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04-11-2012, 07:06
Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2012/11/maclay-pa-6d-1939-1992.html)
More Maclay stuff, this time focusing on PA 6d. A beer that was, for a long time in the 1930's and 1940's Maclay's bread and butter beer. But it hides a strange secret behind its name.
I twigged what that secret was when I got to about 1951 in my log trawl. It's made me do some rethinking about Scottish beer. Particularly about the nature of 60/-, 70/- and 80/-. But before we get onto such philosophical questions, let's take a look at the beer itself:
Maclay PA 6d 1939 - 1992
Date
Year
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl
Pitch temp
max. fermen-tation temp
length of fermen-tation (days)
pale malt
crystal malt
no. 1 sugar
no. 2 sugar
caramel
DCS sugar
oats
flaked maize
flaked rice
wheat malt
flaked barley
malted oats
torrefied wheat
malt extract
21st Feb
1939
1038
1017
2.78
55.26%
4.00
0.65
60º
67.5º
8
78.57%
14.29%
7.14%
15th Aug
1939
1038
1011
3.57
71.05%
6.00
1.00
59º
68º
9
75.00%
16.67%
8.33%
6th Feb
1940
1036
1014
2.91
61.11%
5.00
0.78
60º
66º
8
85.71%
14.29%
29th Jun
1943
1032
1014
2.38
56.25%
4.00
0.56
60º
67.5º
7
76.98%
9.06%
0.38%
4.53%
9.06%
6th Jul
1943
1032
1011
2.78
65.63%
4.00
0.55
60º
65º
8
76.34%
8.14%
0.25%
6.11%
9.16%
6th Jul
1943
1032
1011
2.78
65.63%
4.00
0.55
60º
65º
8
76.34%
8.14%
0.25%
6.11%
9.16%
4th Aug
1943
1032
1014
2.38
56.25%
4.00
0.55
60º
67º
6
76.98%
9.06%
0.38%
4.53%
9.06%
10th Mar
1944
1032
1011
2.78
65.63%
3.53
0.48
60º
67º
8
79.39%
8.14%
0.25%
6.11%
6.11%
13th Jun
1944
1032
1014
2.38
56.25%
4.00
0.57
60º
68º
7
79.39%
8.14%
0.25%
12.21%
21st Jun
1951
1030
1013
2.25
56.67%
5.26
0.70
61.5º
66º
7
94.12%
5.88%
0.00%
25th Jul
1951
1030
1010
2.65
66.67%
5.25
0.65
61º
68º
8
87.26%
5.13%
0.76%
1.71%
5.13%
20th May
1952
1030
1012
2.38
60.00%
5.33
0.67
61º
68º
8
86.80%
5.79%
0.18%
2.89%
4.34%
24th Jul
1952
1030
1009
2.78
70.00%
5.33
0.68
61º
69º
8
86.80%
5.79%
0.18%
2.89%
4.34%
5th Sep
1956
1030
1010
2.65
66.67%
6.00
0.77
62º
70.5º
8
74.82%
7.67%
0.24%
3.84%
11.51%
1.92%
10th May
1957
1030
1013
2.25
56.67%
5.62
0.69
62.5º
68º
7
74.82%
7.67%
0.24%
3.84%
11.51%
1.92%
29th Jul
1957
1030
1009
2.78
70.00%
6.32
0.81
62º
72º
8
73.24%
9.39%
0.47%
3.76%
11.27%
1.88%
1st Sep
1965
1030
1012
2.38
60.00%
6.05
0.75
61.5º
69.5º
7
74.82%
7.67%
0.24%
3.84%
11.51%
1.92%
9th Mar
1966
1030
1012
2.38
60.00%
6.05
0.74
61.5º
69º
7
74.91%
7.68%
0.12%
3.84%
11.52%
1.92%
7th Jan
1971
1030
1008
2.91
73.33%
5.08
0.64
62º
71º
7
79.18%
5.66%
0.08%
1.89%
11.31%
1.89%
27th Jun
1971
1030
1011
2.51
63.33%
4.86
0.61
61.5º
69.5º
7
79.06%
3.76%
0.24%
3.76%
11.29%
1.88%
19th Apr
1972
1030
1009
2.78
70.00%
5.19
0.64
62.5º
72º
7
79.15%
5.65%
0.12%
1.88%
11.31%
1.88%
2nd Apr
1975
1030
1008
2.91
73.33%
5.30
0.67
61.5º
70º
7
79.15%
5.65%
0.12%
1.88%
11.31%
1.88%
6th Mar
1980
1030
1008
2.91
73.33%
5.30
0.65
61º
69º
7
79.06%
5.65%
0.24%
1.88%
11.29%
1.88%
18th Mar
1984
1030
1007
3.04
76.67%
