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29-09-2019, 11:21
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According to my classification, Strong Bitter is anything above 1045º. Beers of this type pretty much disappeared in the 1940s. As restrictions on brewing were lifted in the early 1050s, breweries started to introduce stronger Bitters, similar in strength to pre-war Best Bitter.
About the only exception to this was Draught Bass, which even during the war remained over 1045º.
Beers of this strength didn’t sell in enormous quantities, but were profitable enough to be worth a brewery’s while. Often they were parti-gyled with standard Bitter, an economical way of producing a small batch beer. Which is still the way Fullers produce ESB.
Strong Bitter 1953 - 1964
Year
Brewer
Beer
Price per pint d
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
1960
Ansells
Bitter
17
1045.3
1010.7
4.5
76.38%
1954
Bass
Pale Ale
19
1046
1008.7
4.86
81.09%
20
1965
Bass
Draught PA
1050.5
1009.4
5.36
81.39%
16
1964
Camerons
Strong Arm
25
1045.2
1013.1
4.01
71.02%
45
1953
Charrington
Pale Ale
17
1046.4
29
1959
Charrington
Toby Ale
15
1046.6
1009.4
4.84
79.83%
20
1963
Charrington
Toby Ale
33
1048.1
1008.3
5.19
82.74%
18
1960
Courage & Barclay
Directors' Bitter
24
1048.8
1008.4
5.27
82.79%
26
1960
Greene King
Abbot Ale
22
1051.3
1007.9
5.43
84.60%
20
1960
Ridley
Best Bitter
21
1047
1007.8
4.9
83.40%
22
1961
Southams
Pressure PA
24
1045.8
1007.1
4.84
84.50%
17
1954
Watney
Special Bitter
20
1045.5
1013.7
4.12
69.89%
23
1963
Watney
Red Barrel Ex. PA
31
1047.7
1012.9
4.52
72.96%
20
1965
Watney
PA
1050.3
1011.5
5.05
77.14%
23
1960
Young & Co
Best Bitter
20
1048.4
1011.5
4.61
76.24%
24
Average
21.4
1047.5
1010
4.82
76.24%
23.1
Sources:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
Which Beer Report, 1960, pages 171 - 173.
This is an excerpt from my excellent book on brewing after WW II.
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/austerity/23181344 (http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/austerity/23181344)
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According to my classification, Strong Bitter is anything above 1045º. Beers of this type pretty much disappeared in the 1940s. As restrictions on brewing were lifted in the early 1050s, breweries started to introduce stronger Bitters, similar in strength to pre-war Best Bitter.
About the only exception to this was Draught Bass, which even during the war remained over 1045º.
Beers of this strength didn’t sell in enormous quantities, but were profitable enough to be worth a brewery’s while. Often they were parti-gyled with standard Bitter, an economical way of producing a small batch beer. Which is still the way Fullers produce ESB.
Strong Bitter 1953 - 1964
Year
Brewer
Beer
Price per pint d
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
1960
Ansells
Bitter
17
1045.3
1010.7
4.5
76.38%
1954
Bass
Pale Ale
19
1046
1008.7
4.86
81.09%
20
1965
Bass
Draught PA
1050.5
1009.4
5.36
81.39%
16
1964
Camerons
Strong Arm
25
1045.2
1013.1
4.01
71.02%
45
1953
Charrington
Pale Ale
17
1046.4
29
1959
Charrington
Toby Ale
15
1046.6
1009.4
4.84
79.83%
20
1963
Charrington
Toby Ale
33
1048.1
1008.3
5.19
82.74%
18
1960
Courage & Barclay
Directors' Bitter
24
1048.8
1008.4
5.27
82.79%
26
1960
Greene King
Abbot Ale
22
1051.3
1007.9
5.43
84.60%
20
1960
Ridley
Best Bitter
21
1047
1007.8
4.9
83.40%
22
1961
Southams
Pressure PA
24
1045.8
1007.1
4.84
84.50%
17
1954
Watney
Special Bitter
20
1045.5
1013.7
4.12
69.89%
23
1963
Watney
Red Barrel Ex. PA
31
1047.7
1012.9
4.52
72.96%
20
1965
Watney
PA
1050.3
1011.5
5.05
77.14%
23
1960
Young & Co
Best Bitter
20
1048.4
1011.5
4.61
76.24%
24
Average
21.4
1047.5
1010
4.82
76.24%
23.1
Sources:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
Which Beer Report, 1960, pages 171 - 173.
This is an excerpt from my excellent book on brewing after WW II.
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/austerity/23181344 (http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/austerity/23181344)
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RmaoqYOczY4/W1tPUnpqvpI/AAAAAAAAe98/RyJHYLG_tSURahghqLGJt1bgEb-7MiBFwCLcBGAs/s400/Austerity_front_thumb.jpg (http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/austerity/23181344)
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2019/09/strong-bitter.html)