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25-01-2016, 07:41
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If the 1952 hop crop was disappointing in the UK, it was disastrous in much of continental Europe.
Almost no-one had produced enough Hops:
“Continental Districts
The position of continental brewers has been aptly summarised by a spokesman who commented : "It seems that England and the United States of America will have to make up the deficit in European hop production this season."
In the countries West of the iron curtain 1952 production of brewing-type hops is substantially down on the previous year, and quality has suffered as well as quantity apart from England and Yugoslavia. The latter country's crop is calculated to be something like 20 per cent lower than 1951, but on the other hand, the quality is exceptionally high.”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February pages 11 - 12.
Interesting that the author placed Yugoslavia West of the iron curtain. Not sure what Stalin would have thought of that. Though lacking a border with Yugoslavia, there wasn’t much he could do about it.
Let’s go through all of Europe’s hop regions.
“In Belgium growers in the middle of the season were highly confident but in the result found quantity down and quality of the major portion below that of the previous year. French hops from the Alsace region are much on a par with the Belgian produce.”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
Belgian hops were considered to be some of the lowest quality foreign hops by British brewers. Who only ever used them for one reason: they were cheap. If the quality was below even the normal level, they must have pretty crap.
The poor harvest in Germany was compounded by another factor:
“Though of good quality, the crop in West Germany failed to produce more than 90 per cent of the lowest estimated yield—a position which, for the home brewer, was aggravated by freely allowing all export orders in the early stages before the actual extent of the harvest had been realised.”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
Not too bright, that, exporting hops before you know whether you’ve enough to fill domestic needs.
It all added up to a shortage of hops on the continent. One which couldn’t be remedied by UK supplies. There was one obvious source – the USA. But that presented another problem:
“Continental brewers therefore looked westwards for the supplies necessary to supplement local products to fulfil their demands. A reduced crop in England forced attention even across the Atlantic for hops which most of these brewers could not enthuse over— and for which invaluable dollars would have to be expended. !”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-URaaNif6lKs/VqD7Z_TRUzI/AAAAAAAAZHg/hY9o2Be9jFA/s400/Barclay_Perkins_Golden_Hop_Ale.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-URaaNif6lKs/VqD7Z_TRUzI/AAAAAAAAZHg/hY9o2Be9jFA/s1600/Barclay_Perkins_Golden_Hop_Ale.jpg)
It’s hard nowadays to remember the problem that foreign currencies used to present. You needed US dollars to buy goods from the US. Unlike today, most European currencies weren’t freely convertible.
“Attention at first turned to Czechoslovakia—where Switzerland returned for the first time since pre-war days as a customer but there also the growers had suffered the same diminution in crops as the neighbouring German areas, being at least 10 per cent down in quantity on 1951. The trend of that country's selling policy may be seen in its offer to Belgium to exchange on the basis of one ton Hallertau type hops for 2 tons Belgian hops. In other words, in order to obtain a footing again in the international market Czechoslovakia was prepared to let other countries have her best produce, her own consumers having to accept a drink prepared from materials below the standard of her own produce — perhaps a very enlightening reflection upon that country's regime!”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
According to my figures, the Czech harvest was closer to 20% down on 1951. Those naughty communists swapping good hops for crap ones. Like lots of other European countries (including the UK) they were pretty broke and desperate.
You can see how yields were down everywhere in 1952:
World Production of hops 1951 - 1957
Country
1951
1952
1953
1955
1956
1957
cwts.
cwts.
cwts.
cwts.
cwts.
cwts.
USA
564,634
546,991
372,786
329,233
342,705
358,349
United Kingdom
321,821
282,348
266,000
256,821
184,170
267,670
Czechoslovakia
98,420§
80,705§
98,420§
120,428
96,304
73,813
Germany
252,795
206,187
280,500
253,358
277,027
283,473
France
41,330
34,446
48,223
41,214
33,071
33,696
Belgium
19,366
17,062
19,179
26,571
16,027
23,821
Yugoslavia
24,652
23,652
25,589
36,616
45,866
52,848
total Europe
659,964
563,695
639,491
735,008
652,465
735,321
Total Europe + USA
1,224,598
1,110,686
1,012,277
1,064,241
995,170
1,093,670
§ estimate
Sources:
1951, 1952, 1953: 1955 Brewers' Almanack, page 65.
average 1950-54, 1955, 1956, 1957: 1962 Brewers' Almanack, page 63.
You can see that European hop production recovered in 1953, while in the USA it plummeted. Though 1956 was another poor year in most of Europe.
