The Beer Flood of London: When Beer Became Deadly in 1814

What if your neighborhood was suddenly flooded—not with water, but with beer?

On October 17, 1814, a massive vat at the Meux & Company Brewery in London burst, unleashing over

320,000 gallons of porter.

The force shattered other vats, sending a tsunami of beer surging through the streets and into unsuspecting homes

and businesses.

The flood hit the St.

Giles neighborhood, one of London’s poorest areas.

Beer rushed through cellars and basements, trapping families and destroying homes.

Some people tried to collect the free-flowing beer, but the chaos quickly turned tragic.

Eight people lost their lives, mostly women and children, drowned or crushed by collapsing buildings weakened by the

flood.

The aftermath was surreal.

Crowds gathered, some hoping to salvage beer, others simply gawking at the destruction.

The smell of porter lingered for days.

The brewery faced lawsuits, but a court ruled the disaster an “Act of God,” sparing them from liability.

The victims’ families received little compensation, highlighting the era’s harsh realities for London’s working class.

The Beer Flood of 1814 remains one of history’s strangest disasters—a reminder that even something as beloved as

beer can turn deadly.

Today, the story lives on in London’s folklore, a bizarre cautionary tale about industrial risks and the unpredictable

ways tragedy can strike.

Next time you raise a glass, remember: history’s oddest accidents are sometimes the hardest to forget.