Brewing – serie

In 1636 the poet and traveller John Taylor wrote, ‘Hertfordshire is a County that surpasseth all other Countries and Counties for making the best malt.’ Much of that malt went by cart or barge to London, but Hertfordshire also has a long tradition of brewing, as well as malting, and the county eventually developed several substantial breweries. These included Benskin’s of Watford, which at one point owned some 640 pubs from Brighton to Cambridge, and even supplied the House of Commons. Today Hertfordshire still has some twenty breweries, including one, McMullen’s of Hertford, which will soon celebrate its 200th anniversary.This carefully researched and well-illustrated book by one of Britain’s leading historians of the brewing industry looks at the long history of commercial brewing across Hertfordshire, and the often fascinating stories of the dozens of now undeservedly forgotten firms that once supplied the county’s pubs with their beer.

Manchester and Salford, two cities whose heritage is intricately entwined, are noted for their industrial history, and this book looks at their thriving brewing industry. The reader is taken on a journey of its development from the late eighteenth century to the present day. Key brewers in the locality, including Boddingtons, Wilsons, Joseph Holt, Groves & Whitnall and Threlfalls Chesters, are featured. This book also tells the story of the decline of the brewing industry in the region during the twentieth century, including the much-publicised takeover of Boddingtons and the closure of Strangeways Brewery, and the subsequent revival in the form of newly emerging microbreweries.Deborah Woodman documents the region’s brewing history through a fascinating selection of rare images and informative text.

‘Gloucestershire is a poor county for real ale’: that was the sad assessment of the county’s brewing heritage in the 1976 Good Beer Guide according to the Campaign For Real Ale. Just two breweries were in operation then, supplying only four real ales. The ubiquitous Whitbread PA was easy to find, but it took a determined effort to seek out the delights of XXX, BB and SBA from the highly regarded and picturesque Donnington Brewery near Stow on the Wold. It was all a far cry from the glory days of brewing in Gloucestershire, when most towns could boast their own local brewery, producing beers of character. It’s tempting to be overly sentimental about the closure of much-loved breweries such as Wintle’s Forest Brewery of Mitcheldean, Tayler’s Cotswold Brewery of Northleach and so on … but there were economic and social factors that made such rationalisation inevitable.With the closure of the Whitbread Flowers Brewery in Cheltenham in 1997, it was feared that the rich history of brewing in Gloucestershire was under threat. However, nearly twenty years later, Gloucestershire is awash with breweries producing truly wonderful and distinctive beers. Indeed, beer drinkers have never had it better. Cheers!

Seen together for the first time, this fascinating collection of nearly 200 images illustrates Dorset’s rich and varied brewing history.The brewing industry of the county is explored from the nineteenth century to the current crop of micro-brewers, with their remarkable range of ales, bringing history up to date. Aspects such as malting, transport, tied pubs and advertising are included in this comprehensive history, which provides an overview of Dorset’s brewing heritage before looking more closely at individual concerns in geographically based chapters.A valuable insight into two centuries of changes in the brewing industry is provided by the wealth of photographs and prints. Informative captions complement the images, making the book an entertaining reference point.There was a time when most Dorset towns had a brewery chimney as a landmark. While many remain, some have fallen by the wayside. Across the county the number of micro-breweries continues to rise, reinvigorating the industry. The authors will take the reader through their individual stories.Fully illustrated, the book will inspire the reader to visit a Dorset pub and buy a Dorset beer.