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12-04-2019, 08:08
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Time for another book extract. This time from one that covers probably the least fashionable period of UK brewing: the immediate post WW II years.

The name is one which was later – I think in the 1970s – was given to a type of low-gravity draught Bitter found in the Southwest of England. By the 1970s these beers often played the role of draught Mild, which by then had mostly disappeared from the region.

I’m using the term to refer to any draught Bitter under 1036º. It’s a pretty arbitrary distinction, but it stops the tables getting too big.

The rate of attenuation – which is just under 80% - is pretty high. Presumably that’s an attempt to compensate for the low gravity. It leaves the average ABV a respectable 3.5%.

The 1960s didn’t bring about any huge changes to this type of beer, as you can see in the next table.

The average rate of attenuation is even higher than in the 1950s, over 80%. And, surprisingly, the average price per pint is lower, just over 14d rather than almost 16d.




Draught Bitter in the 1950's - Boys Bitter


Year
Brewer
Beer
Price per pint (d)
OG
FG
ABV
App. Attenua-tion
colour


1959
Fuller
Bitter
14
1031.6
1004.1
3.58
87.03%
23


1959
Charrington
BBB
17
1032.8
1007.8
3.24
76.22%
14


1954
Barclay Perkins
XLK
15
1032.9
1004.5
3.70
86.32%



1954
Meux
PA
17
1033.7
1007.3
3.43
78.34%
24


1954
Barclay Perkins
XLK
15
1033.8
1006.9
3.49
79.59%
19


1954
Taylor Walker
EPA
17
1034
1008.6
3.29
74.71%
23


1958
Vaux & Co
Bitter Ale
17
1034.2
1007.8
3.43
77.19%
26


1953
Whitbread
Pale Ale
16
1035.1



22


1957
Ind Coope
Best Bitter
17
1035.2
1008
3.53
77.27%
19


1954
Mann Crossman
KK
17
1035.3
1007.7
3.58
78.19%
19


1957
Charrington
PA
15
1035.5
1004.9
3.98
86.20%
23


1959
Whitaker
Bitter
14
1035.6
1010.2
3.17
71.35%
22



Average

15.9
1034.1
1007.1
3.49
79.3%
21.5


Sources:


Truman Gravity Book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number B/THB/C/252.


Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.


document from the Steel Coulson archive held at the Scottish Brewing Archives


T & J Bernard's brewing records held at the Scottish Brewing Archive






Boys Bitter 1960 - 1964


Year
Brewer
Beer
Price
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour


1960
Beasley
Bitter
15
1034.3
1004.5
3.72
86.88%
35


1960
Blatch Brewery
Bitter
14
1031.8
1003.9
3.49
87.74%
20


1960
Burt & Co.
Best Bitter
13
1032.6
1004.5
3.51
86.20%
20


1964
Camerons
Ordinary Bitter
15
1031.3
1006.7
3.07
78.59%
30


1960
Charles Wells
Bitter
18
1034.4
1006.6
3.48
80.81%
18


1960
Charrington
Ordinary Bitter
14
1033.8
1008
3.35
76.33%
18


1960
Clinch
Bitter
13
1034
1006.1
3.49
82.06%
20


1960
Dunmow Brewery
Bitter
14
1033.6
1006.6
3.37
80.36%
25


1960
Fremlin
XXX Bitter
14
1035.5
1005.7
3.72
83.94%
26


1960
Friary
Bitter
14
1033.8
1005.2
3.57
84.62%
20


1960
Fullers
Ordinary Bitter
16
1032.2
1005.3
3.50
83.54%
24


1960
Garne & Sons
Bitter
13
1031.2
1004.3
3.36
86.22%
21


1960
Georges
Bitter
13
1030.9
1004.75
3.40
84.63%



1960
Gray's
Bitter
13
1033.6
1006.1
3.44
81.85%
21


1960
Greenall Whitley
Bitter
14
1034.4
1005.95
3.70
82.70%



1960
Greene King
Ordinary Bitter
13
1033.9
1005.7
3.53
83.19%
26


1964
Hammond
Caledonian Scotch
15
1031.2
1008.7
2.81
72.12%
30


1960
Hammond United
Best Bitter
16
1035.5
1004.05
4.10
88.59%



1960
Harvey's
Bitter
14
1033.8
1006.1
3.46
81.95%
22


1960
Kemp Town
Bitter
12
1031.5
1004
3.44
87.30%
16


1960
Morland
Bitter
14
1035.6
1006.1
3.69
82.87%
18


1960
Morrell
Light Bitter
12
1030.7
1005
3.21
83.71%
17


1960
Morrell
Best Bitter
15
1035.3
1005.3
3.75
84.99%
23


1964
Newcastle Breweries
Sotch Ale
15
1032.3
1005.4
3.36
83.28%
30


1964
Northern Clubs Federation
Ordinary Bitter
13
1033.1
1004.5
3.57
86.40%
25


1960
Rayments
Bitter
12
1030.3
1004.1
3.27
86.47%
18


1960
Rayments
Best Bitter
14
1035.7
1006.4
3.66
82.07%
22


1961
Rhymney
Silver Drum
18
1035.1
1007.1
3.50
79.77%
17


1960
Ridley
Ordinary Bitter
14
1034.2
1009.8
3.05
71.35%
19


1960
Star Brewery, Eastbourne
Bitter
12
1029.5
1003.3
3.28
88.81%
20


1960
Tamplin
Bitter
14
1034.3
1006
3.54
82.51%
24


1960
Thwaites
Bitter
16
1035.8
1006.6
3.80
81.56%



1960
Tollemache
Bitter
16
1033.3
1003.4
3.74
89.79%
20


1960
Usher
Ordinary Bitter
13
1032.5
1007.3
3.15
77.54%
18


1960
Ushers
Bitter
13
1031.9
1008.75
3.00
72.57%



1960
Vaux
Best Bitter
15
1034.8
1005.6
3.80
83.91%



1960
Wenlock
Bitter
16
1035
1008.7
3.41
75.14%
26



Average

14.2
1033.3
1005.8
3.47
82.50%
22.2


Sources:


Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.


Which Beer Report, 1960, pages 171 - 173.




Intrigued? Then why not buy the whole book. It's full of facty goodness. And lots of homebrew recipes.

http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/austerity/23181344 (http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/austerity/23181344)



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