PDA

View Full Version : Shut up about Barclay Perkins - Was Watney's Mild crap in the 1920's?



Blog Tracker
26-01-2014, 08:33
Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2014/01/was-watneys-mild-crap-in-1920s.html)


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n8XhFYSvpAU/Ut-zjG5RQnI/AAAAAAAAS40/hDMsWeKdHdQ/s1600/Watneys_Brown_Ale_2.JPG (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n8XhFYSvpAU/Ut-zjG5RQnI/AAAAAAAAS40/hDMsWeKdHdQ/s1600/Watneys_Brown_Ale_2.JPG)
We must have all asked ourselves that question at one time or another. No? Really? What a strange life you must lead.

OK, it's a question I've asked myself. A bit rhetorically, admittedly. Until I discovered the Whitbread Gravity Book. Because in the early years they didn't just note down the vital statistics of a beer. They also commented on its appearance and flavour.

Life's a funny thing. I never imagined a few years back that I'd be writing at such length about Watney's Mild. But I am. What will I be doing in ten years' time? Probably pushing up daisies.

Where was I? The quality of Watney's Mild. That was it. And its quality or lack of it. Let's look at appearance first. There's only one which wasn't bright and another which was pale in colour. That last one also has a gravity higher than any of the others. I wonder if some Bitter slops had been poured into it?

As for flavour, there's only one that's out and out bad - "curious flavour". Three are "only fair" which I guess means just about acceptable. I happen to know which pubs the two "only fair" from 1923 came from: Queens Arms and Admiral Napier in Deptford. Neither seems to still exist. At least not under the same name.



Watney's Mild Ale quality 1922 - 1925


Year
Beer
FG
OG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
Appearance
Flavour
Score


1922
X
1009
1046.3
4.82
79.91%
rather pale




1922
X
1009
1042.8
4.42
79.44%
bright
sound
1


1922
X
1009
1042.5
4.36
78.82%
bright
v fair
2


1922
X
1009
1042.1
4.36
79.57%
bright
curious flavour
-3


1922
X
1009
1044
4.55
79.55%
brilliant
v good
3


1923
X
1009
1045
4.68
80.00%
bright
good
2


1923
X
1008
1045.4
4.82
81.50%
bright
good
2


1923
X
1009
1044
4.55
79.55%
bright
good
2


1923
X
1009
1042.6
4.42
79.81%
bright
only fair
0


1923
X
1009
1043.8
4.55
79.91%
bright
only fair
0


1923
X
1009
1038.6
3.90
77.72%
bright
good
2


1923
X
1008
1041.1
4.36
81.51%
bright
good
2


1923
X
1009
1041.5
4.22
78.31%
bright
good
2


1924
X

1045.9


brilliant
good
2


1924
X
1009
1044.9
4.74
81.07%
bright
v fair
2


1924
X
1009
1046
4.76
79.57%
not bright
fair
1


1925
X
1010
1044.9
4.56
78.17%
bright
only fair
0



Average





1.25


Source:


Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/001



A positive score, using my system of 13 to +3, implies a reasonable degree of consistency.

My verdict? Watney's was generally in reasonable condition in the 1920's. Phew, that's a relief. No need to dodge their pubs when I take a day trip to the 1920's.

More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2014/01/was-watneys-mild-crap-in-1920s.html)