Trains

One of the many bizarre eccentricities of the UK licensing laws, was that pub opening hours didn’t apply to trains. Not even on Sunday. There’s a whole Ealing comedy – The Titfield Thunderbolt – based around this.

Which meant that even in the darkest depth of afternoon closing, you could buy a can of something crap in the buffet car. For the younger amongst, buffet cars were like little tuck shops. Buit for adults. In addition to low-quality, mass-market canned beer, you could also get BR sandwiches (long the butt of lazy comedians’ jokes) and spirit miniatures. And crisps, obviously. We are talking the UK here.

Quite a few stations had licensed refreshment rooms. Ranging from the dire to the wonderful. The one in Doncaster had the atmosphere of a multi-storey car park and a range of products almost identical to those in a train buffet car.

Then you had the station buffet at Stalybridge. Which sold cask and regularly featured in the Good Beer Guide. Once, coming back from Manchester, I deliberately chose a train stopping at Stalybridge just so I could have a couple of pints in the buffet. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one.

It was worth it. A lovely little space with a cola fire. Like really cosy little pub. Deserving its inclusion in the Good Beer Guide.

The buffet in Doncaster had cask last time I was there. Unlike in the good old days. What is the UK coming to?

UK beer exports in the 1970s (part three)

Time for another continent. One where exports faded as British influence did. 

All of the destinations in Africa were volatile in terms of how much was imported. The Canary Islands are the only place where the volumes were reasonably constant.

Not sure what was going on in Nigeria. Where imports of UK beer went from fuck all to quite a lot and then fell back to fuck all.

Overall, exports of beer to Africa were in serious decline in the 1970s, other than that weird bump in sales to Nigeria.

UK beer exports to Africa 1971 - 1975
Country of Destination	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Canary Islands	1,341	1,196	1,112	1,199	1,848
Egypt	74	16	288	261	233
Gambia	2,085	1,657	2,321	2,705	3,773
Liberia	2,978	903	80	61	11
Nigeria	96	1,074	915	4,592	74,985
St. Helena	1,775	1,765	2,401	2,073	1,691
Seychelles	3,068	2,126	68	57	208
South Africa	1,528	959	1,484	1,466	1,879
Total Africa.	12,945	9,696	8,669	12,414	84,628
Source:
“The Brewers' Society Statistical Handbook 1980” page 15.

 

UK beer exports to Africa 1976 - 1980
Country of Destination	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980
Canary Islands	1,464	2,365	1,921	1,940	1,241
Egypt	3,447	1,719	648	4	55
Gambia	4,429	2,632	378	61	54
Liberia	73	—	—	6
Nigeria	59,787	74,810	1,985	46	111
St. Helena	1,105	1,238	667	576	388
Seychelles	305	683	453	187	65
South Africa	1,025	1,286	801	384	128
Total Africa.	71,635	84,733	6,853	3,204	2,042
Source:
“The Brewers' Society Statistical Handbook 1980” page 15.

 

Beer Imports in the 1970s

In the 19th century, UK beer imports were almost 100% Lager. That changed after 1922 with Irish independence. Overnight, the largest import became Irish Stout.

Nothing much had changed by the 1970s.  Over 50% of imports were from the Republic of Ireland and most of the rest Lager from Northern Europe.

There was a decline in imports over the decade of around 500,000 barrels. But this can almost totally be accounted for by the decline in imports from Denmark. I assume this because Carlsberg switched production to the UK.

Biggest winner over the period was Germany, volumes rising from 55,000 barrels in 1971 to over 400,000 barrels in 1979. I wonder what that was. Holsten Pils? Was that really brewed in Germany?

Not sure why Belgian imports shot up in 1973 to 1976. Could that be a Lager like Stella first being imported and then brewed locally? This is too early for it to be a top-fermenting

I’m also intrigued by the increase in imports from the USA. What could that be? Probably dome shitty Lager.

Despite imports falling by half a million barrels between 1971 and 1980, the UK still had a deficit of around a million barrels a year. With imports easily outstripping exports every year.Lager.

UK beer imports 1971 - 1975
Country of Origin	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Belgium	22,246	31,481	89,739	102,681	99,073
Denmark	501,062	614,045	721,845	250,140	268,892
France	3,682	10,462	4,265	5,056	3,713
Republic of Ireland	1,350,138	1,269,805	1,379,896	1,221,315	1,181,862
Italy	—	3	138	107	362
Netherlands	59,288	30,633	21,471	73,669	30,014
W. Germany	55,159	72,600	100,860	127,285	176,279
Czechoslovakia	2,248	2,241	3,337	3,593	3,632
Norway	6,735	5,821	6,515	5,767	4,915
Switzerland	3,927	5,275	6,913	7,760	6,422
Australia	5,469	10,571	18,778	24,103	27,744
U.S.A	311	427	916	1,133	1,135
Other Countries	1,715	2,752	2,955	11,416	3,082
Total	2,011,980	2,056,116	2,357,628	1,834,025	1,807,125
Source:
The Brewers' Society UK Statistical Handbook 1980, page 16.

