United Kingdom
The Beer Orders break the brewery-pub tie
Legislation limited how many tied public houses a large brewer could own, restructuring the British market and separating pub ownership from brewing.
1989
Why it matters
Reshaped who sells beer in Britain, with consequences — pub companies, guest beer access — still visible in every pub.
How well this is established
| Certainty | Documented. Supported by contemporary records that survive and are agreed on. |
|---|---|
| When | 1989. Known to the year rather than to the day. |
| Where | United Kingdom |
Traditions
- British cask ale — Beer that completes its fermentation in the container it is served from and is dispensed without added gas, at cellar rather than fridge temperature.
Either side of this
← 1987: Super Dry reorders the Japanese market · 1992: Commercial bourbon-barrel ageing begins →
See the whole sequence on the beer history timeline.
Last reviewed 2026-08-16.