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20-10-2012, 08:15
Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2012/10/maclays-beers-in-ww-ii-part-two.html)

We're going to get a proper look at the beers today. In lovely table form. In twin table form even.

It's 1939 - 1940 to start. Can I say that I really love this table? It's so clear and consistent. And has something to tell us both about Scottish brewing in general and the effect of the war.




Maclay's beers 1939 - 1940


Date
Year
Beer
Style
OG
FG
ABV
App. Attenuation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl
Pitch temp
max. fermentation temp
length of fermentation (days)
pale malt
no. 2 sugar
flaked maize


15th Aug
1939
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1038
1011
3.57
71.05%
6.00
1.00
59º
68º
9
75.00%
16.67%
8.33%


29th Aug
1939
SA
Strong Ale
1082
1022
7.94
73.17%
6.00
2.12
60º
69º
8
77.42%
12.90%
9.68%


29th Aug
1939
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1038
1014
3.18
63.16%
6.00
0.98
60º
73.5º
7
77.42%
12.90%
9.68%


30th Aug
1939
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1037
1014
3.04
62.16%
6.00
0.95
59º
68º
8
76.60%
17.02%
6.38%


30th Aug
1939
PA 5d
Pale Ale
1032
1012
2.65
62.50%
6.00
0.82
60.5º
69º
8
76.60%
17.02%
6.38%


5th Sep
1939
PA 7d
Pale Ale
1042
1014.5
3.64
65.48%
6.00
1.11
60º
69.5º
7
76.60%
17.02%
6.38%


5th Sep
1939
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1037
1013
3.18
64.86%
6.00
0.98
60º
70º
7
76.60%
17.02%
6.38%


8th Sep
1939
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1037
1014
3.04
62.16%
6.00
0.96
61º
67.5º
8
76.60%
17.02%
6.38%


8th Sep
1939
PA 5d
Pale Ale
1030
1011
2.51
63.33%
6.00
0.78
61º
67º
7
76.60%
17.02%
6.38%


22nd Sep
1939
PA 7d
Pale Ale
1043
1013
3.97
69.77%
6.00
1.12
59.5º
70º
8
76.60%
17.02%
6.38%


22nd Sep
1939
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1037
1012
3.31
67.57%
6.00
0.96
60º
69º
9
76.60%
17.02%
6.38%


14th Nov
1939
SA
Strong Ale
1079
1026
7.01
67.09%
5.00
1.70
59.5º
70º
10
77.42%
12.90%
9.68%


14th Nov
1939
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1037
1014
3.04
62.16%
5.00
0.80
60.5º
67.5º
7
77.42%
12.90%
9.68%


13th Dec
1939
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1036
1015
2.78
58.33%
5.00
0.78
60.5º
66º
6
76.60%
17.02%
6.38%


13th Dec
1939
PA 5d
Pale Ale
1031
1013
2.38
58.06%
5.00
0.67
61º
66º
6
76.60%
17.02%
6.38%


15th Dec
1939
PA 7d
Pale Ale
1042
1016
3.44
61.90%
5.00
0.92
60º
64º
7
78.57%
14.29%
7.14%


15th Dec
1939
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1036
1015
2.78
58.33%
5.00
0.79
60.5º
66º
6
78.57%
14.29%
7.14%


6th Feb
1940
PA 7d
Pale Ale
1041
1015
3.44
63.41%
5.00
0.89
61º
65.5º
8
85.71%
14.29%



6th Feb
1940
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1036
1014
2.91
61.11%
5.00
0.78
60º
66º
8
85.71%
14.29%



9th Feb
1940
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1036
1014
2.91
61.11%
5.00
0.80
61.5º
67.5º
7
82.98%
17.02%



9th Feb
1940
PA 5d
Pale Ale
1031
1013
2.38
58.06%
5.00
0.69
61º
64º
7
82.98%
17.02%



20th Feb
1940
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1036
1014
2.91
61.11%
5.00
0.79
61º
67º
7
83.33%
16.67%



27th Feb
1940
PA 6d
Pale Ale
1036
1014.5
2.84
59.72%
5.00
0.81
60.5º
67.5º
6
82.98%
17.02%



27th Feb
1940
PA 5d
Pale Ale
1031
1013
2.38
58.06%
5.00
0.70
61º
66.5º
6
82.98%
17.02%



Source:


Maclay brewing record, document number M/6/1/1/4 held at the Scottish Brewing Archive.



http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8aFn6Am8EUg/UH6f0YgD3oI/AAAAAAAAL4Y/ofwSdFQYj1s/s320/Maclay_beers_1939_1940.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8aFn6Am8EUg/UH6f0YgD3oI/AAAAAAAAL4Y/ofwSdFQYj1s/s1600/Maclay_beers_1939_1940.jpg)

Let's take a look at the hopping rate first. That's one of the things I really like about this table. I'm talking about the rate per quarter. It shows very clearly something I've read about in brewing manuals: the difference in summer and winter hopping. You can see that in August and September the rate was 5 pounds per quarter, but dropped in November to 5 pounds. I couldn't have asked for a more obvious demonstration of the point.

