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21-12-2013, 08:20
Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2013/12/whitbread-k-ales-in-1870s.html)


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XDXHGvRpd0g/UrBsL8v9c3I/AAAAAAAASm0/2MRNL_rVDzM/s320/Mann_KKK_Strong_Ale.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XDXHGvRpd0g/UrBsL8v9c3I/AAAAAAAASm0/2MRNL_rVDzM/s1600/Mann_KKK_Strong_Ale.jpg)
It seems like several years ago I started this series on Whitbread's K Ales. At this rate, I may just finish before I expire.

It's a momentous, er, moment in the history of Whitbread's Ales. Why? We'll be getting to that in a minute. After I've run through a few other things in excruciating detail.

First let's look at the changes in K Ales since the last decade. The table shows a continued decline in gravity of both KK and KKK - 3%-odd. Not huge, but over the whole century such small changes add up. As you can see by comparing the figures from the 1840's and the 1870's. OG is down almost 16% for KK and 13% for KKK. There's been a similar fall in ABV and, for KKK, even a fall in the degree of apparent attenuation.

The hopping rates are more complicated. They're slightly down on the 1860's, but more than 50% higher than in the 1840's. Such a big change must have altered the character of the finished beers. Why did they up the hop rate so much? No idea. If you have an explanation, feel free to chip in.



period
beer
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl


1840's
KXX
1089.0
1031.3
7.63
64.87%
10.10
3.96


1860's
KK
1078.1
1027.4
6.70
64.76%
15.98
6.4


1870's
KK
1075.1
1024.9
6.63
66.86%
15.34
5.22


difference 1860's - 1870's

-3.83%
-9.09%
-0.98%
3.25%
-4.04%
-18.33%


difference 1840's - 1870's

-15.64%
-20.35%
-13.09%
3.07%
51.92%
31.83%


1840's
KXXX
1097.7
1030.8
8.85
68.42%
8.99
3.92


1860's
KKK
1087.5
1028.9
7.30
67.01%
15.91
6.79


1870's
KKK
1084.8
1032.2
6.98
62.12%
15.21
6.19


difference 1860's - 1870's

-3.08%
11.57%
-4.34%
-7.30%
-4.42%
-8.92%


difference 1840's - 1870's

-13.26%
4.47%
-21.14%
-9.20%
69.14%
57.86%


Sources:


Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives.



The level of attenuation of the K Ales still looks pretty low at well under 70%. But remember that these were Stock Ales which would have been stored for perhaps a year or more before sale. During which time Brettanomyces would have been nibbling away slowly at the remaining sugars. The true final gravity was doubtless a good bit lower. How can I say for sure there would have been a secondary Brettanomyces fermentation? Because the customers would have complained if there hadn't been. If you were buying Stock Ale, you'd expect the "aged" flavour imparted by Brettanomyces.

Before we go any further, I have to point out something I noticed when looking at the X Ales. For this decade I've examples from both the winter and summer months. And there's a clear difference in the hopping. I've seen brewing manuals advise a higher hopping rate for the warmer months and here it's plain to see. 10%-15% per quarter, 14%-30% per barrel.



period
beer
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl


1870's summer
X
1062.2
1019.0
5.72
69.49%
8.33
2.32


1870's winter
X
1061.4
1018.0
5.75
70.71%
6.03
1.63


difference summer - winter

-1.29%
-5.19%
0.49%
1.75%
-27.56%
-29.79%


1870's summer
XL
1069.7
1022.2
6.28
68.17%
8.74
2.83


1870's winter
XL
1069.0
1023.0
6.08
66.69%
7.47
2.36


difference summer - winter

-1.02%
3.61%
-3.18%
-2.17%
-14.51%
-16.54%


1870's summer
XX
1079.0
1031.1
6.34
60.62%
9.10
3.41


1870's winter
XX
1077.6
1023.6
6.28
61.27%
8.14
2.93


difference summer - winter

-1.87%
-24.07%
-0.87%
1.08%
-10.58%
-14.14%



(The figures are derived from the other and previous tables.)

A continued reduction in Whitbread's range of X Ales - this time XXX has disappeared, has left only one meaningful comparison. The only two beers to still share a strength band, XX and KK. This whittling down of the strong Milds is probably connected with the most fascinating insight these figures have given me: the weakening of the connection between K and X Ales. The hopping rate of XX is 44% lower per quarter and 39% lower per barrel. About what I'd expect.



period
beer
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl


1870's
KK
1075.1
1024.9
6.63
66.86%
15.34
5.22


1870's
XX
1078.4
1030.7
6.30
60.8%
8.64
3.20


difference:

4.43%
23.33%
-4.97%
-9.09%
-43.64%
-38.76%



Now here's the best bit. Looking at the recipes, for the first time there are significant differences between the K and X Ales. No longer is the K Ale just a more heavily hopped version of the X Ale. The grists aren't the same. This is the start of the process which, by the 1930's, would leave Mild and Burton with significantly different recipes.