The Czechs provided only temporary relief. Once all their hops had been sold, there was only one option on this side of the Atlantic:
“However, even this source proved short-lived, and by the middle of January it was stated that practically all hops on the continent had been sold. Economic considerations — the eternal dollar problem — may influence the European market in the direction of seeking English hops, but even here there is only a limited quantity available. On the economic side, it would appear preferable to trade within the E.P.U. confines and so lessen the strain on dollar reserves implicit in obtaining supplies from the other side of the Atlantic; but the rapidly improving position of this country, at least in trading within the Union, is making its effect felt in an unexpected direction — sterling is becoming short in E.P.U. countries which wish to buy from us!”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
The EPU was the European Payments Union. It existed between 1950 and 1958 and was basically a way of getting around Europe’s lack of hard currency after WW II. It seems to have been very successful in boosting inter-European trade.
Finally, something about hop prices in Germany. If you could find any, that is:
“The ban on exports by the West German Federal Government is not a general ban. Countries having a clearing arrangement with Germany can still take supplies, in certain circumstances; but it is understood that all available supplies have been disposed of. Local prices have ceased their upward spiral, but remain firm: Hallertau. 790 marks per zentner (.984 cwt.); Hersbrucker Gebirge 720; Spalt, 820; and Tettnang, 835.”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
It’s amazing how close a metric Zentner is to an Imperial hundredweight. In 1953 I happen to know there were 11.7 DM to the pound. Which allows me to compile this table:
Hop prices per cwt. In 1953
Hop
DM
£
Hallertau
790
68.62
Hersbrucker Gebirge
720
62.54
Spalt
820
71.23
Tettnang
835
72.53
Goldings
386.1
33
Goldings Varieties
359.8
30.75
Fuggles
348.1
29.75
Brewer's Gold C9A
351.0
30
Bullion Q43
353.9
30.25
Early Promise X35
310.1
26.5
Key worth's Midseason OR55
339.3
29
Sources:
Brewer's Guardian 1953, 1953, February pages 11 - 12.
The English hops are all grade 1, the top quality. Yet they were still less than half the price of the German hops.
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-1952-hop-crop-part-two.html)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-icMIvNaH1xk/VqD7UiwMCmI/AAAAAAAAZHY/Bar0F0hCwO4/s400/Barclay_Perkins_Golden_Hop_Ale_2.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-icMIvNaH1xk/VqD7UiwMCmI/AAAAAAAAZHY/Bar0F0hCwO4/s1600/Barclay_Perkins_Golden_Hop_Ale_2.jpg)
If the 1952 hop crop was disappointing in the UK, it was disastrous in much of continental Europe.
Almost no-one had produced enough Hops:
“Continental Districts
The position of continental brewers has been aptly summarised by a spokesman who commented : "It seems that England and the United States of America will have to make up the deficit in European hop production this season."
In the countries West of the iron curtain 1952 production of brewing-type hops is substantially down on the previous year, and quality has suffered as well as quantity apart from England and Yugoslavia. The latter country's crop is calculated to be something like 20 per cent lower than 1951, but on the other hand, the quality is exceptionally high.”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February pages 11 - 12.
Interesting that the author placed Yugoslavia West of the iron curtain. Not sure what Stalin would have thought of that. Though lacking a border with Yugoslavia, there wasn’t much he could do about it.
Let’s go through all of Europe’s hop regions.
“In Belgium growers in the middle of the season were highly confident but in the result found quantity down and quality of the major portion below that of the previous year. French hops from the Alsace region are much on a par with the Belgian produce.”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
Belgian hops were considered to be some of the lowest quality foreign hops by British brewers. Who only ever used them for one reason: they were cheap. If the quality was below even the normal level, they must have pretty crap.
The poor harvest in Germany was compounded by another factor:
“Though of good quality, the crop in West Germany failed to produce more than 90 per cent of the lowest estimated yield—a position which, for the home brewer, was aggravated by freely allowing all export orders in the early stages before the actual extent of the harvest had been realised.”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
Not too bright, that, exporting hops before you know whether you’ve enough to fill domestic needs.
It all added up to a shortage of hops on the continent. One which couldn’t be remedied by UK supplies. There was one obvious source – the USA. But that presented another problem:
“Continental brewers therefore looked westwards for the supplies necessary to supplement local products to fulfil their demands. A reduced crop in England forced attention even across the Atlantic for hops which most of these brewers could not enthuse over— and for which invaluable dollars would have to be expended. !”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-URaaNif6lKs/VqD7Z_TRUzI/AAAAAAAAZHg/hY9o2Be9jFA/s400/Barclay_Perkins_Golden_Hop_Ale.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-URaaNif6lKs/VqD7Z_TRUzI/AAAAAAAAZHg/hY9o2Be9jFA/s1600/Barclay_Perkins_Golden_Hop_Ale.jpg)
It’s hard nowadays to remember the problem that foreign currencies used to present. You needed US dollars to buy goods from the US. Unlike today, most European currencies weren’t freely convertible.
