Over the years there have been dozens of beers named after or inspired by notable historical individuals, including monarchs, scientists, authors, inventors, politicians, industrialists, entertainers and military heroes. Popular ones which spring to mind are Oakham’s JHB (3.8% ABV), named after Jeffrey Hudson, duellist, adventurer and courtier of King Charles I’s who measured 3ft 6in and Salopian Brewery’s Darwin’s Origin (4.3% ABV), first released in 2009 to mark the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin. Well-known historical figures like William Shakespeare, Horatio Nelson, Robert Burns, King John, Queen Victoria, Winston Churchill and Charles Dickens regularly feature, although some less well-known figures have also featured, such as Orkney’s Long Strides (4.4% ABV), inspired by John Rae, a Scottish explorer who was the first to explore the Northwest Passage of Canada or Wolf’s Edith Cavell (3.7% ABV), named after the nurse who helped pioneer modern nursing practices in Belgium and treated soldiers on both sides during WW1.
Certain figures from history tend to get more coverage than others. Monarchs tend to be popular. Queen Victoria’s eventful 63 year reign has inspired a number of pub names and beers, including Weatheroak’s Victoria Works (4.3% ABV), Earl Soham’s Victoria Bitter (3.6% ABV), Fuller’s Drina (4.2% ABV), Heritage Brewing Co’s Victoria Pale Ale (3.5% ABV) and Newtown’s Empress of India (6.1% ABV). Horatio Nelson is another common example for both pubs and beers, including Woodforde’s Nelson’s Revenge (4.5% ABV), Shepherd Neame’s Tapping the Admiral (4% ABV) and Bateman’s Victory Ale (6% ABV), named after his flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar. Former prime ministers have also been namechecked, most notably Winston Churchill who has been referenced in the likes of Churchill HPA (4.5% ABV) from Oxfordshire Ales, Greene King’s Churchill IPA (4.6% ABV), Rebellion’s Finest Hour (4.2% ABV), Brewhouse & Kitchen’s Churchill’s Fall (3.6% ABV) and Westerham’s British Bulldog (4.1% ABV), brewed near his former residence at Chartwell. When it comes to the arts, William Shakespeare appears frequently, featuring in the likes of Warwickshire Beer Co’s Shakespeare’s County (5% ABV), the Globe Shakespeare’s Ale (4.2% ABV) and Shakespeare’s IPA (6% ABV) from the North Cotswold Brewing Co. The Shakespeare Brewing Company, based in Stretton on Fosse, near Shakespeare’s hometown, has named their entire range after the bard’s plays.
Although there are many examples of historical beers out there and certain figures tend to take the spotlight, intriguingly, only a handful of these beers appear as a regular part of the breweries’ core range. The majority have featured either as seasonal releases such as Tring’s Bring Me Sunshine (4.2% ABV), inspired by famous Harpenden resident Eric Morecambe, or one-off releases like Greene King’s Bo66y (4.2% ABV), released in 2016 to mark the 50th anniversary of England winning the World Cup and, in particular, celebrate the efforts of the team’s captain Bobby Moore. The UK is not alone in this field. Breweries from all around the world, including the US, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand and even the Netherlands, have released beers that have commemorated historical individuals.
This area tends to be a niche one but, whenever one finds a bottle or a pump clip that bears the likeliness of a famous individual, this often tends to inspire the interest of anyone with a penchant for history.
Mike Goldwater