Burton upon Trent: Britain's Brewing Capital
The water made Burton. The gypsum-rich wells of the Trent Valley produce hard water ideal for brewing pale ale, and by the nineteenth century Burton had become the brewing capital of the British Empire. Bass, Marston's, Ind Coope, and Worthington all operated here. The distinctive sweet smell of malt and hops hung over the town for decades. Bass alone employed 4,000 workers at its peak. The National Brewery Centre on Horninglow Street documents the history, and Marston's still brews in the town using the traditional Burton Union system.
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The water made Burton. The gypsum-rich wells of the Trent Valley produce hard water ideal for brewing pale ale, and by the nineteenth century Burton had become the brewing capital of the British Empire. Bass, Marston's, Ind Coope, and Worthington all operated here. The distinctive sweet smell of malt and hops hung over the town for decades. Bass alone employed 4,000 workers at its peak. The National Brewery Centre on Horninglow Street documents the history, and Marston's still brews in the town using the traditional Burton Union system.
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