5.30
0.65
61º
66º
8
90.35%
5.65%
0.24%
1.88%
1.88%
8th Jul
1992
1034
1011
3.04
67.65%
4.17
0.62
º
70º
7
87.18%
5.13%
2.56%
5.13%
0.00%
Sources:
Maclay brewing records, document numbers M/6/1/1/3, M/6/1/1/4, M/6/1/1/13, M/6/1/1/28, M/6/1/1/35, M/6/1/1/44, M/6/1/1/46, M/6/1/1/49, M/6/1/1/56, M/6/1/1/61, M/6/1/1/64 held at the Scottish Brewing Archive.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ntwSyqyKU_4/UJO2k8VnQqI/AAAAAAAAMTM/oIT7mY8Jr3U/s320/Maclay_PA_6d_1939_1992.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ntwSyqyKU_4/UJO2k8VnQqI/AAAAAAAAMTM/oIT7mY8Jr3U/s1600/Maclay_PA_6d_1939_1992.jpg)
The first thing that strikes me is how little this beer changed between 1951 and 1984. The OG was rock solid at 1030, though the FG did decline a point or two. I don't think I've come across a beer whose specs were so stable for so long.
The stability doesn't end there. The hopping rate stayed at around 0.65 lbs per barrel for the whole period. As did the fermentation temperature, with pitching at 61º F, rising to 69º F. Fermentation took 7 or 8 days.
I'm shocked at how little the recipe changed as well. 75-80% pale malt, 5-7% No. 2 invert, 3% DCS sugar, 11% flaked maize, 2% malt extract and a touch of caramel. Between 1956 and 1980 the recipe is basically identical. That's very unusual.
That's quite odd, but not as odd as what comes next.
Matching up brewhouse names with product names can be a nightmare. Especially when you don't have a price list. That's not a problem with Maclay. At least not from the 1970's onwards, because I can remember their beers and they're listed in the Good Beer Guide.
This is the entry for Maclay in the 1982 Good Beer Guide:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ll7aojZy6sk/UJPcAU8kWVI/AAAAAAAAMUk/B3XtwG7RPfQ/s320/Maclay_1982_GBG.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ll7aojZy6sk/UJPcAU8kWVI/AAAAAAAAMUk/B3XtwG7RPfQ/s1600/Maclay_1982_GBG.jpg)
I can match these up nae probs with the beers in the brewing records. There's only one thing 60/- could possibly be: PA 6d. Which causes me quite a degree of consternation.
Because I always considered 60/-, and Maclay 60/- in particular, to be Dark Mild. Not only was it called a Pale Ale in the brewery, it was brewed to exactly the same recipe as the 70/- (SPA in the brewhouse) and 80/- (Export). Presumably it was primed with caramel at racking time to get the dark colour.
This in itself isn't that unusual. There were plenty of breweries who made Mild by adding caramel to their Bitter. It still goes on today. What makes me feel weird is this: in way, the BJCP are right in their description of 60/-, 70/- and 80/-. They say that they are different strength versions of the same thing. Which in the case of Maclay is certainly true. Where the BJCP falls down is in not recognising that they are the Scottish versions of Pale Ale rather than mythical "Scottish Ales". And all that bollocks about cool fermentation temperatures, roast barley for colouring, etc.
