About Us
Our History
The history of the IBD is the history of Brewing and Distilling.
Our History
Trusted Knowledge Since 1886
The IBD was originally formed as The Laboratory Club in 1886; a time when the world of brewing and distilling was very different.
The IBD was originally formed as The Laboratory Club in 1886, a time when the world of brewing and distilling was very different.
There were nearly 20,000 licensed breweries in the UK with the two largest being Arthur Guinness in Dublin and William Bass in Burton-on-Trent. Dark, porter style beers had been the most popular for decades but these were beginning to be superseded by lighter, pale ales from Burton, which were easier to drink and quicker to produce – Brettanomyces fermentations were being overtaken by Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. Beer quality was often poor, with tonics and remedies being sold to counteract the side-effects of impurities which included high levels of arsenic.
In distilling, Coffey Stills were being used to produce high quantities of gin and whisky for the few distilleries who had them installed. However, the majority of distilleries still used pot stills. Usher and Dewar had introduced blended whiskies, increasing the reach and popularity of this drink.
Technology-wise, external mash mixers were finding their way into the industry as was sparging and the use of cast iron vessels in the brewhouse instead of wood. Wooden fermenters were beginning to be lined with copper to improve sanitation. Bottling was still done by hand and with no method of forced carbonating, all beers were secondary fermented in the serving vessel.
Science was just beginning to be accepted in the industry, which had long run on the principles of “we’ve always done it this way”. With many chemists being employed in a consulting role, there was friction between them and the brewers who claimed they lacked practical knowledge.
Pasteur had published “Etudes de la Biere” in 1876 and further works by the likes of Hansen, Lintner, Siebel and Tabberer Brown were making their way around the industry.
Timeline of key dates
View our history with the timeline below.
Publications
Brewers and Distillers by Profession
By Raymond Gale Anderson
As we approached the 125th anniversary of the Laboratory Club, the oldest component of what has become the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, we decided to celebrate the event by commissioning a new history. A book on the history of the Institute of Brewing was already in existence - this covered the period up to 1951 and marked the Institute’s centenary. There had, however, been no published history of the Brewers’ Guild which amalgamated with the Institute in 2001. A fresh look at the circumstances of the birth of what became the IBD, and the totality of events since 1886, was the most attractive if also the most demanding approach. Telling the story of two organisations whose activities overlapped - and sometimes collided - before they hesitantly came together, adds particular challenges. No apology is made for rigorously documenting the sources used in this book, but it is my intention to temper scholarship with humanity and perhaps even humour; to provide insight into the personalities involved.