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In country districts, where often the only Mild a brewery produced was in the 4d class pre-war, the conflict had only minimal effect of beer strength. Adnams is a good example.

Over the whole course of the war, Adnams XX lost a mere two gravity points, falling from 1029º to 1027º. There was a good reason why the gravity didn’t fall below 1027º: the way the tax system worked it made no economic sense. The tax equivalent to a beer of 1027º was the minimum charged, whatever the strength of the beer.

Just as with the gravity, there was very little change in the hopping rate of XX during the war. Despite brewers being ordered by the government early in the war to reduce it. Though Adnams’ hopping rate was a good bit lower than at either Whitbread or Lees. It started around 5 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt. While Whitbread’s rate went from over 8 lbs per quarter to around 5.5 lbs. While Lees went from around 7 lbs per quarter to 5.5 lbs.


Adnams Mild Ale during WW II
Date Year Beer OG FG ABV App. Atten-uation lbs hops/ qtr hops lb/brl
20th Sep 1939 XX 1029.0 1006.1 3.03 78.99% 4.93 0.57
2nd Sept 1940 XX 1029.0 1006.1 3.03 78.99% 4.90 0.57
13th Mar 1941 XX 1028.0 1006.1 2.90 78.24% 5.33 0.57
14th Jan 1942 XX 1027.0 1005.0 2.91 81.53% 4.63 0.50
1st Jan 1943 XX 1027.0 1005.5 2.84 79.48% 4.63 0.51
17th Feb 1943 XX 1027.0 1005.5 2.84 79.48% 4.63 0.51
9th Apr 1943 XX 1027.0 1005.0 2.91 81.53% 4.63 0.50
2nd Feb 1944 XX 1027.0 1006.1 2.77 77.43% 4.63 0.51
1st Jan 1945 XX 1027.0 1006.1 2.77 77.43% 4.63 0.50
Sources:
Adnams brewing records held at the brewery, Books 26 to 32



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