The Beer Flood of 1814: When a Brewery Disaster Flooded London Streets with Beer

Picture this: October 17, 1814, at the Meux & Company Brewery in London.

A massive vat holding over 3500 barrels of beer suddenly bursts, unleashing a tsunami of porter.

The force is so powerful, it smashes through the brewery walls, sending a river of beer gushing into

the streets.

Chaos erupts as the flood sweeps through the neighborhood.

The flood didn’t just stop at the brewery.

Beer surged into nearby homes, cellars, and even a crowded basement where a wake was being held.

Buildings collapsed under the pressure, trapping people inside.

In total, eight people lost their lives—not from drinking, but from drowning and injuries caused by the deluge.

The neighborhood was left devastated and reeking of porter.

The aftermath was surreal.

Locals tried to salvage what they could, scooping beer from the streets with pots and pans.

Some even drank directly from the gutters, desperate not to let the precious brew go to waste.

The brewery faced lawsuits, but a court ruled the disaster an ‘Act of God,’ sparing them from financial

ruin.

The story quickly became London legend.

Today, the Beer Flood of 1814 is remembered as one of history’s strangest disasters.

It’s a reminder that even something as beloved as beer can turn deadly in the blink of an

eye.

Next time you raise a glass, think of the Londoners who faced a flood they never saw coming—one

that left the city soaked in more ways than one.