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13-08-2012, 07:22
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God, you lot are so lucky. Not one, but two lots of fat juicy Scottish brewing numbers in the space of a few days. This time, as is hinted at in the title, we've moved on to 1888.
I won't be quoting the newspaper article from which it comes because it's just a table in word form. Once I'd extracted the table information, there was nothing left.
Scottish brewing in 1888
Collections.
Brewers not for retail
Number of licences issued to Victuallers
Brewers for retail
Private brewers, not for sale, liable to beer duty
Private brewers, not for sale, not liable to beer duty
Bushels of Malt consumed by non-retail Brewers
cwts of Sugar consumed by non-retail Brewers
Bushels of Malt consumed by retail Brewers
cwts of Sugar consumed by retail Brewers
Aberdeen
13
792
4
22
524
47,656
88
4400
Campbeltown
98
Dumfries
13
827
28,559
197
Dundee
16
981
1
83,950
2170
Edinburgh
33
1492
2
1,929,424
19,383
12,366
195
Elgin
6
434
2
8
62
15,109
99
831
Falkirk
2
1465
2
54,589
140
2367
12
Glasgow
10
2353
229,537
4418
Greenock
9
1610
50,911
1675
Inverness
459
2
10
7248
358
Perth
2
966
14
5257
33
47,667
389
Stirling
4
458
10
82,502
112
158,808
1065
Totals
108
11,935
36
2,536,494
28,319
233,687
2021
Totals
108
11,935
36
31
596
2,527,494
28,315
233,687
2,019
Source:
Dundee Courier - Friday 01 March 1889, page 3.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UDaBUy1JgCQ/UCOIZf6MTqI/AAAAAAAAKOc/gaAhvtVxM_o/s320/Scottish_Brewing_in_1888.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UDaBUy1JgCQ/UCOIZf6MTqI/AAAAAAAAKOc/gaAhvtVxM_o/s1600/Scottish_Brewing_in_1888.jpg)
You'll note that the number of collections has been reduced since 1873. Not really a surprise, as they were many in tiny Highlands towns. Where, based on the figures, the Excise didn't do much collecting of anything. Another difference from the 1873 figures is the inclusion of two new classes of brewer. Private brewers, not for sale, but liable to beer duty; and private brewers, not for sale, not liable to beer duty. I wish I had these figures for earlier periods, because they tell us more about the mysterious and rarely discussed world of private brewing in Scotland.
Based on these numbers, there was more private brewing in Scotland than I had suspected. In 1888 there were still 627 private brewers licences in Scotland. But what's interesting is their location. Only one is in the central Lowlands. And all are in the far north of Scotland: Aberdeen, Elgin, Inverness. Why was private brewing still strong here?
The amount being brewed privately was probably pretty small. The 22 private brewers in Aberdeen who paid duty only used 26 bushels of malt a 3 cwt. of sugar between them. Or enough to brew approximately 27 barrels of beer. The 8 private brewers paying duty in Elgin used 25 bushels of malt, enough for about 50 barrels of beer. Private brewers clearly only brewed once or twice a year.
Not that I want to show off, but my estimate of the number of barrels brewed - 1,393,347 - almost exactly matches the real figure of 1,392,000 (Source: “A History of the Brewing Industry in Scotland” by Ian Donnachie, 1998, pages 147-148).
Scottish brewing in 1888
Collections.
barrels brewed by non-retail Brewers
barrels brewed by retail Brewers
total barrels brewed
% of total brewed
total no breweries
% of total
Aberdeen
23,845
2,200
26,045
1.91%
17
11.81%
Campbeltown
0
Dumfries
14,316
14,316
1.05%
13
9.03%
Dundee
42,382
42,382
3.12%
16
11.11%
Edinburgh
968,346
6,220
974,566
71.63%
35
24.31%
Elgin
7,573
416
7,989
0.59%
8
5.56%
Falkirk
27,321
1,186
28,507
2.10%
4
2.78%
Glasgow
115,597
115,597
8.50%
10
6.94%
Greenock
9
6.25%
Inverness
3,691
3,691
0.27%
2
1.39%
Perth
2,635
23,906
26,541
1.95%
16
11.11%
Stirling
41,272
79,604
120,876
8.88%
14
9.72%
Totals
Totals
1,243,287
117,222
1,360,509
100.00%
144
100.00%
Source:
Dundee Courier - Friday 01 March 1889, page 3.
