Beers from the past
There were more than 4,000 different brews available in the 60s, so we cannot list them all. This is a list of the most important ones.
Keg bitters on draught
Worthington 'E'
Ind Coope Double Diamond
Whitbread Tankard
Watneys Red Barrel
Younger's Tartan Bitter
Courage Tavern
Flowers Keg Bitter
Draught bitters
Some of these were not available for the whole of the period. I have added John Smith's because of its popularity today. It was very much a regional beer in the 60s.
Bass Red Triangle
Worthington IPA
Ind Coope Bitter
Worthington IPA
Whitbread Bitter (60s)
Whitbread Trophy (70s)
Watneys Special
Younger's Scotch Ale
Courage Bitter
Ansells Bitter
Mitchells and Butler's Brew XI
John Smith's (Tadcaster) Bitter
Retrowow reader Nathaneal remembers the TV adverts for Whitbread Trophy:
I have a strong memory of the advert on telly about "Whitbread, Big Head, Trophy Bitter, the pint that thinks its a quart. It's got the body, the body, that satisfies - It can't be modest, no matter how it tries!" Aye, those were the days, lad!
Draught milds
Most breweries in the 50s and 60s offered a mild. There were offerings from Green King, Greenall & Whitley, Charrington, Watneys, Whitbread, Courage, John Smith's, Ind Coope and Ansells amongst many others. One particular favourite for Midlands' drinkers was Mitchells and Butlers (M & B) Mild.
Best pale ales (bottled)
Bottled best pale ales were growing in popularity in the 50s. To a certain extent this growth was brought to an end when keg bitter was introduced. It offered similar characteristics for a cheaper price.
Bass Red Triangle
Ind Coope Double Diamond
Worthington White Shield IPA
Charrington Toby Ale
Younger's No. 3 Scotch Ale
Watneys Red Barrel (Export)
Whitbread Pale Ale
Whitbread (Flowers) Brewmaster
Vaux Double Maxim
Brown ales
Ansells Nut Brown
Fremlins Double Elephant Brown Ale
Greene King Burton Ale
Whitbread Forest Brown
Light ales
Charrington/Hammonds Prize Medal
Fremlins Elephant Light Ale
Younger's Pale Ale
Ushers India Pale Ale
Whitbread Light Ale
Stouts
Guinness
Mackeson (Whitbread)
Watneys Cream Label
Strong ales
Often sold in nip bottles (one third of a pint), strong ales were gaining a following in the late sixties and early seventies. These are some favourites from the past.
Whitbread Gold Label
John Smith's Magnet Old Ale
Younger's King of Ales
Daniel Thwaites Old Dan
Watneys Stingo
Lagers
Lager gained in popularity throughout the 60s, but did not challenge draught bitter until the 70s. These are some of the lagers available in Britain in the 60s.
Carling Black Label
Heineken
Carlsberg
Skol
Harp Irish Lager
Tennent's Lager (canned)
Tuborg Green Label Pilsner
By the seventies you could also get
Carlsberg Special Brew
Stella Artois
Carlsberg '68
Holsten Pilsner
Beck's Bier
The popularity of these latter brews increased substantially in the 80s and in some cases the 90s.