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25-09-2011, 15:31
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Bet you've been waiting for this with bated breath. Part two of my investigation of George Younger's beers. What makes it all the more exciting is that a couple of these beers still exist.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1cFUXX2T2w/Tnr5_LxoxWI/AAAAAAAAIKY/1OIUJ5yjags/s320/George_Younger_Sweetheart_Stout_1961.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1cFUXX2T2w/Tnr5_LxoxWI/AAAAAAAAIKY/1OIUJ5yjags/s1600/George_Younger_Sweetheart_Stout_1961.jpg)
Much like William Younger, George Younger, despite leaping feet first into the Pale Ale trade, continued to brew Alloa Ales. The strong beer that was the source of Scotland's beery fame. It seems to have been similar to Edinburgh Ale. Which itself was much like Burton Ale. These strong Alloa Ales were once exported all over the world. After WW II the foreign market had shrunk to Belgium and little else.
Gordon Highland Scotch Ale and Gordon Xmas Ale. They were originally brewed by George Younger. (Note that Alloa, like Edinburgh where it was later brewed, is nowhere near the Highlands.) They were some of the beers that helped define Belgian-style Scotch Ale. Strong, dark Ales of 8% ABV or so. Though you'll notice that Gordon Highland Scotch Ale wasn't all that dark. Colour values of 55 and 60 are just about brown.
Interestingly, the Strong Ale produced for domestic consumption was darker, though at 6% ABV, quite a bit weaker. Now here's a thing. There wasn't much in the way of Strong Ale brewed in England after WW II. There were the odd ones like Bass No. 1, Colne Spring Ale or Gold Label, but they weren't a standard part of every brewery's range. Not so in Scotland. Strong Ale carried on much as it had before the war, except gravities had been pegged back a little.
Heavy Export Ale. There are a few examples of that in the table. What was it - Heavy or Export? Judging by the gravity, I'd say Export. If you can remember - and if you can't I'm going to keep reminding you - "heavy" is Scottish brewing parlance meant nothing more than "strong". I'd love to know when it became so closely associated with a specific type of Pale Ale. From what I've seen so far, definitely after WW II.
I've been saving the best until last. Scottish breweries had never been that enthusiastic about Stout. Yes, they brewed it, but in a fairly desultory way. And they moved from the older dry types to very sweet versions much earlier than English breweries, starting in the 19th century. To most eyes Younger's Extra Stout, with a mere 52% attenuation, would seem pretty damn sweet. Until they'd got a look at Sweetheart Stout with just 30-odd% attenuation. And at around 1.5% ABV, it counts as a low-alcohol beer.
What does it tell us about Scottish tastes that the only beer still to bear the George Younger name is Sweetheart Stout? I'd love to try it. It looks more like a Malzbier than a Stout. Anyone know where I can score a bottle (or a can)?
The more I think about it, the more these Younger beers demonstrate 20th-century trends in Scottish brewing. Pale Ales, Strong Ales and the odd very sweet Stout. Only Lager is missing. That was the speciality of another Alloa brewery - the Alloa Brewery.
Here's the table:
George Younger beers 1940 - 1961
Year
Beer
Style
Price
size
package
Acidity
FG
OG
colour
ABV
App. Attenuation
1940
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1007
1035
3.64
80.00%
1940
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1008.5
1033.5
3.24
74.63%
1941
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1012.5
1037
3.17
66.22%
1946
60/- Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1007.5
1029.5
2.85
74.58%
1947
80/- Ale
Pale Ale
16d
pint
bottled
1009
1039.5
3.96
77.22%
1947
India Pale Ale 120/-
IPA
14d
half pint
bottled
1010
1042
4.16
76.19%
1948
Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
1/5.5d
half pint
bottled
0.08
1014
1047.7
23.5
4.37
70.65%
1948
Extra Stout
Stout
pint
bottled
1017.5
1036.5
2.44
52.05%
1948
Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1016
1048.5
4.21
67.01%
1949
Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1016.5
1047
3.94
64.89%
1950
Gordon Highland Scotch Ale
Scotch Ale
