Brewers Technical Review November, 1934

Why a 1934 Brewing Journal Still Matters Today

Every brewer knows that beer is both timeless and ever-changing. The recipes, the science, the gear — they all evolve, but the questions brewers wrestle with? They’re surprisingly familiar.

That’s why flipping through the November 1934 issue of The Brewers Technical Review feels a little bit like talking shop with the Siebel Staff and colleagues of yesteryear. The table of contents alone is a goldmine:

• “Filtration and Chillproof Beer” — still a hot topic for anyone chasing crystal clarity.

• “Alcoholic Fermentation Without Yeast Cells” — nearly a century before today’s buzz around acid fermentations and bio-engineered NA yeasts.

• “Bending Wood for Beer Barrels” — proof that craft and tradition never went out of style.

• “Beer and Health — Your Campaign” — yes, brewers were already thinking about how to connect beer with lifestyle and wellness back in the ’30s after the failure of the great experiment, “Prohibition”.

Reading these articles isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about perspective. The problems brewers faced in 1934 — stabilizing beer, scaling up production, connecting with consumers — are the same ones we’re still tackling today, just with shinier tools and stainless steel tanks.

A reprint of one of these pieces isn’t just history. It’s an inspiration. Imagine pulling insights from nearly a century ago and applying them to your brewery and beer.

Because sometimes the best way forward… is to look back.

Interested in seeing a full reprint of an article from the table of contents in the archive? Let us know which sparks your curiosity and drop us a line..