Shut up about Barclay Perkins - Number of breweries in the UK 1838 - 2917
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Lots of numbers this time. You may be able to tell that I've been doing some more extracting from BBPA Statistical Handbook 2018.
The trend for the last couple of decades are the exact opposite of those for pubs. That is, the nunmbers have been constantly rising. Though a quick glance at the table will tell you that the current number of breweries is way off the record. It's only just about got back to the level of the early 1920s. Go back into the 19th century and its's way short.
Though it should be borne in mind that the vast majority of breweries in the 19th century were tiny, producing fewer than 1,000 barrels per year. In 1881, for example, around 75% of brewers were homebrew pubs.
One thing to bear in mind: these numbers are for brewing licences issued. The number of breweries thnat were actively brewing was lower.
I'm going to out on a limb here: I don't think we'll ever see the UK manage 1 brewery per 544 inhabitants again.
| Number of breweries in the UK 1838 - 2917 |
| Year |
Breweries |
population |
pop. per brewery |
| 1838 |
49,200 |
26,751,199 |
544 |
| 1870 |
32,287 |
31,555,694 |
977 |
| 1880 |
21,131 |
34,934,476 |
1,653 |
| 1890 |
11,364 |
37,802,381 |
3,327 |
| 1895 |
9,050 |
39,220,114 |
4,334 |
| 1900 |
6,447 |
41,154,646 |
6,384 |
| 1910 |
4,512 |
44,911,346 |
9,954 |
| 1914 |
3,647 |
46,089,249 |
12,638 |
| 1920 |
2,914 |
46,873,396 |
16,086 |
| 1930 |
1,418 |
46,074,000 |
32,492 |
| 1935 |
1,144 |
|
|
| 1940 |
840 |
48,216,000 |
57,400 |
| 1945 |
708 |
|
|
| 1950 |
567 |
50,290,000 |
88,695 |
| 1955 |
460 |
|
|
| 1960 |
358 |
52,807,000 |
147,506 |
| 1965 |
274 |
|
|
| 1970 |
177 |
55,928,000 |
315,977 |
| 1980 |
191 |
56,352,000 |
295,037 |
| 1990 |
279 |
57,808,000 |
207,197 |
| 2000 |
500 |
59,009,000 |
118,018 |
| 2001 |
448 |
|
|
| 2002 |
403 |
|
|
| 2003 |
493 |
|
|
| 2004 |
504 |
|
|
| 2005 |
570 |
|
|
| 2006 |
642 |
|
|
| 2007 |
667 |
|
|
| 2008 |
725 |
|
|
| 2009 |
745 |
|
|
| 2010 |
828 |
|
|
| 2011 |
948 |
|
|
| 2012 |
1,300 |
|
|
| 2013 |
1,490 |
|
|
| 2014 |
1,700 |
|
|
| 2015 |
1,880 |
|
|
| 2016 |
2,250 |
|
|
| 2017 |
2,430 |
66,020,000 |
27,169 |
| Sources: |
| Journal of the Institute of Brewing, vol 7, 1901, page 64 |
| BBPA Statistical Handbook 2003, p. 92 |
| Brewers' Almanack 1955 p.68 |
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