in my opinion, broadened their focus. Why do you think people like Heineken have been buying up craft brewers? They need their products for their pubs. And they don't want to have to buy them from someone else. That would be stupid.



* Dirk van den Broek, a fairly cheap supermarket chain.

Beer is Bust beers

To go with yesterday's post of an advert listing various beers on sale here are analyses of most of them.

The ones described as "all" beers selling for 3 shillings or so a quart are those with gravities in the low 1030ºs. They're things like Brown ale, Light Ale and low-gravity Stouts. A beer selling for 3 shillings a quart would be around 10d or 11d when packaged as a half pint.

1/4 (16d) seems like pretty good value for a beer as strong as Bass or Worthington. I'm sure the advert got it wrong when it spoke of red and green labelled Bass. Their Pale Ale came with either a red label (bottle conditioned) or a blue label (brewery conditioned). It was Worthington which had Green Shield, the brewery-conditioned version of White Shield.

In the strong Pale Ale segment, Double Diamond, Tavern and Ben Truman were less value for money, being only 0.5d per half pint cheaper, despite being considerably weaker than Bass or Worthington.

Beer is Bust beers
Year	Brewer	Beer	Style	Price	size	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	colour
1955	Bass	Pale Ale (Blue Triangle)	Pale Ale			1063.5	1003.1	7.96	95.12%	19
1955	Bass	Pale Ale (Red Triangle)	Pale Ale			1063.2	1009.6	7.02	84.81%	19
1953	Bass	Barley Wine	Barley Wine	20d	nip	1104.6	1036.3	8.90	65.30%	80
1956	Ind Coope	Double Diamond	Pale Ale	17d	half pint	1048.3	1012.7	4.62	73.71%	20
1956	Simonds	Bitter Ale	Pale Ale	12d	half pint	1030.1	1010	2.60	66.78%	25
1956	Simonds	Berry Brown Ale	Brown Ale	16d	half pint	1031.9	1011.9	2.58	62.70%	85
1957	Simonds	Luncheon Stout	Stout	11d	half pint	1033.6	1014.9	2.41	55.65%	275
1959	Simonds	Tavern Export Ale	Pale Ale	17d	half pint	1045.8	1013	4.25	71.62%	18
1959	Simonds	SB Light Ale	Pale Ale	10d	half pint	1034.2	1010.3	3.09	69.88%	19
1956	Truman	Trubrown	Brown Ale	10.5d	half pint	1034.9	1016.5	2.37	52.72%	95
1956	Truman	Light Ale	Pale Ale	10d	half pint	1031.7	1011.4	2.62	64.04%	19
1956	Truman	Eagle Stout	Stout	11d	half pint	1034.8	1016.1	2.41	53.74%	225
1959	Truman	Ben Truman Pale Ale	Pale Ale	16d	half pint	1049.9	1010	5.20	79.96%	17
1953	Watney	Yorkshire Stingo	Barley Wine	17d	nip	1089.6	1031.7	7.52	64.62%	110
1956	Watney	Brown Ale	Brown Ale	10d	half pint	1032.2	1011.1	2.73	65.53%	120
1957	Watney	Special Stout	Stout	13d	half pint	1042.3	1009.4	4.28	77.78%	200
1959	Watney	Pale Ale	Pale Ale	10d	half pint	1033.2	1010.1	2.99	69.58%	23
1955	Worthington	India Pale Ale (Green Shield)	IPA			1063.3	1009.4	7.06	85.15%	18
1955	Worthington	India Pale Ale (White Shield)	IPA			1063.7	1002.9	8.02	95.45%	18
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.

Beer is Bust

If you're wondering about that title, it comes from the advert below. And is obviously a joke on the campaign of the brewing industry at the time call Beer is Best.

This advert provides an interesting snapshot of what types of beer were on offer in the late 1950s.

BEER is BUST - wide open!
Maybe you KNOW us best as WINE MERCHANTS but we can also tell you ALL there is to know about BEER - if you're interested. What's mere, we STOCK far MORE different BEERS than MOST brewers — because we have NO "ties" at all. We are not bound to sell ONLY this beer or that: we stock ALL the good been you are likely to ask for -  BECAUSE hate to lose a sale.
Worthing Gazette - Wednesday 26 June 1957, page 9.

