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27-05-2016, 08:55
Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2016/05/extra-strong-mild-ale.html)
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-raYZzBaa7Ic/V0Q2G6PkwkI/AAAAAAAAZ3Y/WwT4nNrD9S8YfG7xnlrBZtxFSnG-dd7dwCLcB/s400/Vaux_Samson_beermat.jpg (https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-raYZzBaa7Ic/V0Q2G6PkwkI/AAAAAAAAZ3Y/WwT4nNrD9S8YfG7xnlrBZtxFSnG-dd7dwCLcB/s1600/Vaux_Samson_beermat.jpg)
Really strong Milds weren’t killed off by WW I. Quite. Almost, but not quite.
As this advertisement from the 1920’s demonstrates:
““SAMSON” ALE
we brew an old-fashioned type of Extra Strong Mild Ale.
A revelation to people who have not previously tried Ale of this class; it is far removed from ordinary beer and stout, and possesses the qualities of a fine old wine.
Try a “Nip" “SAMSON” Bottle of ALE, 5.5d, At Hotels supplied by The North-Eastern Breweries, Limited.”
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail - Friday 12 February 1926, page 7.
A price of 5.5d for a nip (third of a pint) bottle implies an OG of around 1080º. Unless Vaux were thieving bastards. Which is incredibly strong for a post-WW I Mild. Low-1050’s is the highest other gravity I’ve seen for a Mild in this period.
Hang on a minute. I remember Vaux Samson. I’m pretty sure I’ve drunk it. But it wasn’t a strong Mild. It wasn’t a Mild at all, but a Best Bitter. Clearly at some point Vaux recycled the name and used it for a totally different type of beer.
Vaux Samson 1964 - 1982
Year
Beer
Style
Price per pint
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
1964
Samson
Pale Ale
20d
1043.1
1011.1
4.00
74.25%
1967
Samson
Pale Ale
24d
1035.7
1007.1
3.58
80.11%
1967
Samson
Pale Ale
24d
1035.7
1006.8
3.61
80.95%
1967
Samson
Pale Ale
24d
1040.5
1008.1
4.05
80.00%
1972
Sampson
Pale Ale
13p
1041.2
1011.1
3.90
73.06%
1977
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1979
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1981
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1982
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1983
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1986
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1989
Samson
Pale Ale
1041
Sources:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/001.
Good Beer Guide 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990
Daily Mirror July 10th 1972, page 15
It wasn’t even consistently a Best Bitter, being relegated to Ordinary Bitter for part of 1967.
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2016/05/extra-strong-mild-ale.html)
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-raYZzBaa7Ic/V0Q2G6PkwkI/AAAAAAAAZ3Y/WwT4nNrD9S8YfG7xnlrBZtxFSnG-dd7dwCLcB/s400/Vaux_Samson_beermat.jpg (https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-raYZzBaa7Ic/V0Q2G6PkwkI/AAAAAAAAZ3Y/WwT4nNrD9S8YfG7xnlrBZtxFSnG-dd7dwCLcB/s1600/Vaux_Samson_beermat.jpg)
Really strong Milds weren’t killed off by WW I. Quite. Almost, but not quite.
As this advertisement from the 1920’s demonstrates:
““SAMSON” ALE
we brew an old-fashioned type of Extra Strong Mild Ale.
A revelation to people who have not previously tried Ale of this class; it is far removed from ordinary beer and stout, and possesses the qualities of a fine old wine.
Try a “Nip" “SAMSON” Bottle of ALE, 5.5d, At Hotels supplied by The North-Eastern Breweries, Limited.”
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail - Friday 12 February 1926, page 7.
A price of 5.5d for a nip (third of a pint) bottle implies an OG of around 1080º. Unless Vaux were thieving bastards. Which is incredibly strong for a post-WW I Mild. Low-1050’s is the highest other gravity I’ve seen for a Mild in this period.
Hang on a minute. I remember Vaux Samson. I’m pretty sure I’ve drunk it. But it wasn’t a strong Mild. It wasn’t a Mild at all, but a Best Bitter. Clearly at some point Vaux recycled the name and used it for a totally different type of beer.
Vaux Samson 1964 - 1982
Year
Beer
Style
Price per pint
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
1964
Samson
Pale Ale
20d
1043.1
1011.1
4.00
74.25%
1967
Samson
Pale Ale
24d
1035.7
1007.1
3.58
80.11%
1967
Samson
Pale Ale
24d
1035.7
1006.8
3.61
80.95%
1967
Samson
Pale Ale
24d
1040.5
1008.1
4.05
80.00%
1972
Sampson
Pale Ale
13p
1041.2
1011.1
3.90
73.06%
1977
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1979
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1981
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1982
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1983
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1986
Samson
Pale Ale
1042.3
1989
Samson
Pale Ale
1041
Sources:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/001.
Good Beer Guide 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990
Daily Mirror July 10th 1972, page 15
It wasn’t even consistently a Best Bitter, being relegated to Ordinary Bitter for part of 1967.
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2016/05/extra-strong-mild-ale.html)