(Above Left) Hopping a batch of ale at Pittsburgh's Duquense Brewery, circa 1950
(Right) A similar scene in Pabst's famed Milwaukee brewhouse (now closed) in the early 1980's
AVERAGE HOP USAGE (in pounds)
PER BARREL OF BEER BREWED IN THE US 1915 - .65 1935 - .70 1940 - .58 1945 - .43 1950 - .43 1955 - .37 1960 - .33 1965 - .29 1970 - .23 1975 - .21 1980 - .22 1985 - .21 1990 - .22 1995 – .2 2000 – .1 2005 – .1 2008 – .3 Figures from The Brewers Almanac  see also: BLATZ TEMPO The first modern "wet hop" beer Dry Hopping in the US in the pre-craft era Return to home page Jess Kidden's Misc. Beerpages | "In the course of this quarter of a century (from Repeal in 1933 to 1958) the character of the American beers has changed considerably. They became lighter in body and less flavorful, much paler in color, and much milder in hop character, and also more delicate in taste." "It is remarkable that the amount of hops used per barrel is half of that used in 1934." "There is also an unmistakable trend to a single type of American lager with special types of beer, dark beers for example, having practically disappeared in most markets." "The decline in production of top-fermented ales has also been a notable change in American brewing practice. At the beginning of the period ale production amounted to about 15 to 20 per cent of total malt beverage output; today it is probably not more than 5 per cent." ---- 25 Years of Brewing, (1958) American Brewer magazine Dr. Stephen Laufer and Earl D. Stewart, of Schwarz Labs., Inc _____ BUDWEISER's IBU's in the post-Repeal era 1946 - 20 1970's - 17 1980's - 14* (source- Joseph Owades) * Uncredited sources often put it as low as 11 today. _____ "Whereas most American pilsners were hopped in the 13-17 IBU range, Bushwick pilsners* were usually in the 20-25 IBU range and were as high as 29 IBUs in the late 1950s." _____ "...Recent trends to lighter, milder and more widely acceptable beers have drastically reduced hopping rates compared to those of twenty or thirty years ago..." The Practical Brewer, Second Ed.- 1977 Master Brewers Assoc. of the Americas ___ “The level of bitterness in American beers has decreased in the last 10 years by maybe 20 percent and the whole flavor level has come down…” Joseph Owades,
quoted in the New York Times, May 12, 1982 ____ Olympia Beer Mid-1970's - 22 IBU's Late 1990's - 8-10 IBU's ___ American-style lagers IBU's averaged 15-20 IBU's twenty years ago to fewer than 10 today. (2006, Siebel Institute, as quoted in the Wall Street Journal)  |
First delivery of hops at the recently purchased Carling brewery, Frankenmuth, MI - 1950's