Laving the Levant
This continues our series on beer in the British Mandate of Palestine. It began with this post, a war correspondent’s tour of Palestine Brewery Ltd. in 1944.
Another British brewer active in the Palestine market was George Younger of Alloa, Scotland. A brief history of the venerable brewery appears in the Brewery History Wiki. This Younger is different from the better-known Scottish brewer William Younger’s, which had merged in Edinburgh with McEwan’s in 1931 and also sold beer in Palestine.
An advert in 1934 in the Palestine Post touted George Younger’s Sparkling Ale, not the only such beer style exported to Mandate Palestine. Isaac Diskin was the local agent. The Revolver label, pictured in the ad, appears to have originated in the late 1800s.
Below is a bottle of Sparkling Ale, seemingly 1930s-era.*
A July 1937 story in the same newspaper tells us that James Younger, 2nd Viscount Leckie (1880-1946), had visited Palestine two years earlier. He decided to invest in a new brewery in Beit Vegan, now Bat Yam, on a plot 500 metres from the sea.
This was Cabeer Breweries Ltd. The account states its capacity and noted it would brew a “Scotch ale”. Younger’s took a 20% interest. The other capital would be subscribed locally in a public issue of securities.
While the story states Lord Younger was a director of Cabeer, a letter to the editor clarified that he was not, but remained Chairman of George Younger in Alloa. The letter confirmed however that George Younger was a shareholder in Cabeer.
This initiative was part of a long history by George Younger’s, not to mention the namesake William Younger, to export beer around the world, the Middle East not excluded.
Some background on this drive is gleaned from Wilson & Gourvish’s The Dynamics of the International Brewing Industry Since 1800. See here.
Per the July 1937 account the manager of Cabeer was Mr. A. Würzburger, a “German Jew who formerly owned a large brewery in “Heilbroun”, i.e., Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
In 1963 a German historian or researcher, Hans Franke, penned a lengthy account of Jewish history in Heilbrunn, deposited in its municipal archive. He mentioned the impact of the Nazis on Alfred Würzburger, his family, and their Adler Brewery.
As one can imagine it is most distressing, see p. 119 in particular. But the family got out, evidently, and to brew another day.
At the end of 1939 George Younger’s agent is still advertising the imported ale and stout, despite the local investment made (Palestine Post, December 31, 1939).
I believe what occurred was Cabeer did not enter into commercial production until 1942.** The 1956 Annual Survey of Israel’s Economy states Palestine Brewery bought Cabeer and completed the brewery at Bat Yam in 1942.
A 1944 news item confirmed this, adding it was to help satisfy military demand. In 1943-1945 the Palestine Post was carrying Notices of Annual Meeting for Cabeer Brewery signed by Palestine Brewery Ltd., so it is consistent with the above.
Further news reports indicate Cabeer took over premises in Rishon LeZion made available when Palestine Brewery expanded its plant there, which ties in as well.
I think it likely once war started in 1939 George Younger decided to sell its stake in Cabeer, particularly as it had not yet started production. This delay would explain why I. Diskin was still distributing George Younger’s Scottish beer in Palestine in 1939.
This shows too, and it appeared no different for the Levant Brewery to be discussed, that all actual brewing actvity conducted under Mandate auspices was Jewish-owned (in tune with manufacturing businesses generally). The British did not own any of it to speak of, in particular.
Note: series continues with Part V.
*Note re image: source of the image is apparently the Etsy independent sales site, although item appears no longer listed there. All intellectual property therein belongs solely to the lawful owner, as applicable. Used for educational and research purposes. All feedback welcomed.
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**Perhaps some beer was released from the late 1930s until 1942 under the original ownership, but I have not been able to substantiate this.