The most obvious trend when comparing the numbers from 1849, 1873 and 1888 is the increasing concentration of Scottish brewing in Edinburgh. In 1849 46.22% of Scottish beer was brewed in Edinburgh. In 1873 it was 56.68% and in 1888 71.55%. The number of barrels brewed in Edinburgh rose from 201,421 to 839,300 to 974,566, even though total output fell between 1873 and 1888.
There's one anomaly in the figures that I should point out with regard to the figures for Perth and Stirling. The figures aren't divided up into common and publican brewers, but those brewers not allowed to sell by retail and those who are. In most collections, this seems to match up with common and publican brewers. In Perth and Stirling it clearly doesn't. The retail brewers are using way too much malt to just be brewing for a pub. I'm pretty sure Alloa was in the Stirling collection. And there were more than four common brewers there. I assume some common brewers in these two towns also had retail licences.
What is clear is the fall in the number of brewers overall, from 195 in 1873 to 144 in 1888. This is another trend that would continue for many decades.
I've assembled an extra table to demonstrate the concentration of brewing in the Lowlands. I've split apart the Highland and Lowland collections.
Scottish brewing in 1888
collection
% of total brewed
% of total breweries
Dumfries
1.04%
9.03%
Dundee
3.22%
11.11%
Edinburgh
71.55%
24.31%
Falkirk
2.06%
2.78%
Glasgow
8.66%
6.94%
Greenock
0.00%
6.25%
Perth
1.94%
11.11%
Stirling
8.77%
9.72%
total
97.25%
81.25%
Aberdeen
1.88%
11.81%
Campbeltown
0.00%
0.00%
Elgin
0.58%
5.56%
Inverness
0.29%
1.39%
total
2.75%
18.75%
Source:
Dundee Courier - Friday 01 March 1889, page 3.
As you can see, over 97% of Scottish beer was brewed in the Lowlands. It eventually hit 100%.https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5445569787371915337-6860027092843543990?l=barclayperkins.blogspot.com
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-brewing-trade-of-1888-in-scotland.html)
God, you lot are so lucky. Not one, but two lots of fat juicy Scottish brewing numbers in the space of a few days. This time, as is hinted at in the title, we've moved on to 1888.
I won't be quoting the newspaper article from which it comes because it's just a table in word form. Once I'd extracted the table information, there was nothing left.
Scottish brewing in 1888
Collections.
Brewers not for retail
Number of licences issued to Victuallers
Brewers for retail
Private brewers, not for sale, liable to beer duty
Private brewers, not for sale, not liable to beer duty
Bushels of Malt consumed by non-retail Brewers
cwts of Sugar consumed by non-retail Brewers
Bushels of Malt consumed by retail Brewers
cwts of Sugar consumed by retail Brewers
Aberdeen
13
792
4
22
524
47,656
88
4400
Campbeltown
98
Dumfries
13
827
28,559
197
Dundee
16
981
1
83,950
2170
Edinburgh
33
1492
2
1,929,424
19,383
12,366
195
Elgin
6
434
2
8
62
15,109
99
831
Falkirk
2
1465
2
54,589
140
2367
12
Glasgow
10
2353
229,537
4418
Greenock
9
1610
50,911
1675
Inverness
459
2
10
7248
358
Perth
2
966
14
5257
33
47,667
389
Stirling
4
458
10
82,502
112
158,808
1065
Totals
108
11,935
36
2,536,494
28,319
233,687
2021
Totals
108
11,935
36
31
596
2,527,494
28,315
233,687
2,019
Source:
Dundee Courier - Friday 01 March 1889, page 3.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UDaBUy1JgCQ/UCOIZf6MTqI/AAAAAAAAKOc/gaAhvtVxM_o/s320/Scottish_Brewing_in_1888.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UDaBUy1JgCQ/UCOIZf6MTqI/AAAAAAAAKOc/gaAhvtVxM_o/s1600/Scottish_Brewing_in_1888.jpg)
You'll note that the number of collections has been reduced since 1873. Not really a surprise, as they were many in tiny Highlands towns. Where, based on the figures, the Excise didn't do much collecting of anything. Another difference from the 1873 figures is the inclusion of two new classes of brewer. Private brewers, not for sale, but liable to beer duty; and private brewers, not for sale, not liable to beer duty. I wish I had these figures for earlier periods, because they tell us more about the mysterious and rarely discussed world of private brewing in Scotland.
