Black Country brewery offering cheap beers and special boxes to celebrate VE Day

Davenports Brewery, which is based in Smethwick, will be celebrating anniversary through selling pints of Drum Bitter across its estate for £150, as well as with a special box of Davenports ales available to purchase via its Beer at Home service. 

The company has also created a limited-edition postcard using the front cover of their February 1943 issue of the Malts and Hops magazine which featured Sir Winston Churchill, which will be signed by the current Baron W R Davenport and sent out with each celebratory box purchased. 

Katie McPhilimey, associate marketing director for Davenports said; “The leading brewery of the time, during the war, Davenports’ turned its focus from ales, to assisting the war effort which meant ales were in short supply. 

"Davenports’ support of the country’s efforts was reflected on the cover of The Malts and Hops internal magazine, which proudly carried a picture of Sir Winston Churchill. 

“Davenports were hailed in the national press and the Birmingham Daily Gazette as being ‘very technically advanced’ during the 30s and 40s, the company boasted “the very latest appliances that science and mechanics have evolved”, - and turned out 120,000 bottles of beer every day. 

"The company also boasted a strong work force that included many women, who took on even greater responsibility during the war whilst so many men were called to action. 

"Whilst Davenports switched the company’s capabilities to the war efforts without hesitation, despite times being tough, the then Baron Davenport continued his investment in technology throughout the war, to ensure that when it was over the company was ready to resume full production and fulfil demand once again.” 

The Elms in Shareshill, The Met in Walsall, The Littleton Arms in Penkridge and The Butlers Bell in Stafford are just a few of the Davenports pubs offering the £1.50 Drum Bitter pint on May 8.

Baron W R Davenport said: “It’s not quite 1945 prices, but it’s a seriously cheap price for such a great bitter, and it’s our way of marking such a special day, a day that back in 1945, Davenports played its part in supporting, and in celebrating.”

The Celebration box includes four bottles of CB Original, four bottles of Mild, four bottles of Top Brew Deluxe, a Davenports bottle opener and a limited-edition postcard and is priced at £29.95 plus delivery. 

To find out more about the box and to make an order on the Beer at Home site, go to the Davenports website.