Brewing for Victory: Brewers, Beers and Pubs in World War II [Hardcover]

Brian Glover (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1995

In this lively piece of social history, Brian Glover relates how the brewers and purveyors of beer of the 1940s were not just providing a brew to help keep people's mind off the terrors and hardships of war. They also helped fight the worst effects of the bombing of civilian areas, and kept public order by providing a social meeting place, by getting sustenance to the forces on sea as well as on land. Witty tales and factual retails reveal the difficulties faced by manufacturers of what some in the First World War considered to be the 'devil's brew', taking the minds of the public off the serious business of making war. Brewery fire-fighting teams were always on call to help with the effects of air raids in their areas. Brian Glover shows that by drinking altogether they felt more team-spirit and it helped them relax. Yet the industry survived, even when suffering extensive damage in the Second World War. Brewing beer in shops, petrol rationing, shortages of raw materials, strategies to confuse the enemy, women and pensioners taking over, reduction in licensing hours and the strength of beers, higher taxes: all the problems and the rallying together that typifies the industry during the War are shown in well-researched detail. Published with the support of the Brewers & Licensed Retailers Association, Brewing for Victory depicts the true British spirit in action, as the public, pubs and brewers worked together to ensure that the nation's social structure - and its ale - should not be beaten into submission.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Here is a lively history of breweries and public houses during the War, with a serious point to make as well." Forces News

About the Author

Glover's career as a librarian underwent a radical change, after his success in several major cooking competitions, including the very first series of the BBC's Masterchef. He has written about food ever since and now contributes to some of Great Britain's best known home interest and food magazines.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Lutterworth Press (May 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 071882928X
• ISBN-13: 978-0718829285
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,588,167 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars The Untold Story -- Told, June 20, 2004

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Lew Bryson "Amazon says 'Lew Bryson' isn't my... (Pennsylvania, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brewing for Victory: Brewers, Beers and Pubs in World War II (Hardcover)

A guy I know brought this back from England a few years ago, and I read it while on vacation. This is a great telling of the stories of British brewing in World War II, covering the early days of the war when drys tried to use patriotic fervor to stop brewing (they were soundly shut down and roundly criticized for using the war to further their mad agenda), the effects of The Blitz on London brewers and pubs, the lasting effects of low-malt brewing on brewers and British beer in general, brewing under occupation on the Channel Isles, and beer in victory, including the famous picture of a Spitfire with a "drop-tank" of cask ale. I guarantee this will be beer stories you've never heard before, and almost all of it a fascinating look at how British beer went to war, and like all the other boys (and girls) who 'saw the elephant,' came back changed forever.