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21-04-2023, 07:12
Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/04/watered-beers-in-1954.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16yHTpHY17mWsr2YrqaoQCeb7d-TFSYeqQIqQOhQZ2XMXJYL4y0oxh4NQhj1ACZVV58EpwDnjKARA S0RKIjUGz5NKxf8B2rRlFUdBZVLduACDJ8syy8KgMNr4qX7AJw 9j96D4D417i5W5fex2sab8ztGT-rXSV3RX0buMCXiupvCvy7meLSGDlvmH/w299-h400/Charrington_Toby_Ale_2.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16yHTpHY17mWsr2YrqaoQCeb7d-TFSYeqQIqQOhQZ2XMXJYL4y0oxh4NQhj1ACZVV58EpwDnjKARA S0RKIjUGz5NKxf8B2rRlFUdBZVLduACDJ8syy8KgMNr4qX7AJw 9j96D4D417i5W5fex2sab8ztGT-rXSV3RX0buMCXiupvCvy7meLSGDlvmH/s607/Charrington_Toby_Ale_2.jpg)
Some tables to go with yesterday's text heavy post.
Mr. Shaw, notably an official of the Brewers' Society claimed that: "average strength of beer was three degrees higher than three years ago and was only 10 per cent, below pre-war strength."
Was Mr. Shaw correct about average strength? Let's take a look:
UK Average gravity
Year
OG
1938
1041.02
1939
1040.93
1940
1040.62
1941
1038.51
1942
1035.53
1943
1034.34
1944
1034.63
1945
1034.54
1946
1034.72
1947
1032.59
1948
1032.66
1949
1033.43
1950
1033.88
1951
1036.99
1952
1037.07
Source:
Brewers' Almanack 1955, p. 50
Yes: average gravity had increased by 3ยบ in the previous three years and it was 9.6% lower than in 1938. I'll forgive him for rounding the latter figure up to 10%.
Thanks to the Whitbread Gravity Book, I think I have details of the five beers purchased by Mr. Bing.
They all look like Light Ales to me. A bit over 3% ABV is what you would expect for such beers. Charrington's beer is rather an outlier, with a gravity a good bit higher than the other beers. Though it sold for the same price as the Barclay Perkins and Taylor Walker examples, while selling for the same price. Making it far bettwe value for money.
Of course, brewers paid excise duty based on the gravity of their beers. So, while they would be paying less tax on a beer below the average gravity, this was in no way cheating the revenue out of money.
"Watered" beers in 1954
Brewer
Beer
Style
Price
size
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
Barclay Perkins
IPA
IPA
9.5d
half pint
1031.2
1007.5
3.07
75.96%
19
Charrington
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
9.5d
half pint
1038.2
1008.5
3.86
77.75%
21
Meux
PA
Pale Ale
1/5d
pint
1033.7
1007.3
3.43
78.34%
24
Taylor Walker
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
9.5d
half pint
1031.2
1007.3
3.10
76.60%
21
Watney
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
10d
nip
1033.7
1010.2
3.04
69.73%
26
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/04/watered-beers-in-1954.html)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16yHTpHY17mWsr2YrqaoQCeb7d-TFSYeqQIqQOhQZ2XMXJYL4y0oxh4NQhj1ACZVV58EpwDnjKARA S0RKIjUGz5NKxf8B2rRlFUdBZVLduACDJ8syy8KgMNr4qX7AJw 9j96D4D417i5W5fex2sab8ztGT-rXSV3RX0buMCXiupvCvy7meLSGDlvmH/w299-h400/Charrington_Toby_Ale_2.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16yHTpHY17mWsr2YrqaoQCeb7d-TFSYeqQIqQOhQZ2XMXJYL4y0oxh4NQhj1ACZVV58EpwDnjKARA S0RKIjUGz5NKxf8B2rRlFUdBZVLduACDJ8syy8KgMNr4qX7AJw 9j96D4D417i5W5fex2sab8ztGT-rXSV3RX0buMCXiupvCvy7meLSGDlvmH/s607/Charrington_Toby_Ale_2.jpg)
Some tables to go with yesterday's text heavy post.
Mr. Shaw, notably an official of the Brewers' Society claimed that: "average strength of beer was three degrees higher than three years ago and was only 10 per cent, below pre-war strength."
Was Mr. Shaw correct about average strength? Let's take a look:
UK Average gravity
Year
OG
1938
1041.02
1939
1040.93
1940
1040.62
1941
1038.51
1942
1035.53
1943
1034.34
1944
1034.63
1945
1034.54
1946
1034.72
1947
1032.59
1948
1032.66
1949
1033.43
1950
1033.88
1951
1036.99
1952
1037.07
Source:
Brewers' Almanack 1955, p. 50
Yes: average gravity had increased by 3ยบ in the previous three years and it was 9.6% lower than in 1938. I'll forgive him for rounding the latter figure up to 10%.
Thanks to the Whitbread Gravity Book, I think I have details of the five beers purchased by Mr. Bing.
They all look like Light Ales to me. A bit over 3% ABV is what you would expect for such beers. Charrington's beer is rather an outlier, with a gravity a good bit higher than the other beers. Though it sold for the same price as the Barclay Perkins and Taylor Walker examples, while selling for the same price. Making it far bettwe value for money.
Of course, brewers paid excise duty based on the gravity of their beers. So, while they would be paying less tax on a beer below the average gravity, this was in no way cheating the revenue out of money.
"Watered" beers in 1954
Brewer
Beer
Style
Price
size
OG
FG
ABV
App. Atten-uation
colour
Barclay Perkins
IPA
IPA
9.5d
half pint
1031.2
1007.5
3.07
75.96%
19
Charrington
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
9.5d
half pint
1038.2
1008.5
3.86
77.75%
21
Meux
PA
Pale Ale
1/5d
pint
1033.7
1007.3
3.43
78.34%
24
Taylor Walker
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
9.5d
half pint
1031.2
1007.3
3.10
76.60%
21
Watney
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
10d
nip
1033.7
1010.2
3.04
69.73%
26
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2023/04/watered-beers-in-1954.html)