There's one question unanswered: when did Maclay PA 6d get darker and turn into a pretend Mild?https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5445569787371915337-7995824503752788555?l=barclayperkins.blogspot.com
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2012/11/maclay-pa-6d-1939-1992.html)
More Maclay stuff, this time focusing on PA 6d. A beer that was, for a long time in the 1930's and 1940's Maclay's bread and butter beer. But it hides a strange secret behind its name.
I twigged what that secret was when I got to about 1951 in my log trawl. It's made me do some rethinking about Scottish beer. Particularly about the nature of 60/-, 70/- and 80/-. But before we get onto such philosophical questions, let's take a look at the beer itself:
Maclay PA 6d 1939 - 1992
Date
Year
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl
Pitch temp
max. fermen-tation temp
length of fermen-tation (days)
pale malt
crystal malt
no. 1 sugar
no. 2 sugar
caramel
DCS sugar
oats
flaked maize
flaked rice
wheat malt
flaked barley
malted oats
torrefied wheat
malt extract
21st Feb
1939
1038
1017
2.78
55.26%
4.00
0.65
60º
67.5º
8
78.57%
14.29%
7.14%
15th Aug
1939
1038
1011
3.57
71.05%
6.00
1.00
59º
68º
9
75.00%
16.67%
8.33%
6th Feb
1940
1036
1014
2.91
61.11%
5.00
0.78
60º
66º
8
85.71%
14.29%
29th Jun
1943
1032
1014
2.38
56.25%
4.00
0.56
60º
67.5º
7
76.98%
9.06%
0.38%
4.53%
9.06%
6th Jul
1943
1032
1011
2.78
65.63%
4.00
0.55
60º
65º
8
76.34%
8.14%
0.25%
6.11%
9.16%
6th Jul
1943
1032
1011
2.78
65.63%
4.00
0.55
60º
65º
8
76.34%
8.14%
0.25%
6.11%
9.16%
4th Aug
1943
1032
1014
2.38
56.25%
4.00
0.55
60º
67º
6
76.98%
9.06%
0.38%
4.53%
9.06%
10th Mar
1944
1032
1011
2.78
65.63%
3.53
0.48
60º
67º
8
79.39%
8.14%
0.25%
6.11%
6.11%
13th Jun
1944
1032
1014
2.38
56.25%
4.00
0.57
60º
68º
7
79.39%
8.14%
0.25%
12.21%
21st Jun
1951
1030
1013
2.25
56.67%
5.26
0.70
61.5º
66º
7
94.12%
5.88%
0.00%
25th Jul
1951
1030
1010
2.65
66.67%
5.25
0.65
61º
68º
8
87.26%
5.13%
0.76%
1.71%
5.13%
20th May
1952
1030
1012
2.38
60.00%
5.33
0.67
61º
68º
8
86.80%
5.79%
0.18%
2.89%
4.34%
24th Jul
1952
1030
1009
2.78
70.00%
5.33
0.68
61º
69º
8
86.80%
5.79%
0.18%
2.89%
4.34%
5th Sep
1956
1030
1010
2.65
66.67%
6.00
0.77
62º
70.5º
8
74.82%
7.67%
0.24%
3.84%
11.51%
1.92%
10th May
1957
1030
1013
2.25
56.67%
5.62
0.69
62.5º
68º
7
74.82%
7.67%
0.24%
3.84%
11.51%
1.92%
29th Jul
1957
1030
1009
2.78
70.00%
6.32
0.81
62º
72º
8
73.24%
9.39%
0.47%
3.76%
11.27%
1.88%
1st Sep
1965
1030
1012
2.38
60.00%
6.05
0.75
61.5º
69.5º
7
74.82%
7.67%
0.24%
3.84%
11.51%
1.92%
9th Mar
1966
1030
1012
2.38
60.00%
6.05
0.74
61.5º
69º
7
74.91%
7.68%
0.12%
3.84%
11.52%
1.92%
7th Jan
1971
1030
1008
2.91
73.33%
5.08
0.64
62º
71º
7
79.18%
5.66%
0.08%
1.89%
11.31%
1.89%
27th Jun
1971
1030
1011
2.51
63.33%
4.86
0.61
61.5º
69.5º
7
79.06%
3.76%
0.24%
3.76%
11.29%
1.88%
19th Apr
1972
1030
1009
2.78
70.00%
5.19
0.64
62.5º
72º
7
79.15%
5.65%
0.12%
1.88%
11.31%
1.88%
2nd Apr
1975
1030
1008
2.91
73.33%
5.30
0.67
61.5º
70º
7
79.15%
5.65%
0.12%
1.88%
11.31%
1.88%
6th Mar
1980
1030
1008
2.91
73.33%
5.30
0.65
61º
69º
7
79.06%
5.65%
0.24%
1.88%
11.29%
1.88%
18th Mar
1984
1030
1007
3.04
76.67%
5.30
0.65
61º
66º
8
90.35%
5.65%
0.24%
1.88%
1.88%
8th Jul
1992
1034
1011
3.04
67.65%
