The above cartoon from 1811 by the British publisher and bookseller Thomas Tegg (1776-1846) makes fun of the British sailors’ fondness for drinking. ‘Jack’ is shown in his hammock, surrounded by bottles of grog. National Maritime Museum: PAF4157
Providing the necessary food and drink for thousands of men in naval ships was a permanent headache for the Admiralty and the issues they faced rolled with the seasons. One of the problems they faced was that the need to produce and stockpile victuals never disappeared and yet the ability to produce and stockpile quality victuals changed with the seasons – particularly for beer which tended to spoil quickly and easily if brewed in the heat of summer. This letter, from the Victualling Board to the Admiralty secretary, written in the depths of winter but with an eye to the victualling problems that the summer would pose in 1748, presents for the first time an idea of using ships of the Ordinary to stow beer brewed at the ideal time – in winter and spring. It is also an interesting letter as it shows a clear example of good and effective communication between the Admiralty and the Victualling Board. This was not always the case – but in the winter of 1747, it was.
Good to see this subject aired. There are a few of us who have put in considerable research into naval beer including: the acquisition of naval breweries by the Victualling Board, the contractor challenges, and the summer brewing problem.
The greatest impact of the summer brewing problem on naval history was in 1759 when Hawke complained bitterly about the quality and shortage of beer he was receiving as his squadron blockaded Brest. “Want of beer and frigates ties my hands….” (Hawke to Cleveland 12 Aug 1759, The Hawke Papers NRS Vol 129,1990 paper 250). The shortage and quality problems were however complex and the VB did much to address them. Much more could be said on this subject.