Looking at the K Ales first, they have grists of around 85% pale malt and 15% sugar. Given all that sugar, it's surprising how poor the attenuation is. What type of sugar is it? Probably No. 1 or No. 2 invert. Looking at the recipes, those K Ales are starting to look quite like Pale Ales, just higher gravity and not quite as heavily hopped.

Now look at the X Ales. Only one contains sugar and about a quarter contain a small quantity of brown malt. Which is why, unlike in some of the earlier decades, K and X Ales were never parti-gyled together in the 1870's.

There's also a notable difference in the type of hops used. More than half the K Ales contain only English hops. Almost every X Ale does. Poperinghe and Belgian hops both only occur in X Ales. My conclusion: they used better quality hops in the K Ales. Which, of course, makes sense.

Nothing remains but to show you the final tables.



Whitbread K Ales in the 1870's


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


6th Dec
1871
KK
1078.7
1029.9
6.45
61.97%
15.36
6.31


58º
º



17th Oct
1872
KK
1075.1
1017.5
7.62
76.75%
14.10
4.98


58º
º



25th Sep
1873
KK
1078.4
1028.3
6.63
63.96%
14.20
5.50


58º
72º
3 + 3


11th Dec
1874
KK
1075.9
1030.5
6.01
59.85%
13.64
5.14


57º
73º
4 + 3


15th Nov
1875
KK
1073.4
1022.2
6.78
69.81%
14.85
5.23
1.75
3.17
56º
72º
4 + 5


24th Nov
1876
KK
1073.1
1023.3
6.60
68.18%
13.08
4.39
1.75
2.83
58º
73º
4 + 4


17th Apr
1877
KK
1073.4
1021.6
6.85
70.57%
15.88
5.44
1.75
2.58
58º
71.5º
4 + 5


25th Jan
1878
KK
1069.3
1023.5
6.05
66.00%
15.08
4.87
1.75
3
58º
75.5º
5 + 6


4th Dec
1879
KK
1078.4
1027.7
6.71
64.66%
21.84
5.10
2
3
58º
º
9


9th Feb
1870
KKK
1084.8
1029.1
7.37
65.69%
14.38
6.21
1.5
2
58º
º
6


27th Mar
1871
KKK
1085.0
1035.5
6.56
58.31%
13.51
5.97
2.5

58º
º
5


27th Nov
1872
KKK
1085.0
1034.1
6.74
59.93%
14.36
6.85


58º
º



23rd Sep
1873
KKK
1084.5
1033.2
6.78
60.66%
14.53
6.90


58º
72º
3 + 3


6th Oct
1874
KKK
1084.8
1036.0
6.45
57.52%
11.54
4.92


58º
73º
4 + 3


6th Jan
1875
KKK
1083.4
1028.0
7.33
66.45%
14.53
6.35


57º
72.75º
4 + 4


20th Nov
1876
KKK
1085.3
1028.5
7.51
66.56%
14.17
6.24
1.75
2.5
57º
72.25º
4 + 5


19th Jan
1877
KKK
1086.4
1034.1
6.93
60.58%
14.99
5.94
2
2.75
57º
71.5º
5 + 3


28th Jan
1878
KKK
1085.6
1031.3
7.18
63.43%
15.04
6.11

2.75
57º
º
9


8th Dec
1879
KKK
1083.1



25.03
6.37
2
3.08
58º
º
8


Source:


Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/035, LMA/4453/D/01/036, LMA/4453/D/01/037, LMA/4453/D/01/038, LMA/4453/D/01/039, LMA/4453/D/01/040, LMA/4453/D/01/041, LMA/4453/D/01/042, LMA/4453/D/01/043, LMA/4453/D/01/045 and LMA/4453/D/02/024.



http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QOy6WzOv7mw/UrBrN6Ltj6I/AAAAAAAASmU/Jt7kOcFxKP4/s320/Whitbread_K_Ales_1870s.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QOy6WzOv7mw/UrBrN6Ltj6I/AAAAAAAASmU/Jt7kOcFxKP4/s1600/Whitbread_K_Ales_1870s.jpg)




Whitbread K Ale grists in the 1870's


Date
Year
Beer
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
pale malt
sugar
hops


6th Dec
1871
KK
1078.7
1029.9
6.45
61.97%
85.32%
14.68%
English hops.