Based on these numbers, there was more private brewing in Scotland than I had suspected. In 1888 there were still 627 private brewers licences in Scotland. But what's interesting is their location. Only one is in the central Lowlands. And all are in the far north of Scotland: Aberdeen, Elgin, Inverness. Why was private brewing still strong here?
The amount being brewed privately was probably pretty small. The 22 private brewers in Aberdeen who paid duty only used 26 bushels of malt a 3 cwt. of sugar between them. Or enough to brew approximately 27 barrels of beer. The 8 private brewers paying duty in Elgin used 25 bushels of malt, enough for about 50 barrels of beer. Private brewers clearly only brewed once or twice a year.
Not that I want to show off, but my estimate of the number of barrels brewed - 1,393,347 - almost exactly matches the real figure of 1,392,000 (Source: “A History of the Brewing Industry in Scotland” by Ian Donnachie, 1998, pages 147-148).
Scottish brewing in 1888
Collections.
barrels brewed by non-retail Brewers
barrels brewed by retail Brewers
total barrels brewed
% of total brewed
total no breweries
% of total
Aberdeen
23,845
2,200
26,045
1.91%
17
11.81%
Campbeltown
0
Dumfries
14,316
14,316
1.05%
13
9.03%
Dundee
42,382
42,382
3.12%
16
11.11%
Edinburgh
968,346
6,220
974,566
71.63%
35
24.31%
Elgin
7,573
416
7,989
0.59%
8
5.56%
Falkirk
27,321
1,186
28,507
2.10%
4
2.78%
Glasgow
115,597
115,597
8.50%
10
6.94%
Greenock
9
6.25%
Inverness
3,691
3,691
0.27%
2
1.39%
Perth
2,635
23,906
26,541
1.95%
16
11.11%
Stirling
41,272
79,604
120,876
8.88%
14
9.72%
Totals
Totals
1,243,287
117,222
1,360,509
100.00%
144
100.00%
Source:
Dundee Courier - Friday 01 March 1889, page 3.
The most obvious trend when comparing the numbers from 1849, 1873 and 1888 is the increasing concentration of Scottish brewing in Edinburgh. In 1849 46.22% of Scottish beer was brewed in Edinburgh. In 1873 it was 56.68% and in 1888 71.55%. The number of barrels brewed in Edinburgh rose from 201,421 to 839,300 to 974,566, even though total output fell between 1873 and 1888.
There's one anomaly in the figures that I should point out with regard to the figures for Perth and Stirling. The figures aren't divided up into common and publican brewers, but those brewers not allowed to sell by retail and those who are. In most collections, this seems to match up with common and publican brewers. In Perth and Stirling it clearly doesn't. The retail brewers are using way too much malt to just be brewing for a pub. I'm pretty sure Alloa was in the Stirling collection. And there were more than four common brewers there. I assume some common brewers in these two towns also had retail licences.
What is clear is the fall in the number of brewers overall, from 195 in 1873 to 144 in 1888. This is another trend that would continue for many decades.
I've assembled an extra table to demonstrate the concentration of brewing in the Lowlands. I've split apart the Highland and Lowland collections.
Scottish brewing in 1888
collection
% of total brewed
% of total breweries
Dumfries
1.04%
9.03%
Dundee
3.22%
11.11%
Edinburgh
71.55%
24.31%
Falkirk
2.06%
2.78%
Glasgow
8.66%
6.94%
Greenock
0.00%
6.25%
Perth
1.94%
11.11%
Stirling
8.77%
9.72%
total
97.25%
81.25%
Aberdeen
1.88%
11.81%
Campbeltown
0.00%
0.00%
Elgin
0.58%
5.56%
Inverness
0.29%
1.39%
total
2.75%
18.75%
Source:
Dundee Courier - Friday 01 March 1889, page 3.
As you can see, over 97% of Scottish beer was brewed in the Lowlands. It eventually hit 100%.https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5445569787371915337-6860027092843543990?l=barclayperkins.blogspot.com
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-brewing-trade-of-1888-in-scotland.html)