 

UK beer imports 1976 - 1980
Country of Origin	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980
Belgium	65,483	22,018	14,818	46,577	27,031
Denmark	291,437	83,918	28,699	33,934	8,265
France	967	1,177	1,236	1,204	862
Republic of Ireland	1,200,537	1,082,030	1,107,174	1,095,500	1,053,401
Italy	409	349	931	1,258	787
Netherlands	48,521	43,677	33,619	47,945	41,810
W. Germany	228,045	307,589	346,766	416,064	388,872
Czechoslovakia	3,933	2,565	3,333	3,182	3,377
Norway	2,635	1,648	1,772	1,359	1,179
Switzerland	1,596	294	248	548	287
Australia	24,899	13,512	17,211	22,282	25,843
U.S.A	1,573	3,157	4,903	4,492	7,341
Other Countries	8,818	2,799	2,283	4,061	16,851
Total	1,878,853	1,564,733	1,562,993	1,678,406	1,575,906
Source:
The Brewers' Society UK Statistical Handbook 1980, page 16.

 

 

Let's Brew - 1940 Fullers OBE

Fullers continued to brew their strong Burton at the start of the war. I don’t need to tell you that this wasn’t going to last. This strength of draught beer would soon disappear for around a decade.

OBE was never anything even vaguely resembling a mainstream beer. Few brews even got into double figures in terms of barrel produced. This batch was just 9.75 barrels. Brewed together with 49.25 barrels of BO and 346 barrels of X.

Despite the minute quantities made, Old Burton Extra became something of a legend. Probably on account of its effect on the unwary, who mistook it for a standard-strength Burton Ale. John Keeling once asked me, while we were discussing the Past Masters series: :Which beer do you think we should brew next?” “OBE.” Was my instantaneous reply. 

1940 Fullers OBE
pale malt	13.50 lb	85.04%
flaked rice	1.50 lb	9.45%
Beane's grist	0.125 lb	0.79%
glucose	0.50 lb	3.15%
caramel 1000 SRM	0.25 lb	1.57%
Fuggles 90 mins	1.75 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	1.75 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.50 oz
OG	1069
FG	1022.5
ABV	6.15
Apparent attenuation	67.39%
IBU	38
SRM	19
Mash at	147º F
After underlet	152º F
Sparge at	168º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	WLP002 English Ale

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UK beer exports to Asia 1971 - 1980

You're going to have to put up with a few of these number-heavy posts. I'm off with the kids to the UK and I need to queue up some posts while I'm away. When you read this, I should be in Leeds.

Next, let’s turn to Asia, which had once been one of the UK’s most valuable markets. It doesn’t even appear in the table, because the amounts were too small. In 1969 just 921 barrels were exported to India and Pakistan combined.  A far cry from the 19th century, when some years more than 200,000 barrels were sent to the Indian subcontinent.

By far the most important Asian destination was Hong Kong, taking around a third of Asian exports. No shock, really, as it was full of thirsty expats at the time.

A surprising amount of beer was being sent to the Middle East. By the end of the 1970s, around two-thirds of all UK exports to Asia. Biggest surprise is seeing Saudi Arabia on the list. I can only assume that it consisted of alcohol-free beer.

UK beer exports to Asia 1971 - 1975
Country of Destination	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Abu Dhabi	960	585	639	618	1,604
Bahrain	3,386	1,718	2,127	2,970	3,812
Dubai	1,214	870	1,390	1,447	3,127
Oman	561	1,060	1,418	1,853	2,560
Qatar	422	225	686	816	1,553
Saudi Arabia	6,839	248	—	—	308
Hong Kong	11,014	8,541	9,042	11,133	9,337
Indonesia	1,110	3,836	10,626	1,002	707
Iran	75	115	63	131	30
Israel	717	1,455	2,000	3,013	1,617
Japan	1,441	1,341	2,005	2,066	2,484
Malaysia & Singapore	8,090	4,394	4,680	1,872	1,631
Total Asia	35,829	24,388	34,676	26,921	28,770
Source:
“The Brewers' Society Statistical Handbook 1980” page 14.

 

UK beer exports to Asia 1976 - 1980
Country of Destination	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980
Abu Dhabi	2,085	704	1,690	1,743	1,426
Bahrain	3,357	3,060	3,327	2,938	2,216
Dubai	3,186	3,074	5,972	6,373	7,265
Oman	1,796	2,972	2,916	2,331	1,830
Qatar	2,489	1,915	1,530	409	48
Saudi Arabia	10	18	17	—	62
Hong Kong	11,611	11,372	12,214	12,815	9,704
Indonesia	—	54	7	—	-
Iran	95	2,338	22,650	188	-
Israel	3,241	1,968	1,832	678	75
Japan	3,068	6,414	6,981	3,795	2,978
Malaysia & Singapore	1,454	1,960	1,138	715	8,754
Total Asia	32,392	35,849	60,274	31,985	34,358
Source:
“The Brewers' Society Statistical Handbook 1980” page 14.