17th Oct
1872
KK
1075.1
1017.5
7.62
76.75%
84.68%
15.32%
English hops.


25th Sep
1873
KK
1078.4
1028.3
6.63
63.96%
85.16%
14.84%
English hops.


11th Dec
1874
KK
1075.9
1030.5
6.01
59.85%
86.76%
13.24%
English hops.


15th Nov
1875
KK
1073.4
1022.2
6.78
69.81%
88.57%
11.43%
American and Altmark hops


24th Nov
1876
KK
1073.1
1023.3
6.60
68.18%
86.82%
13.18%
American and English hops.


17th Apr
1877
KK
1073.4
1021.6
6.85
70.57%
87.36%
12.64%
American and English hops.


25th Jan
1878
KK
1069.3
1023.5
6.05
66.00%
86.85%
13.15%
American and English hops.


4th Dec
1879
KK
1078.4
1027.7
6.71
64.66%
73.73%
26.27%
American and English hops.


9th Feb
1870
KKK
1084.8
1029.1
7.37
65.69%
85.62%
14.38%
American, Bavarian and English hops.


27th Mar
1871
KKK
1085.0
1035.5
6.56
58.31%
84.46%
15.54%
English hops.


27th Nov
1872
KKK
1085.0
1034.1
6.74
59.93%
86.14%
13.86%
English hops.


23rd Sep
1873
KKK
1084.5
1033.2
6.78
60.66%
86.37%
13.63%
English hops.


6th Oct
1874
KKK
1084.8
1036.0
6.45
57.52%
87.10%
12.90%
English hops.


6th Jan
1875
KKK
1083.4
1028.0
7.33
66.45%
84.82%
15.18%
English hops.


20th Nov
1876
KKK
1085.3
1028.5
7.51
66.56%
86.87%
13.13%
American and English hops.


19th Jan
1877
KKK
1086.4
1034.1
6.93
60.58%
88.02%
11.98%
English hops.


28th Jan
1878
KKK
1085.6
1031.3
7.18
63.43%
86.50%
13.50%
English hops.


8th Dec
1879
KKK
1083.1



76.28%
23.72%
American, Californian and English hops.


Source:


Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/035, LMA/4453/D/01/036, LMA/4453/D/01/037, LMA/4453/D/01/038, LMA/4453/D/01/039, LMA/4453/D/01/040, LMA/4453/D/01/041, LMA/4453/D/01/042, LMA/4453/D/01/043, LMA/4453/D/01/045 and LMA/4453/D/02/024.



http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PTXFqj-tPVI/UrBrSnMjKcI/AAAAAAAASmc/3XFkbJApoZY/s320/Whitbread_K_Ale_grists_1870s.jpg (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PTXFqj-tPVI/UrBrSnMjKcI/AAAAAAAASmc/3XFkbJApoZY/s1600/Whitbread_K_Ale_grists_1870s.jpg)




