Blog Tracker
03-05-2015, 07:22
Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2015/05/imported-bottled-lager-in-1950s.html)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qJyKbjCaJ4U/VUH04kkbyLI/AAAAAAAAXHc/Fknbi82WT2k/s1600/Tuborg_Beer_1946_a.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qJyKbjCaJ4U/VUH04kkbyLI/AAAAAAAAXHc/Fknbi82WT2k/s1600/Tuborg_Beer_1946_a.jpg)
Mmm. I’ve already written this once, but somehow managed to lose the text. I hate doing that.
Continuing with my look at the beers on sale in Britain in the 1950’s, I’ve come to imported Lager. Back then there were only two types of beer imports: Stout from Ireland and Lager from the Continent. Lager brewing was still in its infancy in Britain, at least outside of a few specialists like Tennent’s, Barclay Perkins and the Welsh Lager Brewery. Only towards the end of the decade did other brewers start dipping their toes in the Lager pool.
Once again, I’ve arbitrarily divided the beers into random groups, this time with highly scientific names: watery stuff (1030-1035º), not quite to watery stuff (1035-1040º), normal-strength stuff (1040-1050º) and strong stuff (>1050º). The groups are just for my own convenience and have no real significance.
The origins of the beers is revealing. Holland delivered the most samples, but almost a third came from Scandinavia. Germany scores quite poorly, though that could be a lingering effect of the war. I don’t believe the American samples were on general sale. The lack of a price is a sign. The one which did have a price was listed as being sold on a US base.
Here’s that information in a handy table form:
Country
no. samples
%
Australia
2
4.00%
Belgium
7
14.00%
Canada
3
6.00%
Czechoslovakia
2
4.00%
Denmark
7
14.00%
Germany
6
12.00%
Holland
10
20.00%
New Zealand
1
2.00%
Norway
7
14.00%
Sweden
1
2.00%
USA
4
8.00%
Total
50
Let’s start with the watery stuff. These all look like beers specifically brewed for the UK market. The Dutch ones for sure, as all domestic Dutch Pilsners were 5% ABV. Carlsberg and Tuborg were both over 4% in Denmark. Foreign brewers weren’t always that keen on making such weak beer, but it was largely what the UK market demanded. Partly because Continental-strength beers would be too expensive.
Even these watery beers were eye-wateringly expensive, averaging over 3 bob a pint. A pint of draught Mild – about the same in terms of strength - would cost just 12-14d. The high rate of attenuation of some of the lowest-gravity examples seems designed to wring as much alcohol out as possible.
Imported bottled Lager in the 1950's - watery stuff
Year
Brewer
country
Beer
Price per pint (d)
Acidity
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
1957
Tuborg
Denmark
Lager
40
0.05
1030.7
1005.8
3.23
81.11%
10
1959
Tuborg
Denmark
Tuborg Lager
42
0.05
1030.7
1005.8
3.23
81.11%
13
1959
St. Pauli\
Germany
B.B. Lager
0.02
1030.7
1010.3
2.64
66.45%
7
1957
Amstel
Holland
Lager
42
0.02
1030.8
1007.2
3.06
76.62%
9.5
1957
Carlsberg
Denmark
Danish Pilsner
0.02
1030.9
1009.7
2.74
68.61%
10
1957
Carlings
Canada
Black Label
42
0.05
1031
1006
3.25
80.65%
4.5
1959
Bierbrouwerij "De Wereld"
Holland
Piraat King Size Ale
27.5
0.02
1031.1
1005.6
3.31
81.99%
10
1959
Vanderheuvel
Belgium
Ekla Lager
32
0.02
1031.2
1006.1
3.26
80.45%
10
1957
Tuborg
Denmark
Tuborg Lager
0.04
1031.2
1007.4
3.09
76.28%
13
1957
Carlsberg
Denmark
Danish Pilsner
40
0.04
1031.5
1008.4
2.99
73.33%
9
1957
Z.H.B.
Holland
Export Pilsner Lager
42
0.02
1031.6
1006.2
3.30
80.38%
10
1957
Amstel
Holland
Amstel Lager
0.04
1031.9
1006.9
3.24
78.37%
12
1957
Z.H.B.
