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09-01-2023, 07:10
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I was browsing through Richardson's "Statistical Estimates of the Materials of Brewing" and stubbed my toe on some analyses of malt from the early 1780s.
Great. I thought. These will come in handy when I try to calculate the gravity of beers based on the quantity of malt used. I was amazed at what I saw. Brown malt with an extract of 72 lbs and even 78 lbs per quarter. To put this into context, the pale malts vary between 62 lbs and 82 lbs. In the 19th century, around 80 lbs was standard.
There's one exception: the brown malt made in Hertfordshire. That gives the shit extract I'd expect of 54 lbs and 56 lbs.
Richardson explains the difference in the method of manufacture. The stuff from Hertfordshire being "blown" or popped, like popcorn. And so getting larger in volume. Malt was sold in quarters, a volume measure. Making a quarter of brown malt much lighter than one of pale.
Outside of Hertfordshire, as they didn't pop their brown malt, it would have weighed around the same per quarter as pale malt. So I suppose it makes sense that the extract wouldn't be that much worse.
Great to see all of this in hard numbers. And to see just how different the "other" brown malt was.London brewers used Hertfordshire malt. The question is: why? Was it all they had readily available in the pre-railway days?
Malt from the barley of 1781.
No.
Colour
Character
Growth of barley.
Average prod. of ferm. matter
1
pale
well made
North Lincolnsh.
82 lbs
2
pale
indifferent
North Lincolnsh.
75 lbs
3
pale
well made
Norfolk
72 lbs
4
pale
well made
Yorksh. woulds
82 lbs
5
brown
well made
Yorksh. woulds
78 lbs
6
brown
well made
Ware, in Herts
56 lbs
Source:
Statistical Estimates of the Materials of Brewing by J. Richardson, 1784, G. Robinson, London, page 67.
Malt from the barley of 1782.
No.
Colour
Character
Growth of barley.
Average prod.
1
pale
well made
Yorksh. woulds
62 lbs
2
pale
well made
Bremen
58 lbs
3
pale
well made
Norfolk
67 lbs
4
pale
indifferent
Norfolk
56 lbs
5
brown
well made
Ware, in Herts.
54 lbs
Source:
Statistical Estimates of the Materials of Brewing by J. Richardson, 1784, G. Robinson, London, page 67.
Malt from the barley of 1783.
No.
Colour
Character
Growth of barley.
Average prod.
1
pale
well made
North Lincolnsh
74 lbs
2
pale
well made
Berwick on Tweed
63 lbs
3
pale
indifferent
Yorksh. woulds
65 lbs
4
pale
well made
Yorksh. woulds
75 lbs
5
brown
well made
Yorksh. woulds
72 lbs
Source:
Statistical Estimates of the Materials of Brewing by J. Richardson, 1784, G. Robinson, London, page page 68.
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-other-brown-malt.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTs734KLAdxHTZbCZl4ucKOj7W5SXqYLMjHfMrrsGL9n v9Tpm4DaYQjlCPGGnuXL24p4Nq63t-fOKqztYo-O7x7ajXyziInzFcLaXS95hCl8xfXXtTHL9wbCn-ot04kIsRvoUVRjeqs_cPW1LPq1iZY51AUCHST2sTEw1XfAV3PD fWme7esVIOKXJX/s320/Butlers_Extra_All_Malt_Stout_2.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTs734KLAdxHTZbCZl4ucKOj7W5SXqYLMjHfMrrsGL9n v9Tpm4DaYQjlCPGGnuXL24p4Nq63t-fOKqztYo-O7x7ajXyziInzFcLaXS95hCl8xfXXtTHL9wbCn-ot04kIsRvoUVRjeqs_cPW1LPq1iZY51AUCHST2sTEw1XfAV3PD fWme7esVIOKXJX/s454/Butlers_Extra_All_Malt_Stout_2.jpg)
I was browsing through Richardson's "Statistical Estimates of the Materials of Brewing" and stubbed my toe on some analyses of malt from the early 1780s.
Great. I thought. These will come in handy when I try to calculate the gravity of beers based on the quantity of malt used. I was amazed at what I saw. Brown malt with an extract of 72 lbs and even 78 lbs per quarter. To put this into context, the pale malts vary between 62 lbs and 82 lbs. In the 19th century, around 80 lbs was standard.
There's one exception: the brown malt made in Hertfordshire. That gives the shit extract I'd expect of 54 lbs and 56 lbs.
Richardson explains the difference in the method of manufacture. The stuff from Hertfordshire being "blown" or popped, like popcorn. And so getting larger in volume. Malt was sold in quarters, a volume measure. Making a quarter of brown malt much lighter than one of pale.
Outside of Hertfordshire, as they didn't pop their brown malt, it would have weighed around the same per quarter as pale malt. So I suppose it makes sense that the extract wouldn't be that much worse.
Great to see all of this in hard numbers. And to see just how different the "other" brown malt was.London brewers used Hertfordshire malt. The question is: why? Was it all they had readily available in the pre-railway days?
Malt from the barley of 1781.
No.
Colour
Character
Growth of barley.
Average prod. of ferm. matter
1
pale
well made
North Lincolnsh.
82 lbs
2
pale
indifferent
North Lincolnsh.
75 lbs
3
pale
well made
Norfolk
72 lbs
4
pale
well made
Yorksh. woulds
82 lbs
5
brown
well made
Yorksh. woulds
78 lbs
6
brown
well made
Ware, in Herts
56 lbs
Source:
Statistical Estimates of the Materials of Brewing by J. Richardson, 1784, G. Robinson, London, page 67.
Malt from the barley of 1782.
No.
Colour
Character
Growth of barley.
Average prod.
1
pale
well made
Yorksh. woulds
62 lbs
2
pale
well made
Bremen
58 lbs
3
pale
well made
Norfolk
67 lbs
4
pale
indifferent
Norfolk
56 lbs
5
brown
well made
Ware, in Herts.
54 lbs
Source:
Statistical Estimates of the Materials of Brewing by J. Richardson, 1784, G. Robinson, London, page 67.
Malt from the barley of 1783.
No.
Colour
Character
Growth of barley.
Average prod.
1
pale
well made
North Lincolnsh
74 lbs
2
pale
well made
Berwick on Tweed
63 lbs
3
pale
indifferent
Yorksh. woulds
65 lbs
4
pale
well made
Yorksh. woulds
75 lbs
5
brown
well made
Yorksh. woulds
72 lbs
Source:
Statistical Estimates of the Materials of Brewing by J. Richardson, 1784, G. Robinson, London, page page 68.
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-other-brown-malt.html)