Whitbread X Ales in the 1870's


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


17th Mar
1870
X
1061.2



6.06
1.71
1.5
2
64º
º



19th Jul
1871
X
1061.8
1022.2
5.24
64.13%
8.99
2.61


64º
º
5


18th Oct
1872
X
1059.8
1018.3
5.50
69.44%
6.94
1.88


64º
º



23rd Aug
1872
X
1065.9
1021.6
5.86
67.23%
8.66
2.54


64º
º



29th Jul
1873
X
1062.0
1023.0
5.17
62.95%
8.03
2.41


64º
º
5


16th Jan
1873
X
1062.3
1022.7
5.24
63.56%
5.77
1.63


64º
º



18th Jul
1874
X
1060.4
1019.7
5.39
67.43%
8.40
2.33


64º
74.5º
2 + 3


19th Oct
1874
X
1061.5
1016.3
5.97
73.42%
6.43
1.63


62º
73º
2 + 3


23rd Sep
1875
X
1062.3
1019.9
5.61
68.00%
7.73
2.17

2.17
60º
71º
3 + 3


1st Nov
1875
X
1062.3
1017.5
5.94
72.00%
6.54
1.73
1.33
2
60º
72º
3 + 3


19th Oct
1876
X
1061.8
1016.1
6.05
73.99%
6.13
1.66


60º
72.5º
3 + 4


17th Jul
1876
X
1064.8
1015.8
6.49
75.64%
8.04
2.14
1.5
2
61º
73º
3 + 4


19th Jul
1877
X
1060.4
1015.8
5.90
73.85%
8.52
2.27
1.5
2.58
61º
72º
3 + 4


19th Oct
1877
X
1060.9
1019.1
5.53
68.64%
5.06
1.35
1.5
2.33
61º
72º
8


5th Feb
1878
X
1060.7
1016.6
5.83
72.60%
5.29
1.41


61º
72º
7


16th Jul
1878
X
1060.7
1015.8
5.94
73.97%
8.53
2.29
2.5
2
61º
º
7


26th Jul
1879
X
1061.8
1017.2
5.90
72.20%
8.03
2.13
2
2
62º
º
6


6th Jan
1879
X
1062.3
1017.5
5.94
72.00%
6.08
1.69
1.5
1.75
61º
75º
3 + 3


29th Mar
1871
XL
1067.6
1021.3
6.12
68.44%
8.14
2.67
1.5
2
60º
º
6


26th Sep
1871
XL
1068.1
1024.7
5.75
63.82%
10.18
3.35


60º
º



15th Jul
1872
XL
1069.3
1026.3
5.68
62.00%
9.06
2.79


60º
º



10th Feb
1872
XL
1070.1
1024.9
5.97
64.43%
7.00
2.05


60º
º



18th Oct
1873
XL
1070.1
1024.7
6.01
64.82%
9.11
2.99


60º
75º
3 + 3


2nd Aug
1873
XL
1071.2
1027.1
5.83
61.87%
9.09
3.08


60º
75º
5


28th Jul
1874
XL
1071.7
1023.8
6.34
66.80%
9.41
3.14


60º
75º
3 + 2


17th Feb
1875
XL
1068.4
1022.4
6.08
67.21%
8.06
2.58


59º
72.5º
3 + 3


22nd Sep
1875
XL
1069.3
1022.2
6.23
68.00%
7.79
2.49
1.5

60º
71º
3 + 3


11th Jul
1876
XL
1070.4
1019.9
6.67
71.65%
8.11
2.87
2.5
2.75
60º
72.5º
3 + 3


19th Oct
1877
XL
1068.7
1021.6
6.23
68.55%
5.06
1.52
1.5
2.33
61º
72º
8


17th Jul
1877
XL
1069.0
1016.6
6.93
75.90%
8.49
2.62

3.5
60º
72º
3 + 5


16th Jul
1878
XL
1069.3
1018.3
6.74
73.60%
8.53
2.62
2.5
2
61º
º
7


29th Jul
1879
XL
1069.0
1020.8
6.38
69.88%
8.02
2.52

1.5
61º
72.5º
8


18th Mar
1879
XL
1070.4
1015.8
7.22
77.56%
6.00
1.80
1.75
2.25
61º
73º
7


26th Sep
1871
XX
1080.1
1030.2
6.60
62.28%
10.18
3.93


60º
º



3rd Apr
1871
XX
1080.3
1032.7
6.30
59.31%
8.53
3.33
1.5
2
64º
º
5


23rd Aug
1872
XX
1079.5
1031.9
6.30
59.93%
8.66
3.06


60º
º



8th Aug
1873
XX
1077.6
1031.3
6.12
59.64%
8.47
3.23


60º
75º
3 + 2


16th Apr
1874
XX
1077.0
1029.1
6.34
62.23%
7.98
2.76


60º
75º
3 + 2


17th Feb
1875
XX
1075.9
1029.4
6.16
61.31%
8.06
2.86


59º
73.75º
3 + 3


Source:


Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/035, LMA/4453/D/01/036, LMA/4453/D/01/037, LMA/4453/D/01/038, LMA/4453/D/01/039, LMA/4453/D/01/040, LMA/4453/D/01/041, LMA/4453/D/01/042, LMA/4453/D/01/043, LMA/4453/D/01/044, LMA/4453/D/01/045 and LMA/4453/D/02/024.



http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P5R2A6UyIVg/UrBrYRDtIeI/AAAAAAAASmk/-MYwua6nvXI/s320/Whitbread_X_Ales_1870s.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P5R2A6UyIVg/UrBrYRDtIeI/AAAAAAAASmk/-MYwua6nvXI/s1600/Whitbread_X_Ales_1870s.jpg)



Whitbread X Ale grists in the 1870's


Date
Year
Beer
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
pale malt
brown malt
sugar
hops


17th Mar
1870
X
1061.2



100.00%


American and English hops.


19th Jul
1871
X
1061.8
1022.2
5.24
64.13%
100.00%


American and English hops.


