THE DECLINE OF BEER.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 8711, 10 January 1907, Page 1

THE DECLINE OF BEER.

Bravely ignoring the decline in the consumption of alcohol, as revealed in recent statistics, “ the Brewers and Allied Trades ” open their exhibition at the Agricultural Hall, Islington. It is true that sixty-three experts have accepted the position of j udges, but there are many strong-headed Britons who will prefer to taste for themselves so as to be able to form an unbiassed and independent decision. I The manager of one of the largest j breweries in the kingdom said : “ Our brewery is going downhill, and so is the British race. If you walk through the City of London at lunch time what do you see ? Men coming out of tea-shops, anaemic and wrecked, having lunched on two cups of tea and a bun. If the clerk in the city had but a few pence to spend he had some bread and cheese and a glass of good ale or stout. He used to have a little colour in his face and looked like an Englishman.” The trade is declining, and is shifting from draught to bottled beer. The firm alluded to has taken to bottling its brew reluctantly and from “stern necessity,” but other brewers, such as Messrs Allsopps, are going in zealously for bottling. In the beer competition there are 297 entries, as against 215 last year. On all hands the endeavour is to produce a light non-deposit beer, containing a very small percentage of alcohol. In fact, so small is this percentage becoming that it is said that oertaim mineral waters will be found j to be more intoxicating. J