Holland
Export Pilsner Lager
0.05
1032.3
1005.8
3.44
82.04%
13
1957
Bierbrouwerij De Wereld
Holland
Piraat Lager Beer
30
0.04
1032.8
1005.7
3.52
82.62%
9
1956
NV Bierbrouwerij
Holland
Breda Lager
48
0.04
1033.2
1005.3
3.63
84.04%
7
1957
Oranjeboom
Holland
Dutch Pilsener
42
0.02
1033.3
1007.8
3.31
76.58%
9
1956
Frydenlund
Norway
Peak Lager
30
0.04
1034.3
1005.7
3.72
83.38%
12
Average
38.13
0.03
1031.7
1006.8
3.23
78.47%
9.88
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-li44M6-LZOU/VUHzpeSoOBI/AAAAAAAAXHE/Ds1-slbrSqc/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950's_watery_stuff. jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-li44M6-LZOU/VUHzpeSoOBI/AAAAAAAAXHE/Ds1-slbrSqc/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950%27s_watery_stuf f.jpg)
Moving on to the slightly less watery, the next group also looks like beers solely for the UK market. With the exception of Pilsner Urquell. That beer looks like the 10º version. Something that would have been on sale back home, unlike the others. That so many foreign brewers were prepared to brew something just for the British market a demonstration of the money to be made.
I’m surprised Heineken is in this group. Because I know from their brewing records of the early 1950’s that the version for the UK was brewed to 8º Plato, or 1032. They must have beefed it up during the decade.
A few of these beers – Heineken, Carling and Stella – are currently big players in the UK Lager market.
The price is even more scary for this set – 4 shillings a pint for Carling and Urquell. You’d need plenty of cash to get pissed at that price. They must have been fairly exclusive drinks. Lager continues to be more expensive than Ale in Britain, though the price differential has become much smaller. Price was one of the reasons I never drank Lager. It seemed like just throwing money away for no good reason.
I have my doubts about the colour given for Black Label. It wasn’t ever a Dark Lager, was it?
Imported bottled Lager in the 1950's - not quite so watery stuff
Year
Brewer
country
Beer
Price per pint (d)
Acidity
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
1957
Oranjeboom
Holland
Dutch Lager
0.04
1035.4
1007.5
3.62
78.81%
10
1957
Carlings
Canada
Black Label
48
0.05
1036.3
1007.7
3.71
78.79%
75
1957
Pilsner Urquell
Czechoslovakia
Pilsener
48
0.04
1036.3
1010
3.41
72.45%
9
1957
Pilsner Urquell
Czechoslovakia
Pilsener
0.04
1036.4
1010.1
3.41
72.25%
12
1959
Frydenlund
Norway
Peak? Lager
0.02
1036.6
1007.5
3.78
79.51%
17
1957
Carlings
Canada
Black Label
0.04
1037.5
1007.8
3.86
79.20%
10
1957
Heineken
Holland
Lager
42
0.04
1038.7
1009
3.86
76.74%
5
1957
Artois
Belgium
Stella Lager
0.05
1039.7
1006.5
4.32
83.63%
9
Average
46.00
0.04
1037.1
1008.3
3.75
77.67%
18.38
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7b6WJxj7Kyk/VUHzole0n1I/AAAAAAAAXG4/6RGqDE-U-MQ/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950's_not_quite_so_ watery_stuff.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7b6WJxj7Kyk/VUHzole0n1I/AAAAAAAAXG4/6RGqDE-U-MQ/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950%27s_not_quite_s o_watery_stuff.jpg)
We now get to beers which do look like standard domestic versions, what I’ve called normal-strength stuff. Again, there are a couple of familiar beers: Stella, Fosters, Holsten, Miller and Pabst.
You’ll notice that prices are fairly random. Some beers in this set are the same price or cheaper than ones in the watery group. It’s a trick that’s easy to pull when drinkers have no idea of your beer’s strength. It seems any strength of Lager cost 3 to 4 shillings a pint. There’s a simple explanation why Miller High Life is an exception: that was sold on a US base .
Note the very high degree of attenuation of these samples. Only a couple are under 80%.