First, the standard beers. Where they don't even bother mentioning the individual types, just the brewery.

We stock all SIMONDS beers, 3/- qt; all TRUMANS beers, 3/1 qt. ; all WATNEYS, 3/1 qt; all WHITBREADS, 3/7; also Fremlins, Tolly, Mackesons, Friary, Younger's, Eldridge Popes, Benskins, Flowers, and Uncle TOM COBLEY's too if you even SUGGEST you might want it.
Worthing Gazette - Wednesday 26 June 1957, page 9.

Fascinating that Whitbread was sold at a premium price compared to the other breweries. Especially surprising as two of the other brewers - Truman and Watney - were Whitbread's direct rivals. 

Next a selection of Burton Pale Ales.

BASS, of course — both Red and Green labels - in pints 2/7, half-pints 1/4, and nips 1/-; WORTHINGTON, same prices; Double-Diamond 1/4 ; TAVERN Ale, 1/3.5; Ben TRUMAN 1/3.5; and all other best ales.
Worthing Gazette - Wednesday 26 June 1957, page 9.

As relatively strong beers for the period, this set is much more expensive: 1/4 for a half pint when the standard beers sold for 3/- per quart.

I love the way the strongest ones are described as "he-man" beers:

And the HE-man beers: Simonds 5-X at 1/4 per nip; Stingo 1/6 nips: Barley Wine 1/8 nips. Lay in some beer at HOME and get the GARDENING done this weekend.
Worthing Gazette - Wednesday 26 June 1957, page 9.

A bit unusually, they still sold beer in casks.

If YOU like it from the WOOD - for real BEERMANSHIP - we can cope with that too: try a "PIN" (4.5 gallons), it should last you ALL evening! SIMONDS 30/-; Whitbreads Bitter 57/-; Younger. Scotch Ale No. 3 57/-, Worthington 57/-. Or any OTHER brew you fancy, in ANY size you like from a PIN to a HOGSHEAD (72 gallons - lasts MANY people a whole WEEKEND).
Worthing Gazette - Wednesday 26 June 1957, page 9.

Though they got the size of a hogshead wrong: it's 54 gallons. I'm guessing that the Simonds beer must have been Mild Ale, given the price relative to the other ones mentioned.

They were very keen on cans. I doubt any advert today would mention the method of can disposal suggested.

Beer in CANS is excellent - tastes BETTER than beer in bottles - honestly, And SO handy! NO empties to return. Just chuck them over the hedge; easy to CARRY, to OPEN, to DRINK. Keeps perfectly for MONTHS - if nobody sees it - and we can even POST a dozen cans to you and you get them NEXT morning - NO charge for postage or packing. We STOCK 8 kinds of BEERS in CANS - biggest seller is TAVERN at 16/- dozen. For a BARBECUE up the CREEK take some CANS in your CANOE.
Worthing Gazette - Wednesday 26 June 1957, page 9.

Wow - 8 types of canned beer. The crazy bastards.

Of course, Lager was also on offer. Only a couple of types, mind.

It you like it LIGHT and mild, fresh and FROTHY, how about LAGER? We stock Barclays 1/3; TUBORG and Carlsberg 1/5; HEINEKEN'S 1/7. One LAST try to get YOUR order.
Worthing Gazette - Wednesday 26 June 1957, page 9.

Finally, a selection of Stouts. 20 different ones, no less.

About STOUT now, which we nearly forgot to mention. We stock GUINNESS of course, in 4 sizes: 4/3 qt., 2/2 pt., 1/1.5 half-pint, 11d nip. MACKESONS, in bottle or can. OATMEAL Stout, PLAIN stout and FANCY stout - perhaps a score of them. Very good for NURSING MOTHERS. Very good EXCUSE for nursing mothers. We deliver to you IMMEDIATELY if you say so throughout the TOWN area; and regularly EVERY WEEK in all COUNTRY districts. A postcard brings us RUSHING to your door.
DOMINIC
Peter Dominic Limited
Worthing Gazette - Wednesday 26 June 1957, page 9.

How quaint, ordering by postcard. 

Next time - some details of the beers mentioned.

Dutch Bokbier in 1948

While in the late 1940's beer in the UK was still getting weaker, things were picking up in Holland. In 1948 there was even some full-strength Bokbier. Those jammy continental bastards.