18th Oct
1872
X
1059.8
1018.3
5.50
69.44%
99.04%
0.96%

American and English hops.


23rd Aug
1872
X
1065.9
1021.6
5.86
67.23%
100.00%


English hops.


29th Jul
1873
X
1062.0
1023.0
5.17
62.95%
100.00%


American and English hops.


16th Jan
1873
X
1062.3
1022.7
5.24
63.56%
88.50%

11.50%
American, English and Belgian hops


18th Jul
1874
X
1060.4
1019.7
5.39
67.43%
100.00%


American and English hops.


19th Oct
1874
X
1061.5
1016.3
5.97
73.42%
99.24%
0.76%

American and English hops.


23rd Sep
1875
X
1062.3
1019.9
5.61
68.00%
100.00%


Poperinghe and English hops


1st Nov
1875
X
1062.3
1017.5
5.94
72.00%
100.00%


Altmark and English hops


19th Oct
1876
X
1061.8
1016.1
6.05
73.99%
100.00%


Bavarian, American and English hops


17th Jul
1876
X
1064.8
1015.8
6.49
75.64%
100.00%


American, Altmark and English hops.


19th Jul
1877
X
1060.4
1015.8
5.90
73.85%
99.36%
0.64%

American and English hops.


19th Oct
1877
X
1060.9
1019.1
5.53
68.64%
99.36%
0.64%

American, Altmark and English hops.


5th Feb
1878
X
1060.7
1016.6
5.83
72.60%
100.00%


American and English hops.


16th Jul
1878
X
1060.7
1015.8
5.94
73.97%
100.00%


American and English hops.


26th Jul
1879
X
1061.8
1017.2
5.90
72.20%
100.00%


American and English hops.


6th Jan
1879
X
1062.3
1017.5
5.94
72.00%
99.24%
0.76%

American and English hops.


29th Mar
1871
XL
1067.6
1021.3
6.12
68.44%
100.00%


English hops.


26th Sep
1871
XL
1068.1
1024.7
5.75
63.82%
100.00%


American and English hops.


15th Jul
1872
XL
1069.3
1026.3
5.68
62.00%
100.00%


American and English hops.


10th Feb
1872
XL
1070.1
1024.9
5.97
64.43%
100.00%


American, English and Belgian hops


18th Oct
1873
XL
1070.1
1024.7
6.01
64.82%
100.00%


English hops.


2nd Aug
1873
XL
1071.2
1027.1
5.83
61.87%
100.00%


American and English hops.


28th Jul
1874
XL
1071.7
1023.8
6.34
66.80%
100.00%


English hops.


17th Feb
1875
XL
1068.4
1022.4
6.08
67.21%
100.00%


American and English hops.


22nd Sep
1875
XL
1069.3
1022.2
6.23
68.00%
100.00%


Poperinghe and English hops


11th Jul
1876
XL
1070.4
1019.9
6.67
71.65%
100.00%


American, Altmark and English hops.


19th Oct
1877
XL
1068.7
1021.6
6.23
68.55%
99.36%
0.64%

American, Altmark and English hops.


17th Jul
1877
XL
1069.0
1016.6
6.93
75.90%
99.36%
0.64%

American and English hops.


16th Jul
1878
XL
1069.3
1018.3
6.74
73.60%
100.00%


American and English hops.


29th Jul
1879
XL
1069.0
1020.8
6.38
69.88%
100.00%


American and English hops.


18th Mar
1879
XL
1070.4
1015.8
7.22
77.56%
100.00%


American and English hops.


26th Sep
1871
XX
1080.1
1030.2
6.60
62.28%
100.00%


American and English hops.


3rd Apr
1871
XX
1080.3
1032.7
6.30
59.31%
100.00%


English hops.


23rd Aug
1872
XX
1079.5
1031.9
6.30
59.93%
100.00%


English hops.


8th Aug
1873
XX
1077.6
1031.3
6.12
59.64%
100.00%


American and English hops.


16th Apr
1874
XX
1077.0
1029.1
6.34
62.23%
100.00%


Bavarian, Belgian and English hops


17th Feb
1875
XX
1075.9
1029.4
6.16
61.31%
100.00%


American and English hops.


Source:


Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/035, LMA/4453/D/01/036, LMA/4453/D/01/037, LMA/4453/D/01/038, LMA/4453/D/01/039, LMA/4453/D/01/040, LMA/4453/D/01/041, LMA/4453/D/01/042, LMA/4453/D/01/043, LMA/4453/D/01/044, LMA/4453/D/01/045 and LMA/4453/D/02/024.



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