Brewers' Duty Protest, 29th June 1918
- jimgrundyrule303
- Jun 29, 2016
- 2 min read
The rising duty on beer, coupled with the restriction on strength and the fixing of prices led to disputes between brewers and the authorities.
On 29th June 1918 it was reported that some brewers were refusing to apply for appropriate licences in order to brew an additional 10% permitted within munition areas.
“LESS BEER NEXT WEEK.
“BREWERS AND FOOD CONTROLLER AT LOGGERHEADS.
“There will be less beer in public-houses in munition areas next week than there has been for the last month, says the London Express.
“Parliament has fixed the amount of beer to be brewed, and the greater portion of the brewing is allotted direct to the brewers each quarter by the Excise authorities, and a duty of 50s. per standard barrel is charged.
“A further 10 per cent. increase on this beer is placed at the disposal of the Food Controller to be distributed in munition areas. Licences are issued for this beer by the Ministry of Food at 25s. per barrel, making the cost of the Excise duty and Food Controller's licence 75s. per standard. This licence beer must not be sold to the public at more than 4d. per pint, or 96s. per bulk barrel, and the gravity must be less than 10.30.
“The Food Controller's licences granted for this quarter expire on Sunday, and new licences for next quarter have not been issued up to the present. Unless they are to hand by Monday the brewing of the extra beer will have to cease. There will be a considerable shortage, therefore, from next week as compared with present supplies.
“A further cause of delay is that most brewers in munition areas resent the charge of 25s. per standard barrel for the Food Controller's licence, which they claim has not had the special sanction of Parliament. Last quarter most brewers paid the licence charge under protest, and in the hope that it would either be remitted or discontinued next quarter.
“The Ministry of Food stand to their guns in demanding the 25s., and the consequence is that many brewers have not applied for a licence to brew the extra beer.”
'Nottingham Evening Post', 29th June 1918.