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08-10-2012, 08:10
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I told you Vassar was one of my new obsessions. A new drum to bang, dog to kick, whatever you want to call it. Plus, as I've already spent so much time on the research, I can knock out a series of these post double-quick. An important consideration for someone as compelled to post every day as I am.

Here's an admission. When I spotted the words "present use" in the Vassar records, I did a little joy dance. Quite literally. Because I know exactly what that phrase means. It crops up occasionally in British records, too. I don't know why, because the alternative is much more concise: mild. Yes, I'd not only found definite proof of Mild Ale being brewed in 19th century America, I'd even got a recipe.

How does this work? I remember. First I throw a couple of tables full of numbers at you, then I attempt to make some sort of sense out of it.

Let's ball-up with Vassar's beers. You'll notice that they are a powerful bunch. Beers of this gravity, called Double Ale, were pretty much all Vassar brewed. Only 500 barrels of the weaker Single Ale were brewed in the brewing season 1833-1834, compared to 11,000 of Double Ale.

I'd best mention that this was just one flavour of Vassar Mild Ale. There were also Double Ale and Pale Double Ale versions.




Amber Double Ale Present use


Date
Year
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/US brl
hops lb/Imp. brl
boil time (hours)
boil time (hours)
Pitch temp
max. fermen-tation temp
length of fermen-tation (days)


5th Nov
1833
1101.1
1044.3
7.51
56.16%
5.00
1.98
2.78
1.5
3
60
75



18th Nov
1833
1099.7
1044.3
7.33
55.56%
5.00
2.16
3.02
1.5
2.5
60
75



8th Jan
1834
1101.1
1042.9
7.70
57.53%
5.00
2.08
2.92
1.5
2.5
62
78
8


8th Nov
1833
1108.0
1048.5
7.88
55.13%
5.20
2.24
3.14
1.5
3
62
80



17th Mar
1834
1097.0
1038.8
7.70
60.00%
5.26
1.84
2.58
1.25
2
60
72



18th Mar
1834
1099.7
1038.8
8.06
61.11%
5.26
2.02
2.83
1.25
2
60
76



19th Mar
1834
1099.7
1047.1
6.96
52.78%
5.26
1.87
2.62
1
2
60
78



24th Mar
1834
1099.7
1041.6
7.70
58.33%
5.26
1.98
2.78
1
2
60
73



25th Mar
1834
1099.7
1041.6
7.70
58.33%
5.26
1.98
2.78
1.25
2.25
58
72



26th Mar
1834
1098.3
1045.7
6.96
53.52%
5.26
1.98
2.78
1.25
2.5
60
75



27th Mar
1834
1098.3
1041.6
7.51
57.75%
5.26
2.05
2.87
1.25
2.5
60
75



31st Mar
1834
1099.7
1041.6
7.70
58.33%
5.26
1.95
2.74
1.25
2.25
61
80
8


1st Apr
1834
1099.7
1042.9
7.51
56.94%
5.26
1.92
2.70
1.25
2.25
60
76
8


2nd Apr
1834
1098.3
1041.6
7.51
57.75%
5.26
1.98
2.78
1.25
2.25
60
76
8


7th Apr
1834
1097.0
1044.3
6.96
54.29%
5.26
1.98
2.78
1.25
2.25
60
76
10


8th Apr
1834
1097.0
1044.3
6.96
54.29%
5.26
1.95
2.74
1.25
2.5
62
77
9


14th Apr
1834
1094.2
1041.6
6.96
55.88%
5.33
1.96
2.75
1.25
2
60
75
10


15th Apr
1834
1094.2
1041.6
6.96
55.88%
5.33
1.96
2.75
1.25
2
61
76
10


3rd Apr
1834
1097.0
1041.6
7.33
57.14%
5.47
2.06
2.89
1.25
2.25
60
78
8


4th Apr
1834
1099.7
1038.8
8.06
61.11%
5.47
2.17
3.04
1.25
2.5
62
77
9


17th Apr
1834
1092.8
1036.0
7.51
61.19%
5.87
2.16
3.02
1.5
2.25
61
76
9


Average

1098.7
1042.3
7.45
57.10%
5.28
2.01
2.82
1.29
2.32
60.4
76.0
8.8


Source:


Matthew Vassar's Brewing Accounts 1833 - 1837



http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MPgNJbY4-0c/UG2a3oBqRnI/AAAAAAAALa4/UJC-vGR6tjo/s320/Vassar_Amber_Mild_1833_1834.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MPgNJbY4-0c/UG2a3oBqRnI/AAAAAAAALa4/UJC-vGR6tjo/s1600/Vassar_Amber_Mild_1833_1834.jpg)

Next are a selection of British Mild Ales. As I've tried to match up the average OG, these are mostly XX, XXX and XXXX Ales. To give some diversity, I've included William Younger Ales as well as London ones.



British Mild Ales


Date
Year
Brewer
Beer
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl
boil time (hours)
boil time (hours)
boil time (hours)
Pitch temp
max. fermen-tation temp
length of fermen-tation (days)


11th Jul
1835
Truman
X Ale
1080.3
1020.5
7.92
74.48%
8.0
2.74



58
69
8


24th Dec
1831
Truman
XX Ale
1083.1
1030.5
6.96
63.33%
6
2.63



59
77
10


1st Dec
1831
Truman
XXX Ale
1086.4
1016.6
9.23
80.77%
8
4.00



62

13


3rd Sep
1839
Barclay Perkins
XX
1087.3
1015.5
9.49
82.24%
9.00
4.08
2.5


58
76



19th Sep
1839
Barclay Perkins
XX
1087.5
1015.5
9.53
82.29%
8.89
4.03
3


58
77



25th Jul
1839
Barclay Perkins
XX
1088.6
1015.0
9.74
83.08%
9.10
4.21
3.75


58
76.5



27th Dec
1838
Reid
XX
1088.6



8.8
3.12
1.5
3

57




26th Dec
1831
Truman
XXX Ale
1088.6
1033.8
7.26
61.87%
7
3.54



58.5
75
10


27th Feb
1837
Whitbread
XX
1088.9
1033.2
7.37
62.62%
6.11
2.38
2
2
3
59
72
8


2nd Nov
1835
Truman
XX Ale
1090.3
1028.3
8.21
68.71%
7
2.82



58
67
8


4th Aug
1835
Truman
XX Ale
1090.9
1027.7
8.36
69.51%
10
4.76



59
72
7


15th Mar
1837
Whitbread
XX
1091.4
1035.5
7.40
61.21%
6.05
2.35
2
2
3
59
74
8


18th Jul
1835
Truman
XX Ale
1092.5
1027.7
8.57
70.06%
10
4.46



59
71
10


9th Apr
1832
Younger, Wm.
100/-
1093.0



11.86
6.60
1


53
70



27th Dec
1831
Younger, Wm.
80/-
1094



3.73
1.93
1.25


50
70



27th Feb
1832
Truman
XXX Ale
1097.0



6
5.13



58.5
70



27th Jan
1832
Younger, Wm.
84/-
1101



4.40
2.24
1


55
70



11th Nov
1836
Whitbread
XXX
1102.8
1036.0
8.83
64.96%
6.09
2.80
2
2
3.5
62.5
74.5



19th Aug
1839
Barclay Perkins
XXX
1104.4
1018.3
11.39
82.48%
8.58
5.31
4


58
77



3rd Aug
1839
Barclay Perkins
XXX
1104.4
1017.6
11.49
83.15%
8.17
4.93
3.25


58.5
77



19th Oct
1835
Truman
XXX Ale
1104.7
1033.2
9.45
68.25%
8
3.45



56




18th Mar
1839
Reid
XXX
1105.3



8
3.75
1.5
3

57




3rd Dec
1835
Truman
XXX Ale
1105.3
1034.9
9.31
66.84%
8
4.00



58




25th Jul
1835
Truman
XXX Ale
1106.6
1034.9
9.49
67.27%
10
5.37



58
68
8


26th Dec
1831
Younger, Wm.
100/-
1108



3.73
2.00
1.25


51
70



11th Aug
1835
Truman
XXX Ale
1109.4
1034.3
9.93
68.61%
10
4.65



59
69
9


27th Feb
1832
Truman
XXXX Ale
1113.6



8
4.32



59
67



14th Oct
1835
Truman
XXXX Ale
1113.6
1045.7
8.98
59.76%
7.5
4.35



57
65
11


23rd Dec
1836
Whitbread
XXXX
1114.7
1039.3
9.97
65.70%
7.00
3.64
2.17
2
2.5
60
73
8


5th Nov
1835
Truman
XXXX Ale
1114.7
1037.9
10.15
66.91%
12
8.73



57

9


21st Nov
1835
Truman
XXXX Ale
1116.3
1045.4
9.38
60.95%
8
5.97



58
69
12


6th Jan
1832
Younger, Wm.
120/-
1117



4.07
2.79
1


54
70



30th Dec
1831
Younger, Wm.
140/-
1135



5.42
5.16
1


52
70



Average



1100.2
1029.5
9.06
70.2%
7.65
4.01
2.01
2.33
3.00
57.4
71.7
9.3


Sources:


Barclay Perkins brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number ACC/2305/1/550


Truman brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers B/THB/C/115 and B/THB/C/119


Whitbread brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/01/001


William Younger brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number WY/6/1/2/1



http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k3VN0yUajmM/UG2a8GyTLAI/AAAAAAAALbA/jOz6QKrxOHo/s320/British_Mild_1831_1839.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k3VN0yUajmM/UG2a8GyTLAI/AAAAAAAALbA/jOz6QKrxOHo/s1600/British_Mild_1831_1839.jpg)


To make the comparison easier, I've created a third table with just the averages from the first two.




Date
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/ UK brl
boil time (hours)
boil time (hours)
boil time (hours)
Pitch temp
max. fermen-tation temp
length of fermen-tation (days)


British Mild Ale
1100.2
1029.5
9.06
70.2%
7.65
4.01
2.01
2.33
3.00
57.4
71.7
9.3


Amber Double Ale Present use
1098.7
1042.3
7.45
57.10%
5.28
2.82
1.29
2.32

60.4
76.0
8.8


difference
-1.5
12.9
-1.61
-13.12%
-2.37
-1.18
-0.72
-0.01

3.03
4.30
-0.45


% difference
-1.51%
30.44%
-21.61%
-22.99%
-44.96%
-41.97%
-56.32%
0.00%
0.00%
5.02%
5.65%
-5.09%



http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xLAgz18yJHg/UG2bB7S3NWI/AAAAAAAALbI/YIqpETE2BCM/s320/Vassar_Mild_vs_British_Mild.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xLAgz18yJHg/UG2bB7S3NWI/AAAAAAAALbI/YIqpETE2BCM/s1600/Vassar_Mild_vs_British_Mild.jpg)


Moving from left to right, we can see that even though there’s only a small difference between the OG of the two groups, there’s a massive difference in FG: a full 13 points. Which naturally has an effect on the next two columns, the ABV and apparent attenuation. Vassar’s beers averaged 1.6% less ABV and 13 fewer points of attenuation. In percentage terms, differences of 22% and 23% respectively.

It’s clear that Vassar’s beers would have been sweeter and thicker than their British equivalents.

Next let’s take a look at the hopping. The rates in terms of both pounds per quarter and pounds per barrel were lower at Vassar. About 45% lower in case of the former and 42% in the case of the latter.

If you combine the lower attenuation of Vassar’s beers with the lower hopping rate, then their beers must have been thicker, sweeter and less hoppy than British Milds of the period.

The first boil was about 45 minutes longer on average amongst the British beers. The second boils were of almost identical lengths.

I was surprised that the pitching temperature was so much lower for the British Milds. Then I remembered those William Younger beers. They were all pitched in the low 50’s Fahrenheit. If I remove those, though, the average is 58.4º F – still more than two degrees cooler than the Vassar average.

The maximum fermentation temperature is also clearly higher at Vassar. More than 4 degrees higher. I suspect the explanation for this is simple: better control of the temperature of the wort through the use of attemperators.

The British fermentations took an average of three quarters of a day longer. I wouldn’t say that is very significant.

I'd usually say, "That was fun wasn't it?" at this point. But I've done taht way too often. I need to find another ironic comment. I'll get back to you when I've thought of one.https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5445569787371915337-7010953573894952576?l=barclayperkins.blogspot.com


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