Imported bottled Lager in the 1950's - normal-strength stuff
Year
Brewer
country
Beer
Price per pint (d)
Acidity
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
1959
Schous Brewery
Norway
Norwegian Beer
36
0.03
1041.2
1005.5
4.66
86.65%
8.5
1957
Schous Brewery
Norway
Norwegian Beer
0.05
1042.2
1006.6
4.64
84.36%
12
1957
Dortmunder Union
Germany
Pilsener
42
0.04
1042.8
1007.4
4.61
82.71%
8
1959
Pilsor
Belgium
Lamot Lager
42
0.04
1043.8
1003.2
5.31
92.69%
7.5
1957
Artois Breweries
Belgium
Stella Lager
40
0.06
1044.3
1007.6
4.78
82.84%
8
1957
Holsten
Germany
Pilsner
0.05
1044.7
1007.4
4.86
83.45%
8
1957
Holsten
Germany
Pilsner
42
0.04
1044.7
1008.2
4.75
81.66%
8
1959
Vanderheuvel
Belgium
Ekla Lager
42
0.04
1045.6
1009.6
4.68
78.95%
10
1956
Miller
USA
High Life
20
0.04
1045.7
1012.3
4.33
73.09%
6
1957
Carlton United
Australia
Fosters Export Lager
48
0.05
1046
1005.8
5.25
87.39%
8.5
1956
Carlton United
Australia
Export Lager
48
0.05
1046.2
1004.5
5.45
90.26%
8
1957
Vanderheuvel
Belgium
Ekla
42
0.05
1046.3
1008.2
4.96
82.29%
7
1955
Pabst
USA
Blue Ribbon
0.05
1048.9
1011.7
4.84
76.07%
9
1958
New Zealand Breweries
New Zealand
Steinecker Lager
0.04
1049.1
1006.5
5.57
86.76%
85
1955
Liebmann
USA
Rheingold Extra Dry Lager
0.04
1049.8
1011.6
4.97
76.71%
6
Average
40.20
0.04
1045.4
1007.7
4.91
83.06%
13.30
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EEWtPkHQYsc/VUHzoqpPrYI/AAAAAAAAXHA/mjkc_peH7QA/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950's_normal_streng th_stuff.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EEWtPkHQYsc/VUHzoqpPrYI/AAAAAAAAXHA/mjkc_peH7QA/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950%27s_normal_stre ngth_stuff.jpg)
The final group would have been pretty strong by UK standards in the 1950’s. These, too, look like Continental-strength beers. Though the Löwenbräu Bock looks a bit weak. I thought Bock had to have a gravity of at least 16º Plato by German law. That’s about 1064º.
Tuborg are most confusing. They were selling both a watered down version and a full-strength one. And the stronger one was actually cheaper. Weird. How would drinkers have been able to work out what was good and what was bad value? Impossible, unless you had the beers analysed.
Imported bottled Lager in the 1950's - strong stuff
Year
Brewer
country
Beer
Price per pint (d)
Acidity
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
1955
National Brewery
USA
Beer
0.04
1050.9
1011
5.19
78.39%
10
1957
Tuborg
Denmark
Export Beer
40
0.06
1052.3
1011.5
5.31
78.01%
7
1957
????brau
Germany
Light Beer
60
0.04
1052.3
1014.4
4.92
72.47%
9
1957
Tuborg
Denmark
Export Tuborg Beer
0.06
1052.4
1006.9
5.95
86.83%
7
1957
Ringnes
Norway
Export Lager Beer
0.05
1052.5
1006.9
5.96
86.86%
13
1955
Swedish Beer Export Co. Gothenburg
Sweden
Three Towns Beer (Lager)
30
0.05
1052.9
1008.7
5.77
83.55%
9
1956
Artois Breweries
Belgium
Sparta Special Lager
0.06
1053.2
1015.2
4.93
71.43%
20
1955
Ringnes
Norway
Export Pilsener
48
0.04
1053.8
1010.9
5.59
79.74%
11
1957
Ringnes
Norway
Export Lager
48
0.05
1054.5
1008.8
5.97
83.85%
9.5
1957
Löwenbräu
Germany
Pale Bock
52
0.05
1061.9
1014.3
6.20
76.90%
6
Average
46.33
0.05
1053.7
1010.9
5.58
79.80%
10.15
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F00AkQoEVW8/VUHzopDRHKI/AAAAAAAAXG8/tqXu3-666VQ/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950's_strong_stuff. jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F00AkQoEVW8/VUHzopDRHKI/AAAAAAAAXG8/tqXu3-666VQ/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950%27s_strong_stuf f.jpg)
Maybe Brown Ale next. But it’s a long set and I’m very lazy.