Gravities. Now there's an interesting one. The OG's are low and the FG's high. The FG's in particular are oddly similar for all the different Pale Ales. So there are examples of PA 7d that have the same FG as PA 5d, which had an OG 10 points lower. You end up with a weak PA 5d that must have been quite full-bodied, but was barely alcoholic at only around 2.5% ABV. Even PA 6d, which had a reasonable OG of 1036, was often under 3% ABV. No-one was going to get drunk on stuff like that.

You can see the effect of the war in the ingredients being used. In particular the dropping of maize in December. Little maize was grown in Britain at the time and it would have to have been imported. With shipping being used for more urgent war needs, non-essential items like maize for brewing stopped being imported. The rather odd effect was that the malt content of Maclay's beers increased from 77% to 83%.

The grists are so simple that there's not much more that I can say. Time to move on to the compare and contrast part of this post. Starting with a couple more tables. This time of London beers from the same period. You might recognise the names of the breweries from some of my earlier posts: Whitbread and Barclay Perkins. I've included all of their Ales, including those with no direct equivalent at Maclay. I'll reiterate what's odd about Maclays beers: the total lack of Mild Ales. It's clear that their lowest gravity Pale Ale, PA 5d, was filling the price slot occupied in London by the cheapest Mild, LA at Whitbread and A at Barclay Perkins.




Whitbread beers 1939 - 1940


Date
Year
Beer
Style
OG
FG
ABV
App. Attenuation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl
Pitch temp
length of fermentation (days)
pale malt
choc. Malt
crystal malt
MA malt
PA malt
no. 1 sugar
no. 3 sugar
other sugar
wheat malt


27th Sep
1939
PA
Pale Ale
1048.2
1012.0
4.79
75.10%
7.33
1.41
64º
8
24.06%

4.81%

56.15%
14.97%





26th Sep
1939
IPA
IPA
1037.1
1008.0
3.85
78.44%
10.00
1.51
65º
8
28.85%

3.85%

51.92%
15.38%





26th Sep
1939
X
Mild
1033.9
1010.5
3.10
69.03%
8.27
1.11
65º
7
75.73%

13.59%



9.06%
1.62%



25th Sep
1939
LA
Mild
1028.4
1009.0
2.57
68.31%
8.27
0.93
65º
5
75.73%

13.59%



9.06%
1.62%



25th Sep
1939
X
Mild
1033.6
1010.0
3.12
70.24%
8.27
1.10
65º
6
75.73%

13.59%



9.06%
1.62%



21st Sep
1939
DB
Brown Ale
1054.5
1018.0
4.83
66.97%
8.49
1.92
62º
8
25.27%

2.45%

52.17%


20.11%



21st Sep
1939
33
Strong Ale
1061.0
1020.0
5.42
67.21%
8.49
2.15
62º
9
25.27%

2.45%

52.17%


20.11%



25th Apr
1940
DB
Brown Ale
1054.1
1016.0
5.04
70.43%
8.50
1.86
62º
8
6.35%

3.17%

85.71%


4.76%



25th Apr
1940
33
Strong Ale
1059.7
1018.5
5.45
69.01%
8.50
2.06
62º
9
6.35%

3.17%

85.71%


4.76%



25th Apr
1940
LA
Mild
1028.2
1005.0
3.07
82.27%
8.12
0.95
65º
5
24.30%

13.08%
54.21%


4.98%
1.56%
1.87%


25th Apr
1940
X
Mild
1033.5
1008.5
3.31
74.63%
8.12
1.12
65º
6
24.30%

13.08%
54.21%


4.98%
1.56%
1.87%


24th Apr
1940
IPA
IPA
1037.2
1007.0
4.00
81.18%
10.38
1.53
65º
8
15.48%

5.81%

73.55%
5.16%





30th Apr
1940
PA
Pale Ale
1047.2
1011.0
4.79
76.69%
7.33
1.44
64º
8
14.44%

4.81%

65.78%
14.97%





30th Apr
1940
Ex PA
Pale Ale
1048.1
1013.5
4.58
71.93%
7.33
1.47
64º
8
14.44%

4.81%

65.78%
14.97%





23rd Apr
1940
X
Mild
1033.6
1009.0
3.25
73.21%
8.12
1.14
65º
6
24.30%

13.08%
54.21%


4.98%
1.56%
1.87%


11th Apr
1940
DB
Brown Ale
1054.1
1017.0
4.91
68.58%
8.50
1.82
62º
8
6.35%
3.17%


85.71%


4.76%



11th Apr
1940
33
Strong Ale
1060.0
1019.0
5.42
68.33%
8.50
2.02
62º
9
6.35%
3.17%