“Attention at first turned to Czechoslovakia—where Switzerland returned for the first time since pre-war days as a customer but there also the growers had suffered the same diminution in crops as the neighbouring German areas, being at least 10 per cent down in quantity on 1951. The trend of that country's selling policy may be seen in its offer to Belgium to exchange on the basis of one ton Hallertau type hops for 2 tons Belgian hops. In other words, in order to obtain a footing again in the international market Czechoslovakia was prepared to let other countries have her best produce, her own consumers having to accept a drink prepared from materials below the standard of her own produce — perhaps a very enlightening reflection upon that country's regime!”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
According to my figures, the Czech harvest was closer to 20% down on 1951. Those naughty communists swapping good hops for crap ones. Like lots of other European countries (including the UK) they were pretty broke and desperate.
You can see how yields were down everywhere in 1952:
World Production of hops 1951 - 1957
Country
1951
1952
1953
1955
1956
1957
cwts.
cwts.
cwts.
cwts.
cwts.
cwts.
USA
564,634
546,991
372,786
329,233
342,705
358,349
United Kingdom
321,821
282,348
266,000
256,821
184,170
267,670
Czechoslovakia
98,420§
80,705§
98,420§
120,428
96,304
73,813
Germany
252,795
206,187
280,500
253,358
277,027
283,473
France
41,330
34,446
48,223
41,214
33,071
33,696
Belgium
19,366
17,062
19,179
26,571
16,027
23,821
Yugoslavia
24,652
23,652
25,589
36,616
45,866
52,848
total Europe
659,964
563,695
639,491
735,008
652,465
735,321
Total Europe + USA
1,224,598
1,110,686
1,012,277
1,064,241
995,170
1,093,670
§ estimate
Sources:
1951, 1952, 1953: 1955 Brewers' Almanack, page 65.
average 1950-54, 1955, 1956, 1957: 1962 Brewers' Almanack, page 63.
You can see that European hop production recovered in 1953, while in the USA it plummeted. Though 1956 was another poor year in most of Europe.
The Czechs provided only temporary relief. Once all their hops had been sold, there was only one option on this side of the Atlantic:
“However, even this source proved short-lived, and by the middle of January it was stated that practically all hops on the continent had been sold. Economic considerations — the eternal dollar problem — may influence the European market in the direction of seeking English hops, but even here there is only a limited quantity available. On the economic side, it would appear preferable to trade within the E.P.U. confines and so lessen the strain on dollar reserves implicit in obtaining supplies from the other side of the Atlantic; but the rapidly improving position of this country, at least in trading within the Union, is making its effect felt in an unexpected direction — sterling is becoming short in E.P.U. countries which wish to buy from us!”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
The EPU was the European Payments Union. It existed between 1950 and 1958 and was basically a way of getting around Europe’s lack of hard currency after WW II. It seems to have been very successful in boosting inter-European trade.
Finally, something about hop prices in Germany. If you could find any, that is:
“The ban on exports by the West German Federal Government is not a general ban. Countries having a clearing arrangement with Germany can still take supplies, in certain circumstances; but it is understood that all available supplies have been disposed of. Local prices have ceased their upward spiral, but remain firm: Hallertau. 790 marks per zentner (.984 cwt.); Hersbrucker Gebirge 720; Spalt, 820; and Tettnang, 835.”
"Brewer's Guardian 1953", 1953, February page 12.
It’s amazing how close a metric Zentner is to an Imperial hundredweight. In 1953 I happen to know there were 11.7 DM to the pound. Which allows me to compile this table:
Hop prices per cwt. In 1953
Hop
DM
£
Hallertau
790
68.62
Hersbrucker Gebirge
720
62.54
Spalt
820
71.23
Tettnang
835
72.53
Goldings
386.1
33
Goldings Varieties
359.8
30.75
Fuggles
348.1
29.75
Brewer's Gold C9A
351.0
30
Bullion Q43
353.9
30.25
Early Promise X35
310.1
26.5
Key worth's Midseason OR55
339.3
29
Sources:
Brewer's Guardian 1953, 1953, February pages 11 - 12.
The English hops are all grade 1, the top quality. Yet they were still less than half the price of the German hops.
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-1952-hop-crop-part-two.html)