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2015/05/imported-bottled-lager-in-1950s.html)
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qJyKbjCaJ4U/VUH04kkbyLI/AAAAAAAAXHc/Fknbi82WT2k/s1600/Tuborg_Beer_1946_a.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qJyKbjCaJ4U/VUH04kkbyLI/AAAAAAAAXHc/Fknbi82WT2k/s1600/Tuborg_Beer_1946_a.jpg)
Mmm. I’ve already written this once, but somehow managed to lose the text. I hate doing that.
Continuing with my look at the beers on sale in Britain in the 1950’s, I’ve come to imported Lager. Back then there were only two types of beer imports: Stout from Ireland and Lager from the Continent. Lager brewing was still in its infancy in Britain, at least outside of a few specialists like Tennent’s, Barclay Perkins and the Welsh Lager Brewery. Only towards the end of the decade did other brewers start dipping their toes in the Lager pool.
Once again, I’ve arbitrarily divided the beers into random groups, this time with highly scientific names: watery stuff (1030-1035º), not quite to watery stuff (1035-1040º), normal-strength stuff (1040-1050º) and strong stuff (>1050º). The groups are just for my own convenience and have no real significance.
The origins of the beers is revealing. Holland delivered the most samples, but almost a third came from Scandinavia. Germany scores quite poorly, though that could be a lingering effect of the war. I don’t believe the American samples were on general sale. The lack of a price is a sign. The one which did have a price was listed as being sold on a US base.
Here’s that information in a handy table form:
Country
no. samples
%
Australia
2
4.00%
Belgium
7
14.00%
Canada
3
6.00%
Czechoslovakia
2
4.00%
Denmark
7
14.00%
Germany
6
12.00%
Holland
10
20.00%
New Zealand
1
2.00%
Norway
7
14.00%
Sweden
1
2.00%
USA
4
8.00%
Total
50
Let’s start with the watery stuff. These all look like beers specifically brewed for the UK market. The Dutch ones for sure, as all domestic Dutch Pilsners were 5% ABV. Carlsberg and Tuborg were both over 4% in Denmark. Foreign brewers weren’t always that keen on making such weak beer, but it was largely what the UK market demanded. Partly because Continental-strength beers would be too expensive.
Even these watery beers were eye-wateringly expensive, averaging over 3 bob a pint. A pint of draught Mild – about the same in terms of strength - would cost just 12-14d. The high rate of attenuation of some of the lowest-gravity examples seems designed to wring as much alcohol out as possible.
Imported bottled Lager in the 1950's - watery stuff
Year
Brewer
country
Beer
Price per pint (d)
Acidity
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
1957
Tuborg
Denmark
Lager
40
0.05
1030.7
1005.8
3.23
81.11%
10
1959
Tuborg
Denmark
Tuborg Lager
42
0.05
1030.7
1005.8
3.23
81.11%
13
1959
St. Pauli\
Germany
B.B. Lager
0.02
1030.7
1010.3
2.64
66.45%
7
1957
Amstel
Holland
Lager
42
0.02
1030.8
1007.2
3.06
76.62%
9.5
1957
Carlsberg
Denmark
Danish Pilsner
0.02
1030.9
1009.7
2.74
68.61%
10
1957
Carlings
Canada
Black Label
42
0.05
1031
1006
3.25
80.65%
4.5
1959
Bierbrouwerij "De Wereld"
Holland
Piraat King Size Ale
27.5
0.02
1031.1
1005.6
3.31
81.99%
10
1959
Vanderheuvel
Belgium
Ekla Lager
32
0.02
1031.2
1006.1
3.26
80.45%
10
1957
Tuborg
Denmark
Tuborg Lager
0.04
1031.2
1007.4
3.09
76.28%
13
1957
Carlsberg
Denmark
Danish Pilsner
40
0.04
1031.5
1008.4
2.99
73.33%
9
1957
Z.H.B.
Holland
Export Pilsner Lager
42
0.02
1031.6
1006.2
3.30
80.38%
10
1957
Amstel
Holland
Amstel Lager
0.04
1031.9
1006.9
3.24
78.37%
12
1957
Z.H.B.
Holland
Export Pilsner Lager
0.05
1032.3
1005.8
3.44
82.04%
13
1957
Bierbrouwerij De Wereld
Holland
Piraat Lager Beer
30
0.04
1032.8
1005.7
3.52
82.62%
9
1956
NV Bierbrouwerij
Holland
Breda Lager
48
0.04
1033.2
1005.3
3.63
84.04%
7
1957
Oranjeboom
Holland
Dutch Pilsener
42
0.02
1033.3
1007.8
3.31
76.58%
9
1956
Frydenlund
Norway
Peak Lager
30
0.04
1034.3
1005.7
3.72
83.38%
12
Average
38.13
0.03
1031.7
1006.8
3.23
78.47%
9.88
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-li44M6-LZOU/VUHzpeSoOBI/AAAAAAAAXHE/Ds1-slbrSqc/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950's_watery_stuff. jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-li44M6-LZOU/VUHzpeSoOBI/AAAAAAAAXHE/Ds1-slbrSqc/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950%27s_watery_stuf f.jpg)
Moving on to the slightly less watery, the next group also looks like beers solely for the UK market. With the exception of Pilsner Urquell. That beer looks like the 10º version. Something that would have been on sale back home, unlike the others. That so many foreign brewers were prepared to brew something just for the British market a demonstration of the money to be made.
I’m surprised Heineken is in this group. Because I know from their brewing records of the early 1950’s that the version for the UK was brewed to 8º Plato, or 1032. They must have beefed it up during the decade.
A few of these beers – Heineken, Carling and Stella – are currently big players in the UK Lager market.
The price is even more scary for this set – 4 shillings a pint for Carling and Urquell. You’d need plenty of cash to get pissed at that price. They must have been fairly exclusive drinks. Lager continues to be more expensive than Ale in Britain, though the price differential has become much smaller. Price was one of the reasons I never drank Lager. It seemed like just throwing money away for no good reason.
I have my doubts about the colour given for Black Label. It wasn’t ever a Dark Lager, was it?
Imported bottled Lager in the 1950's - not quite so watery stuff
Year
Brewer
country
Beer
Price per pint (d)
Acidity
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
1957
Oranjeboom
Holland
Dutch Lager
0.04
1035.4
1007.5
3.62
78.81%
10
1957
Carlings
Canada
Black Label
48
0.05
1036.3
1007.7
3.71
78.79%
75
1957
Pilsner Urquell
Czechoslovakia
Pilsener
48
0.04
1036.3
1010
3.41
72.45%
9
1957
Pilsner Urquell
Czechoslovakia
Pilsener
0.04
1036.4
1010.1
3.41
72.25%
12
1959
Frydenlund
Norway
Peak? Lager
0.02
1036.6
1007.5
3.78
79.51%
17
1957
Carlings
Canada
Black Label
0.04
1037.5
1007.8
3.86
79.20%
10
1957
Heineken
Holland
Lager
42
0.04
1038.7
1009
3.86
76.74%
5
1957
Artois
Belgium
Stella Lager
0.05
1039.7
1006.5
4.32
83.63%
9
Average
46.00
0.04
1037.1
1008.3
3.75
77.67%
18.38
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7b6WJxj7Kyk/VUHzole0n1I/AAAAAAAAXG4/6RGqDE-U-MQ/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950's_not_quite_so_ watery_stuff.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7b6WJxj7Kyk/VUHzole0n1I/AAAAAAAAXG4/6RGqDE-U-MQ/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950%27s_not_quite_s o_watery_stuff.jpg)
We now get to beers which do look like standard domestic versions, what I’ve called normal-strength stuff. Again, there are a couple of familiar beers: Stella, Fosters, Holsten, Miller and Pabst.
You’ll notice that prices are fairly random. Some beers in this set are the same price or cheaper than ones in the watery group. It’s a trick that’s easy to pull when drinkers have no idea of your beer’s strength. It seems any strength of Lager cost 3 to 4 shillings a pint. There’s a simple explanation why Miller High Life is an exception: that was sold on a US base .
Note the very high degree of attenuation of these samples. Only a couple are under 80%.
