State of the beer in Poperinghe

[Chris_Baker]

Thought you might like this. It is an extract dated 10 April 1916 from the diary of the Director General of Medical Services at GHQ BEF.

Consumption of immature beers

Director Medical Services, Second Army, drew attention to the consumption of immature beers in the neighbourhood of Poperinghe, and to the altered and unsatisfactory conditions of manufacture and sale of beer which was consumed in enormously increasing qualtities by troops in the immediate neighbourhood. Signs pointed to the fact that these conditions were likely to be aggravated as time went on. The introduction of drastic measures of control and regulation was needed. A radical reform of the methods of hurried brewing at present in vogue was called for, and the result could not fail to be of benefit to the health of the troops whose interests alone were concerned.

In the town of Poperinghe the unwholesome conditions of manufacture and supply of beer had steadily undergone deterioration. The water supply was limited even in ordinary times. In many breweries the water was not of a potable kind, and its use would be prohibited to the troops. The conditions of cleanliness were at their lowest; the price of malt and hops was higher; coal was dearer and more difficult to obtain, so that a liberalsupply of hot water and steam for cleaning purposes was exceptional.

None of the breweries could be said to be either modern or model. Every specimen of beer obtained in the neighbourhood of Poperinghe showed <span style='color:blue'>intestinal bacilli</span> to be present, while the brewers did not seem to think it necessary to change their yeast from time to time. The sale of beer was tenfold that of normal times and the greater portion was consumed by the troops. No attempts appeared to be made to 'keep' the beer for any length of time before its sale, and it was doubtful whether these beers would survive testing owing to their high initial bacterial contents.

The DMS in his report illustrated the conditions of brewing at the Brasserie of Messrs La Haye Freres, which was thelargest and most modern of the 16 breweries at Poperinghe. There was no water supply on these premises and the water had to be pumped from by a pipe line from the <span style='color:blue'>foul and usually turbid Vleterenbeek</span>, some 200 yards distant. This water was utilised for all purposes and was subjected to no preliminary treatment before it was passed into the boilers or into the tank reservoir at the brewery.

The DMS also remarked upon the uncleanliness of the fermentation rooms and the clarifying of beer barrels and suggested both the French and Belgian authorities beapproached with reference to this matter so that a uniform system be established throughout the Army Zone.

Ends.

Oh Gawd! Shot at from the front, and when out at rest drinking part of the Vleterenbeek that someone else had drunk before!

[Guest Desmond6]

Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'p...ing your money down the drain' - excuse me I think I'm going to be .... HUGHIE!

[Tom Morgan]

Well, Chris - now we know why so many of them said the beer was like p**s.

[alfie]

Even in modern times cleaning the fermentation room in some Belgian breweries is actively discouraged

[paul guthrie]

Godless propaganda, beer was/is good for you! Tried to keep em away from wimmen too! Troops will always be troops, wish all offcers could be em/or soldiers like Jon.

[gem22]

Not too many miles from Pop is a certain abbey that brews rather a good beer. The story goes that during the war it did a good trade with the British soldiery. A new Medical Officer in the district was appalled by the state of the pond outside the abbey and ordered it drained and cleansed. Shortly after thirsty troops were turned away from the abbey. When they asked 'why?' they were told - 'No water, no beer'.

Water supply soon restored.

Garth

[charlesmessenger]

Chris

The foulness of the beer in Poperinghe obviously prompted the authorities to order the OC No 4 Mobile Hygiene Laboratory in June 1916 to be responsible for the checking the brewing process in its breweries and advising their managers on correct practice.

Charles M

[Desmond7]

A widespread publication of this report would have done wonders for the temperance movement - or the Tommies would all have been winoes - hic.

I feel justified in hi-jacking this thread - anybody else heard of the 'Catch My Pal' movement? Yes, there is a link to beer and discipline!

[Mark Hone]

When I was cycling round 'Pops' last summer (in 100 degree heat!) I noticed that the historic brewery building on the edge of town is in a state of disrepair. Do any of our Belgian contributors know what plans , if any, there are for its future?

[Muerrisch]

it is said that Londoners drink water that has, on average, been through six people and one horse. At least beer has pleasant side-effects.

[Malcolm]

Well since Viking times it has always been safer to drink the beer than the water! They used to brew it from ' bere ', a definitely non-GM grain (still do in Orkney) , and had four brews, first for men, second for women and old men, third for teenagers, fourth for children.

Keep drinking beer , water is bad for you!!!

Aye

Malcolm