4.17
0.62
º
70º
7
87.18%
5.13%
2.56%
5.13%
0.00%
Sources:
Maclay brewing records, document numbers M/6/1/1/3, M/6/1/1/4, M/6/1/1/13, M/6/1/1/28, M/6/1/1/35, M/6/1/1/44, M/6/1/1/46, M/6/1/1/49, M/6/1/1/56, M/6/1/1/61, M/6/1/1/64 held at the Scottish Brewing Archive.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ntwSyqyKU_4/UJO2k8VnQqI/AAAAAAAAMTM/oIT7mY8Jr3U/s320/Maclay_PA_6d_1939_1992.jpg (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ntwSyqyKU_4/UJO2k8VnQqI/AAAAAAAAMTM/oIT7mY8Jr3U/s1600/Maclay_PA_6d_1939_1992.jpg)
The first thing that strikes me is how little this beer changed between 1951 and 1984. The OG was rock solid at 1030, though the FG did decline a point or two. I don't think I've come across a beer whose specs were so stable for so long.
The stability doesn't end there. The hopping rate stayed at around 0.65 lbs per barrel for the whole period. As did the fermentation temperature, with pitching at 61º F, rising to 69º F. Fermentation took 7 or 8 days.
I'm shocked at how little the recipe changed as well. 75-80% pale malt, 5-7% No. 2 invert, 3% DCS sugar, 11% flaked maize, 2% malt extract and a touch of caramel. Between 1956 and 1980 the recipe is basically identical. That's very unusual.
That's quite odd, but not as odd as what comes next.
Matching up brewhouse names with product names can be a nightmare. Especially when you don't have a price list. That's not a problem with Maclay. At least not from the 1970's onwards, because I can remember their beers and they're listed in the Good Beer Guide.
This is the entry for Maclay in the 1982 Good Beer Guide:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ll7aojZy6sk/UJPcAU8kWVI/AAAAAAAAMUk/B3XtwG7RPfQ/s320/Maclay_1982_GBG.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ll7aojZy6sk/UJPcAU8kWVI/AAAAAAAAMUk/B3XtwG7RPfQ/s1600/Maclay_1982_GBG.jpg)
I can match these up nae probs with the beers in the brewing records. There's only one thing 60/- could possibly be: PA 6d. Which causes me quite a degree of consternation.
Because I always considered 60/-, and Maclay 60/- in particular, to be Dark Mild. Not only was it called a Pale Ale in the brewery, it was brewed to exactly the same recipe as the 70/- (SPA in the brewhouse) and 80/- (Export). Presumably it was primed with caramel at racking time to get the dark colour.
This in itself isn't that unusual. There were plenty of breweries who made Mild by adding caramel to their Bitter. It still goes on today. What makes me feel weird is this: in way, the BJCP are right in their description of 60/-, 70/- and 80/-. They say that they are different strength versions of the same thing. Which in the case of Maclay is certainly true. Where the BJCP falls down is in not recognising that they are the Scottish versions of Pale Ale rather than mythical "Scottish Ales". And all that bollocks about cool fermentation temperatures, roast barley for colouring, etc.
There's one question unanswered: when did Maclay PA 6d get darker and turn into a pretend Mild?https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5445569787371915337-7995824503752788555?l=barclayperkins.blogspot.com
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2012/11/maclay-pa-6d-1939-1992.html)