 

 

UK beer exports in the 1970s (part two)

Here, as promised, is a breakdown of exports by individual country, rather than by continent.  Starting with Europe.  Which was, as we’ve already seen, by far the largest importer of UK beer.

Belgium was by far the most popular destination for UK beer. In the period covered, it took between 60% and 70% of exports to Europe.

The next two biggest customers, the Netherlands and West Germany, only managed between 15% and 20% combined. Special mention should go to Gibraltar, which, given its tiny size, was importing an impressive quantity of beer.

I’m a bit puzzled as to precisely which beers were being exported to Germany. And for whom. Was this just standard UK beer being shipped to NAAFIs (military canteens) for the British Army on the Rhine? Most UK beer wouldn’t have been allowed on sale in Germany as it wasn’t Reinheitsgebot-compliant.

Considering their geographical proximity, the UK’s two closest neighbours, France and Ireland didn’t import a great deal of UK beer. In the case of Ireland, most of the traffic was going in the opposite direction. 

UK beer exports to Europe 1971 - 1975
Country of Destination	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975
Belgium	154,178	170,091	186,729	194,368	226,203
Denmark	2,395	995	1,395	827	658
France	4,065	4,940	5,250	8,779	7,965
Republic of Ireland	10,219	14,446	15,140	14,766	6,478
Italy	1,411	1,587	1,804	2,545	4,186
Netherlands	9,392	29,326	30,631	26,930	30,031
W. Germany	36,647	22,872	20,180	26,394	23,867
Cyprus	8,722	7,583	6,641	7,771	2,035
Gibraltar	13,112	11,667	10,930	10,266	11,742
Greece	375	399	354	353	334
Norway	978	835	1,345	1,320	1,393
Spain	904	978	1,213	1,625	2,091
Sweden	5,767	3,275	2,329	1,899	1,695
Switzerland	1,708	967	1,042	1,127	998
Total Europe	249,873	269,961	284,983	298,970	319,676
Source:
“The Brewers' Society Statistical Handbook 1980” page 14.

UK beer exports to Europe 1976 - 1980
Country of Destination	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980
Belgium	212,872	179,085	181,963	193,759	166,396
Denmark	779	905	706	822	3,413
France	9,757	13,927	11,406	14,160	14,608
Republic of Ireland	9,819	14,828	10,850	9,849	19,388
Italy	5,161	8,072	9,981	12,818	16,302
Netherlands	24,792	29,040	30,342	25,954	24,534
W. Germany	25,293	27,499	30,876	25,146	19,202
Cyprus	3,416	3,178	1,701	1,556	1,022
Gibraltar	8,786	7,845	6,802	10,729	6,594
Greece	1,568	1,058	787	535	89
Norway	1,273	1,227	2,142	277	302
Spain	2,194	3,716	2,775	4,563	2,506
Sweden	1,542	1,901	1,570	1,956	2,021
Switzerland	1,050	1,308	971	939	1,209
Total Europe	308,302	293,589	292,872	303,063	277,586
Source:
“The Brewers' Society Statistical Handbook 1980” page 14.

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1820 Reid Treble Stout

I hope you like Stout recipes. Because you're going to get a lot of them as I try to push my wonderful book on London Stout. you wouldn't believe how much my plans for next year depend on shifting this book.

You guessed it, this was called “SSS” in the brew house. All very logical. And a pattern other brewers, such as Whitbread, would later follow.

I don’t have brewing records for a Stout of this strength from other brewers for this period. Which doesn’t say that no-one else brewed one. It just really highlights how few records I have from the first couple of decades of the 19th century.

There’s a lot more brown malt than in the weaker Stouts: 28% compared to 20% in Double Stout and 21% in Single Stout. Consequently, a good bit less pale malt was needed. Making this beer relatively more expensive to produce.

For all the Reid’s beers, of this period, the FG is a guess. All that is listed in the brewing record is the cleansing gravity, which would be a good bit higher than the racking gravity.

The mashing scheme is almost identical to that of Single Stout. And quite different from that of Double Stout.

Mash number	barrels	strike heat	tap heat
1	264	168º F	151º F
2	187	186º F	169º F

 Three different vintages of hops were used in the copper: 1818, 1819 and 1820. All English and probably from Kent.

Despite its strength, the hopping rate indicates to me that this was a Runner. So no ageing.

1820 Reid Treble Stout
pale malt	15.00 lb	71.91%
brown malt	5.75 lb	27.56%
black malt	0.110 lb	0.53%
Goldings 180 min	3.25 oz
Goldings 60 min	3.25 oz
Goldings 30 min	3.25 oz
Goldings dry hops	1.00 oz
OG	1087
FG	1022
ABV	8.60
Apparent attenuation	74.71%
IBU	108
SRM	27
Mash at	153º F
Sparge at	170º F
Boil time	180 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale

This is one of the 277 recipes in my new book on London Stout. Get your copy now!