Brewers in Hertfordshire
A historical gazetteer
Allan Whitaker
"For Real Ale lovers and local historians this book is a must, as a single comprehensive source for information about Hertfordshire brewing"
Steve Bury, Pints of View (CAMRA)
"Well illustrated with photographs and maps, this will be an invaluable guide to family historians with Hertfordshire brewers or innkeepers in their ancestry"
Kathy Chater, Ancestors
"This fascinating volume begins with an extensive historical introduction to the process of brewing and the changes in production, distribution and sale of beer across Hertfordshire. Allan Whitaker is to be congratulated on producing an excellent model for anyone considering writing a history of the brewing industry in their own county."
Peter Bysouth, The Local Historian
Brewing and its associated activities have been important industries in Hertfordshire for centuries. In Brewers in Hertfordshire, Allan Whitaker presents a detailed history of brewing in the county from 1700 to the present day.
Today only McMullen & Sons of Hertford and a few small micro-breweries are still brewing in Hertfordshire, but in times past there were at least seventy small local breweries, some of which flourished and accomplished successful takeovers. Several, subsequently, became part of major national breweries.
Allan Whitaker’s survey charts the complex patterns of growth, sales and mergers, including the activities of brewers from outside the county that had part of their tied estates or in some cases maltings within the county boundary. A fascinating picture emerges of family fortunes made and lost, with businesses intimately tied in to marriages and deaths. Some of the breweries were owned by Quaker families, and in a number of instances some of these brewers became partners in local banks, thus strengthening the standing of the Quaker community.
After a lengthy introduction which explains the brewing process and gives an overview of the development of the industry in the county, the gazetteer visits each town and village where there were breweries and gives details of their tied estates and their business histories. Descriptions are given of what can still be seen today and there are also plans of some breweries plus photographs.
Dr Allan Whitaker taught Biological Sciences at the University of Hertfordshire until his retirement. He is joint author of Principles of Fermentation Technology and a contributor to The Language of Biotechnology.
ISBN-10 0-9542189-7-3
ISBN-13 978-0-9542189-7-3
March 2006, 328pp
Paperback £14.99 / US$25.95
St Albans Beer Festival
Allan Whitaker signed copies of his book at the St Albans Beer Festival on Friday 29 September 2006. Click here for more information on the festival: