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31-12-2023, 07:10
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https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibt8u9Q1er98JIbT1_OnxvAPi68QaH3GyreLX6ijgiXA f8FjjTfsqT0veIJaJdmsvCFEjnDlPtXcN7bQLbky_4zS6FB7Wt 1sr6WisFhD7OYDomvt1WAgM2fMh7tK18hC6kXn7fzUCjQ8ThZA JExxdLSklcFZM2U1exmY-ytERYdZKAO2cCFN3dSiidpWk/w375-h400/Holdens_Old_Ale.jpg (https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibt8u9Q1er98JIbT1_OnxvAPi68QaH3GyreLX6ijgiXA f8FjjTfsqT0veIJaJdmsvCFEjnDlPtXcN7bQLbky_4zS6FB7Wt 1sr6WisFhD7OYDomvt1WAgM2fMh7tK18hC6kXn7fzUCjQ8ThZA JExxdLSklcFZM2U1exmY-ytERYdZKAO2cCFN3dSiidpWk/s887/Holdens_Old_Ale.jpg)
Mostly a bottled beer in its stronger iterations, there were some breweries who had draught versions available during the winter.

Sometimes, served from a pin on the bar. And often limited to halves because of the extreme strength (for the day). Marstons Owd Roger, is a good example. I remember Mogg drinking four pints of it in the Old Kings Arms and having problems with his legs when he tried to stand up. How we laughed.

I’ve used a cutoff point of 1060º for one simple reason: to make sure Old Peculier ends up in the right table.

I can’t really call it the Northern type, as Morrell was in the South and Marston in the Midlands. This stronger type was also available in bottled form

While in the South, a much weaker beer, basically like a pre-WW II Best Mild with an OG of around 1045º, was available on draught in the colder parts of the year.

You can see a few examples below. Most, but not all, are from the South. With a couple, Simpkiss and Hoskins from the Midlands. The big outlier is Timothy Taylor Ram Tam, coming from the North, but looking very much like a Southern example from the OG. Even though it was just Pedigree with caramel added at racking time. It’s now called Landlord Dark.

Young’s Winter Warmer is in the London variation on the Old Ale theme, Burton Ale. By 1977, it was the last remaining example (as it remains) after Fullers replaced theirs with ESB in the early 1970s.

Being rather more modest in strength, these beers were usually dispensed by handpump and served in pints as well as halves.


Stronger style of draught Old Ale


Year
Brewer
Beer
OG


1977
Usher
Thomas Usher 1060
1060


1977
Theakston
Old Peculier
1060.3


1977
Morrell
College Ale
1073


1977
Holden
Old Ale
1075


1977
Marston
Owd Roger
1080



Average

1069.7


Source:


1978 Good Beer Guide.







Weaker style of draught Old Ale


Year
Brewer
Beer
OG


1977
Hoskins
Old
1039


1977
Harvey
XXXX
1041


1977
Adnams
Olde
1042


1977
Brakspear
XXXX (or Old)
1043


1977
Taylor
Ram Tam
1043


1977
Gale
XXXXX (Winter Brew)
1045


1977
Tolly Cobbold
Old Strong
1047


1977
King & Barnes
XXXX
1047.5


1977
Hook Norton
Old Hookey
1049


1977
Simpkiss
Old
1050


1977
Young & Co
Winter Warmer
1055



Average

1045.6


Source:


1978 Good Beer Guide.




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