392 



Export of Beer from Hamburg. 



that city, their aggregate capital amounting to about 

 one million pounds. It is stated that all these breweries 

 together produce annually a little over 22,000,000 gallons of 

 beer, but that this quantity could, if required, be easily 

 increased by eight or nine million gallons. By far the larger 

 portion of these 22,000,000 gallons are consumed in the district, 

 only a comparatively small portion of the Hamburg-made 

 beer being exported to foreign countries or to the interior ot 

 Germany. The beer made for exportation is of a stronger 

 quality than that consumed on the spot, and is mostly sub- 

 jected to pasteurisation, especially when destined for ship- 

 ment to hot climates. 



Hamburg is at present the most important continental 

 port for the shipment of German and also of some quantities 

 of Austrian beer ; as well as of small amounts of British 

 Norwegian, and Danish beers. Of the German beer 

 exported hence a certain proportion is brewed at Ham- 

 burg, the remainder being chiefly of Bavarian origin. 

 Nearly all the Austrian beer comes from Pilsen in Bohemia. 



The export trade of beer from Hamburg, both of that 

 brewed in this district and of that produced elsewhere in 

 Germany, which had experienced a remarkable development 

 between 1880 and 1890, has of late years lost much of its 

 importance, owing to various economic, political, or fiscal 

 causes. The decline in the exports since the city joined the 

 Customs Union in 1888 has been fairly regular. From 

 5,159,000 gallons (valued at ^748,000) in 1889 the shipments 

 bave fallen to 3,785,000 gallons (valued at ^498,300 in 1897. 

 Much of the decline is attributed to the restricted demand 

 from France — Germany's best customer for beer — which 

 country has during the last ten years considerably increased 

 its own production. From Hamburg the largest quantities, 

 some half a million gallons, now usually go to the United 

 States, but appreciable amounts seem to be taken by most 

 countries throughout the world. 



To the United Kingdom there has also been a decline in the 

 exports of beer from Hamburg", they having amounted to 



* Foreign Office Report. Misc. Series, No. 485. 



