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19-09-2014, 08:16
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I just found myself subconsciously singing "My Way" in my head. Can't possibly think why

Finally we're there. At the final set of analyses. The very first part of this series, "Was Watney's Mild crap in the 1920's?" was on the 26th January 2014. So I've been at this for just about nine months. Scary to think it's taken as long to form as a baby.

But don't get too carried away yet. I've still a Stout roundup and then an overall league table to compile. There are still a few steps left in our journey.

How appropriate that Whitbread, the people we have to thank for this lovely information, comes last. Just an alphabetical coincidence, but still appropriate. I thought: "What extra crap, sorry background detail, can I stick in?" Why not something about the beers? The grists are an obvious one. But I know so much more about Whitbread beers. A great excuse for lots more tables.

For example, they very handily have tables at the back of their brewing books showing how much of each type of beer they brewed each week of the year, with monthly and annual totals. Which lets me put together tables like this:



Whitbread Porter and Stout output 1921 - 1929



P
S
CS
LS
ES
Total


year
barrels
%
barrels
%
barrels
%
barrels
%
barrels
%



1921
15,688
6.57%
58,452
24.50%


133,563
55.97%
30,920
12.96%
238,623


1922
16,562
8.59%
47,530
24.66%
84,703
43.95%
15,340
7.96%
28,582
14.83%
192,717


1923
14,165
8.33%
39,960
23.51%
68,326
40.20%
20,866
12.28%
26,660
15.68%
169,977


1924
15,948
8.95%
37,834
21.23%
74,258
41.67%
23,442
13.16%
26,710
14.99%
178,192


1925
14,943
9.12%
35,396
21.59%
62,357
38.04%
22,262
13.58%
28,974
17.67%
163,932


1926
13,511
8.02%
34,567
20.51%
20,721
12.30%
69,724
41.38%
29,990
17.80%
168,513


1927
10,708
7.15%
30,087
20.09%


86,569
57.82%
22,361
14.93%
149,725


1928
10,105
7.11%
30,017
21.12%


85,992
60.49%
16,039
11.28%
142,153


1929
5,558
6.48%
17,284
20.15%


51,624
60.18%
11,313
13.19%
85,779


Sources:


Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/09/113, LMA/4453/D/09/114, LMA/4453/D/09/115, LMA/4453/D/09/116, LMA/4453/D/09/117, LMA/4453/D/09/118, LMA/4453/D/09/119, LMA/4453/D/09/120, LMA/4453/D/09/121, LMA/4453/D/09/122.



It tells us a few things. Like their Porter started its terminal decline in 1926. That Country Stout (CS) had a brief life, at first almost sucking the life out of London Stout (LS) then withering itself away. LS bounces back to over 90,000 barrels a year in 1930. Don't know what happened in 1929, but the following year total Porter and Stout production was over 150,000 barrels again. Overall, Whitbread's Stout sales were in decline in the 1920's. In the 1930's they stabilised at around 120,000 barrels.

Now details of the beers. On the face of it, there were 7 beers: P (Porter) CS (Country Stout), COS (Country Oatmeal Stout), LS (London Stout), LOS (London Oatmeal Stout), S (Stout) and ES (Extra Stout). In reality there just three. As this table shows:



Whitbread Porter and Stout in 1922


Date
Beer
Style
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl
boil time (hours)
boil time (hours)
Pitch temp


12th Jun
P
Porter
1028.0
1007.0
2.78
74.98%
7.47
0.93
1.5
1.75
64º


12th Jun
CS
Stout
1045.7
1013.0
4.32
71.54%
7.47
1.52
1.5
1.75
61.5º


12th Jun
COS
Stout
1045.7
1013.0
4.32
71.54%
7.47
1.52
1.5
1.75
61.5º


6th Jun
LS
Stout
1054.6
1015.0
5.23
72.51%
7.44
1.77
1.75
2
61.5º


6th Jun
LOS
Stout
1054.6
1015.0
5.23
72.51%
7.44
1.77
1.75
2
61.5º


6th Jun
S
Stout
1054.6
1015.0
5.23
72.51%
7.44
1.77
1.75
2
61.5º


6th Jun
ES
Stout
1054.6
1015.0
5.23
72.51%
7.44
1.77
1.75
2
61.5º


Source:


Whitbread brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/09/115.



Now the grists:



Whitbread Porter and Stout grists in 1922


Date
Beer
Style
OG
pale malt
brown malt
black malt
no. 3 sugar
oats
hops


12th Jun
P
Porter
1028.0
63.96%
14.15%
13.02%
8.30%
0.57%
Oregon hops


12th Jun
CS
Stout
1045.7
63.96%
14.15%
13.02%
8.30%
0.57%
Oregon hops


12th Jun
COS
Stout
1045.7
63.96%
14.15%
13.02%
8.30%
0.57%
Oregon hops


6th Jun
LS
Stout
1054.6
64.69%
14.93%
12.09%
7.58%
0.71%
Oregon hops


6th Jun
LOS
Stout
1054.6
64.69%
14.93%
12.09%
7.58%
0.71%
Oregon hops


6th Jun
S
Stout
1054.6
64.69%
14.93%
12.09%
7.58%
0.71%
Oregon hops


6th Jun
ES
Stout
1054.6
64.69%
14.93%
12.09%
7.58%
0.71%
Oregon hops


Source:


Whitbread brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/09/115.



The recipes are elegantly simple: pale, brown and black malts, No. 3 invert sugar and a handful of oats for legal reasons. I should say recipe rather than recipes, because, though P, CS and COS were parti-gyled together, as were LS, LOS, S and ES, the same basic recipe was used for both sets. If I'm honest, Whitbread's records are terribly dull in this period.

One odd feature: 100% Oregon hops. It's really unusual to see all American hops in a beer. It implies to me that these are all early additions. They would normally use US hops for later additions. British brewers weren't keen on the flavour of American hops.

The ingredients are the same as they had been 50 years earlier. Look:



Whitbread Stout grists in 1870


Date
Beer
Style
OG
pale malt
brown malt
black malt
Sugar


8th Aug
SS
Stout
1080.9
73.11%
13.71%
4.57%
8.61%


8th Aug
SSS
Stout
1098.3
73.11%
13.71%
4.57%
8.61%


4th Nov
xp S
Stout
1070.4
68.59%
18.29%
4.57%
8.55%


19th Jan
K
Porter
1055.6
70.00%
25.00%
5.00%



Sources:


Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/09/063 and LMA/4453/D/09/064.



A little more pale malt and less black malt, but not really that much different.

That was fun. Now finally to today's beer, Whitbread draught Stout. Or London Stout, as it clearly was. It terms of spec, it's a touch stronger than average. Oh, and it's the more expensive 9d type of Stout. But what about its performance?



Whitbread Stout quality 1922


Year
Beer
FG
OG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
Flavour
score
Price


1922
Stout
1011.9
1055
5.61
78.36%
good
2
9


1922
Stout
1018.2
1055.7
4.86
67.32%
good
2
9


1922
Stout
1014.2
1055.2
5.33
74.28%
v . fair
2
9


Average
1014.8
1055.3
5.27
73.32%

2.00



Source:


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



We're ending on a high note. Only three samples, but all get an impressive 2 score. I could work out the average without the benefit of a computer.

Whitbread pubs will (or should that be were?) be full of time-travelling Stout lovers.

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