Though not every beer in the table was really Bok-strength. Currently the Dutch Boks sold in Autumn have to be at least 16º Plato. Only four of the examples meet that criterion. Pre-war analyses have gravities ranging from 15.14º to 17.63º Plato, averaging 16.8º Plato.

The ABV of every beer is certainly below what would be expected today, where 6.5% is the norm. This set only has one over 6% ABV and one at just 4.4% ABV. The pre-war set varied between 5.51% ABV and 6.85% ABV, averaging 6.03%.

Colours are quite varied. That's the Brand scale, by the way. If my little conversion table is correct, 14.5 to 32 Brand is approximately 20 to 40 SRM. Or dark brown to near black, in layman's terms.

Almost back to pre-war Bok, but not quite. Still, was better than the situation in the UK, where average gravity was about at its nadir..

Dutch Bokbier in 1948
Brewer	Beer	OG Plato	FG Plato	ABV	App. Atten-uation	Colour
Heineken (Ams)	Bok	16.42	5.83	5.65	65.94%	22
Heineken (Rtm)	Bok	16.15	5.46	5.69	67.58%	20
Oranjeboom	Bok	16.08	5.28	5.82	68.53%	32
Drie Hoefijzers	Bok	15.73	5.00	5.69	69.53%	14.5
Grolsch	Bok	15.18	3.87	6.04	75.62%	22
Hengelo	Bok	15.81	4.61	5.95	72.10%	22
Bavaria	Bok	14.10	3.83	5.41	73.92%	19
Amstel	Bok	15.65	7.27	4.42	55.05%	15.65
Phoenix	Bok	15.23	5.04	5.39	68.21%	20
ZHB	Bok	16.05	5.97	5.47	64.25%	22
Van Vollenhoven	Bok	15.73	5.11	5.66	68.84%	19
Source:
Rapporten van laboratoriumonderzoeken naar producten van Heinekenbrouwerijen in binnen- en buitenland en naar producten van andere brouwerijen held at the Amsterdamse Stadsarchief, document number 834 - 1794.

Heineken, the war and the Republic of Ireland

I've just renewed my annual subscription to the British Newspaper Archives. Best start making sure that I get my moneys worth out of  it.

It's a slightly odd item about a patent on a type of crate.

"DUTCH FIRM'S APPLICATION GRANTED
Expressing the view that it was a reasonable application Mr. Justice Kingsmill Moore granted an application in the High Court on behalf of Messrs. Heinekens Bierbrouwerij Mattschappij. N.V. of Amsterdam, to extend the time for the filing of a petition for the extension of the period of a patent. He granted the extension to April 30. 

Mr. Kenny, S.C., who, with Mr. Y. Danaher (instructed by Messrs. Bennett and Walsh) appeared for the firm moved on the affidavit of Mr. Thomas E. P. Bennett. solicitor, in which it had been stated that Messrs. Heinekens were the registered proprietors of the patent which related to an invention of a type of wooden box, or packing case for holding bottles and a method of placing bottles in it. 

The patent, the affidavit stated, was first granted on June 19, 1935, to Mr. John Patrick Fitzgerald. No. 12A Mountpelier Hill, Dublin. The company were first registered as proprietors of it on October 16, 1935, under an assignment of September 2, 1935, from Mr Fitzgerald. It was due to expire on January 31. 

GERMAN OCCUPATION
As a result the occupation of the Netherlands by the German armed forces during the recent war and the consequent destruction of property and disruption of business and communications, the company's business had been seriously disorganised for a long time, most of their documents and records had been lost or destroyed, especially at their offices in Rotterdam, and communication with their agents and representatives in other countries, particularly in Ireland, was impossible. Their normal routine business relations with Ireland were only recently restored. 

It was not until last August that they had become aware that the patent would expire on January 31. That information had been conveyed to them by Messrs. Legg Brothers, Dublin, the who were the licensees of patent in the Republic of Ireland, it was stated in the affidavit."
Irish Independent - Tuesday 19 December 1950, page 7. 

Not so sure Heineken were being totally honest. There are plenty of pre-war and wartime documents from Heineken's Rotterdam brewery in the archives. I think they're playing on the bombing of Rotterdam. Which didn't affect Heineken's brewery there.