Brewing for Victory: Brewers, Beer and Pubs in World War II

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.