Imported bottled Lager in the 1950's - normal-strength stuff
Year
Brewer
country
Beer
Price per pint (d)
Acidity
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
1959
Schous Brewery
Norway
Norwegian Beer
36
0.03
1041.2
1005.5
4.66
86.65%
8.5
1957
Schous Brewery
Norway
Norwegian Beer
0.05
1042.2
1006.6
4.64
84.36%
12
1957
Dortmunder Union
Germany
Pilsener
42
0.04
1042.8
1007.4
4.61
82.71%
8
1959
Pilsor
Belgium
Lamot Lager
42
0.04
1043.8
1003.2
5.31
92.69%
7.5
1957
Artois Breweries
Belgium
Stella Lager
40
0.06
1044.3
1007.6
4.78
82.84%
8
1957
Holsten
Germany
Pilsner
0.05
1044.7
1007.4
4.86
83.45%
8
1957
Holsten
Germany
Pilsner
42
0.04
1044.7
1008.2
4.75
81.66%
8
1959
Vanderheuvel
Belgium
Ekla Lager
42
0.04
1045.6
1009.6
4.68
78.95%
10
1956
Miller
USA
High Life
20
0.04
1045.7
1012.3
4.33
73.09%
6
1957
Carlton United
Australia
Fosters Export Lager
48
0.05
1046
1005.8
5.25
87.39%
8.5
1956
Carlton United
Australia
Export Lager
48
0.05
1046.2
1004.5
5.45
90.26%
8
1957
Vanderheuvel
Belgium
Ekla
42
0.05
1046.3
1008.2
4.96
82.29%
7
1955
Pabst
USA
Blue Ribbon
0.05
1048.9
1011.7
4.84
76.07%
9
1958
New Zealand Breweries
New Zealand
Steinecker Lager
0.04
1049.1
1006.5
5.57
86.76%
85
1955
Liebmann
USA
Rheingold Extra Dry Lager
0.04
1049.8
1011.6
4.97
76.71%
6
Average
40.20
0.04
1045.4
1007.7
4.91
83.06%
13.30
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EEWtPkHQYsc/VUHzoqpPrYI/AAAAAAAAXHA/mjkc_peH7QA/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950's_normal_streng th_stuff.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EEWtPkHQYsc/VUHzoqpPrYI/AAAAAAAAXHA/mjkc_peH7QA/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950%27s_normal_stre ngth_stuff.jpg)
The final group would have been pretty strong by UK standards in the 1950’s. These, too, look like Continental-strength beers. Though the Löwenbräu Bock looks a bit weak. I thought Bock had to have a gravity of at least 16º Plato by German law. That’s about 1064º.
Tuborg are most confusing. They were selling both a watered down version and a full-strength one. And the stronger one was actually cheaper. Weird. How would drinkers have been able to work out what was good and what was bad value? Impossible, unless you had the beers analysed.
Imported bottled Lager in the 1950's - strong stuff
Year
Brewer
country
Beer
Price per pint (d)
Acidity
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
1955
National Brewery
USA
Beer
0.04
1050.9
1011
5.19
78.39%
10
1957
Tuborg
Denmark
Export Beer
40
0.06
1052.3
1011.5
5.31
78.01%
7
1957
????brau
Germany
Light Beer
60
0.04
1052.3
1014.4
4.92
72.47%
9
1957
Tuborg
Denmark
Export Tuborg Beer
0.06
1052.4
1006.9
5.95
86.83%
7
1957
Ringnes
Norway
Export Lager Beer
0.05
1052.5
1006.9
5.96
86.86%
13
1955
Swedish Beer Export Co. Gothenburg
Sweden
Three Towns Beer (Lager)
30
0.05
1052.9
1008.7
5.77
83.55%
9
1956
Artois Breweries
Belgium
Sparta Special Lager
0.06
1053.2
1015.2
4.93
71.43%
20
1955
Ringnes
Norway
Export Pilsener
48
0.04
1053.8
1010.9
5.59
79.74%
11
1957
Ringnes
Norway
Export Lager
48
0.05
1054.5
1008.8
5.97
83.85%
9.5
1957
Löwenbräu
Germany
Pale Bock
52
0.05
1061.9
1014.3
6.20
76.90%
6
Average
46.33
0.05
1053.7
1010.9
5.58
79.80%
10.15
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F00AkQoEVW8/VUHzopDRHKI/AAAAAAAAXG8/tqXu3-666VQ/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950's_strong_stuff. jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F00AkQoEVW8/VUHzopDRHKI/AAAAAAAAXG8/tqXu3-666VQ/s1600/Imported_bottled_Lager_in_the_1950%27s_strong_stuf f.jpg)
Maybe Brown Ale next. But it’s a long set and I’m very lazy.
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2015/05/imported-bottled-lager-in-1950s.html)