85.71%


4.76%



Source:


Whitbread brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives document number LMA/4453/D/01/107.



http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-csZFOXSf7XA/UH6f6qQ4SAI/AAAAAAAAL4g/72ZKcdeQw_w/s320/Whitbread_beers_1939_1940.jpg (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-csZFOXSf7XA/UH6f6qQ4SAI/AAAAAAAAL4g/72ZKcdeQw_w/s1600/Whitbread_beers_1939_1940.jpg)



Barclay Perkins beers 1939 - 1940


Date
Year
Beer
Style
OG
FG
ABV
App. Attenuation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl
Pitch temp
max. fermentation temp
length of fermentation (days)
pale malt
amber malt
crystal malt
MA malt
SA malt
PA malt
caramel
other sugar
flaked maize
flaked rice


29th Sep
1939
XX
Mild
1042.5
1012.5
3.97
70.60%
7.00
1.16
61º
71.5º
7
8.88%
4.44%
5.92%
33.31%
33.31%

0.07%
10.36%
3.70%



29th Sep
1939
X
Mild
1034.9
1009.0
3.42
74.18%
7.00
0.95
61.5º
69.5º
7
8.88%
4.44%
5.92%
33.31%
33.31%

0.07%
10.36%
3.70%



29th Sep
1939
A
Mild
1030.7
1008.0
3.00
73.92%
7.00
0.83
62º
69.5º
7
8.88%
4.44%
5.92%
33.31%
33.31%

0.07%
10.36%
3.70%



3rd Jun
1939
XX
Mild
1038.6
1011.5
3.59
70.24%
7.00
1.10
60.5º
70º
5
8.01%
4.01%
5.34%
34.73%
17.36%

0.72%
17.81%

12.02%


3rd Jun
1940
X
Mild
1031.8
1006.5
3.35
79.59%
7.00
0.91
61º
68º
5
8.01%
4.01%
5.34%
34.73%
17.36%

0.72%
17.81%

12.02%


11th Jun
1940
PA
Pale Ale
1048.8
1014.0
4.60
71.29%
7.50
1.50
60.5º
71º
8
12.26%




68.29%
0.19%
10.51%

8.76%


11th Jun
1940
XLK (trade)
Pale Ale
1042.8
1012.0
4.07
71.96%
7.50
1.27
60.5º
71º
8
12.26%




68.29%
0.19%
10.51%

8.76%


11th Jun
1940
XLK (bottling)
Pale Ale
1036.7
1008.5
3.73
76.86%
7.50
1.09
61º
71.5º
8
12.26%




68.29%
0.19%
10.51%

8.76%


18th Sep
1940
KK (trade)
Strong Ale
1051.3
1015.5
4.74
69.79%
8.50
1.86
60º
73º
7
8.29%

4.15%
51.81%
16.58%
0.00%
1.21%
9.67%

8.29%


Source:


Barclay Perkins brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives document number ACC/2305/01/623.



http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XxihSkgojdw/UH6f_Yd7FGI/AAAAAAAAL4o/-Rh-USwmZ0I/s320/Barclay_Perkins_beers_1939_1940.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XxihSkgojdw/UH6f_Yd7FGI/AAAAAAAAL4o/-Rh-USwmZ0I/s1600/Barclay_Perkins_beers_1939_1940.jpg)

The hopping rate is clearly higher in the London Pale Ales, between 7.33 and 10 pounds per quarter. It's not an enormous difference, but it's definitely there. When you couple this with the higher FG's and lower attenuation at Maclay, their beers must have tasted sweeter than those in London. Especially the low-gravity beers. Some PA 5d examples have an FG of 1013, 1 point higher than Whitbread's PA, a beer with an OG 17 points higher (1048 to 1031).

The London Pale Ale grists aren't that different to Maclay's, except Whitbread used 4% to 5% crystal and no unmalted adjuncts. There's more divergence in the Strong Ales. That's only to be expected as Maclay parti-gyled theirs with Pale Ales while Whitbread's and Barclay Perkins were separate brews. Both the London brewers used speciality grains in their Strong Ales: chocolate malt at Whitbread and crystal, MA and SA malt at Barclay Perkins.

The London fermentations look quite similar. Barclay Perkins pitched at around 60º F and reached a peak of about 70º F, much as at Maclay. Whitbread pitched a few degrees higher. The length of fermentation was identical at all three breweries, 7 or 8 days.

This is taking longer than I anticipated. Still at least a couple of installments to go. https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5445569787371915337-9083515672128213748?l=barclayperkins.blogspot.com


More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2012/10/maclays-beers-in-ww-ii-part-two.html)