Many years ago in a time more turbulent than now, the high roads of Britain were littered not only with the debris of society but the ills of it as well. People chose their anaesthetic to the daily trials and traumas of everyday life and with the introduction of gin to England in the 18th century, drinking establishments were opening at a speed much faster than before.
The production of beers and ales was a thriving trade
Britain, before the 18th century was most commonly known as a place where ale was the most commonly drunk alcoholic beverage and the production of beers and ales was a growing trade. Up until the 15th century, ale in Britain had been produced only from fermented malt. Adding hops to produce the beer was an idea carried over to British ale makers from Holland and it went down very well with Britain’s beer drinkers.
Alehouses acted as brewers and each developed their own distinctive ales up until around the late Seventeenth century when independent breweries began to appear to match the demand for beer and ales. Soon the majority of beer and ale making in Britain was handled by commercial breweries.
Gin-shops become a common sight
The 18th century though was to bring a change as new drinking establishments opened throughout the country to meet the demand for the recently introduced gin. It was the Dutch that brought gin to Britain after the Glorious Revolution of 1688; when poor quality grain that was not good enough to be used in brewing, was used instead for gin making. Gin-shops became a increasingly common sight in Britain and the brewers of ale and beer, countered by opening even more pubs and alehouses.
By the middle of the Eighteenth century, gin was being made at a huge rate six times that of beer and because it was very much cheaper than ales and beers, became widely used amongst Britain’s poor. With over 7,000 Gin Palaces in London alone, the term ‘Gin Craze’ was apt.
Tax eases the ruin of the working class?
Tax then came to the rescue of the poor as The Gin Act of 1736 brought with it a price rise that was designed to bring an end to the drunkenness and lawlessness thought to have been caused by gin. Seen as the ruin of the working classes, the high taxes led to rioting in the streets and the high duty was reduced and eventually discarded in 1742.
Improvements in living conditions, along with improvements in ale and beer production and the essential sanity of the British beer drinker meant that we survived all this to emerge in a modern world of choice that still sees beer and ale with pride-of-place in Britain’s pubs and drinking establishments and indeed running a pub is a popular vocation and across the country there are a good choice of pubs to lease.
“Give my people plenty of beer, good beer, and cheap beer, and you will have no revolution among them.”
-Queen Victoria
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