bottled
0.90
1031.1
1091.2
1 + 40
7.81
65.90%
1950
Gordon Xmas Ale (bottled in Antwerp)
Scotch Ale
bottled
0.10
1032.3
1090.7
2 + 40
7.58
64.39%
1952
Gordon Highland Scotch Ale
Scotch Ale
bottled
0.08
1026.5
1081.8
2.5 + 40
7.19
67.60%
1953
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
14.5d
nip
bottled
0.06
1021.9
1067.6
13 + 40
5.93
67.60%
1954
Extra Stout
Stout
1/2d
half pint
bottled
0.05
1018
1037.5
1 + 30
2.51
52.00%
1954
Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
bottled
0.06
1011.1
1044.7
19
4.36
75.17%
1954
Gordon Highland Scotch Ale (purchased in Belgium)
Scotch Ale
bottled
0.06
1028
1090.9
60
8.20
69.20%
1955
Extra Stout
Stout
15d
half pint
bottled
0.05
1015.8
1038.5
575
2.93
58.96%
1955
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
15d
nip
bottled
0.05
1022.3
1067.6
100
5.87
67.01%
1955
Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
15d
half pint
bottled
0.06
1012
1043.9
27
4.14
72.67%
1955
Gordon Highland Scotch Ale (purchased in Belgium)
Scotch Ale
bottled
0.07
1029.9
1090.3
55
7.86
66.89%
1955
Treble Top Ale
Pale Ale
21d
16 oz
can
0.05
1006.6
1031.2
37.5
3.19
78.85%
1955
Sweetheart Stout
Stout
26d
16 oz
can
0.04
1024.5
1036.4
225
1.52
32.69%
1956
Sweetheart Stout
Stout
1/3d
half pint
bottled
0.04
1024.6
1037.6
225
1.66
34.57%
1959
Sweetheart Stout
Stout
14d
halfpint
bottled
1024.4
1036.4
275
1.53
32.97%
1959
Sparkling Ale
Pale Ale
10d
half pint
bottled
0.05
1006.6
1026.6
30
2.59
75.19%
1959
Sparkling Ale
Pale Ale
12d
half pint
bottled
0.05
1024.5
1031.8
45
0.93
22.96%
1961
Husky Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
15d
half pint
bottled
0.05
1013.8
1042.8
25
3.63
67.76%
Sources:
Thomas Usher Gravity Book document TU/6/11 held at the Scottish Brewing Archive
Whitbread Gravity Book document LMA/4453/D/02/002 held at the London Metropolitan Archives
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9wFLYRG-L8Y/Tnr5wjINvSI/AAAAAAAAIKU/gNkvP8ohufw/s320/George_Younger_beers_1940_1961.JPG (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9wFLYRG-L8Y/Tnr5wjINvSI/AAAAAAAAIKU/gNkvP8ohufw/s1600/George_Younger_beers_1940_1961.JPG)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5445569787371915337-4261734040649307163?l=barclayperkins.blogspot.com
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2011/09/george-younger-beers-1940-1961.html)
Bet you've been waiting for this with bated breath. Part two of my investigation of George Younger's beers. What makes it all the more exciting is that a couple of these beers still exist.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1cFUXX2T2w/Tnr5_LxoxWI/AAAAAAAAIKY/1OIUJ5yjags/s320/George_Younger_Sweetheart_Stout_1961.jpg (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1cFUXX2T2w/Tnr5_LxoxWI/AAAAAAAAIKY/1OIUJ5yjags/s1600/George_Younger_Sweetheart_Stout_1961.jpg)
Much like William Younger, George Younger, despite leaping feet first into the Pale Ale trade, continued to brew Alloa Ales. The strong beer that was the source of Scotland's beery fame. It seems to have been similar to Edinburgh Ale. Which itself was much like Burton Ale. These strong Alloa Ales were once exported all over the world. After WW II the foreign market had shrunk to Belgium and little else.
Gordon Highland Scotch Ale and Gordon Xmas Ale. They were originally brewed by George Younger. (Note that Alloa, like Edinburgh where it was later brewed, is nowhere near the Highlands.) They were some of the beers that helped define Belgian-style Scotch Ale. Strong, dark Ales of 8% ABV or so. Though you'll notice that Gordon Highland Scotch Ale wasn't all that dark. Colour values of 55 and 60 are just about brown.
Interestingly, the Strong Ale produced for domestic consumption was darker, though at 6% ABV, quite a bit weaker. Now here's a thing. There wasn't much in the way of Strong Ale brewed in England after WW II. There were the odd ones like Bass No. 1, Colne Spring Ale or Gold Label, but they weren't a standard part of every brewery's range. Not so in Scotland. Strong Ale carried on much as it had before the war, except gravities had been pegged back a little.
Heavy Export Ale. There are a few examples of that in the table. What was it - Heavy or Export? Judging by the gravity, I'd say Export. If you can remember - and if you can't I'm going to keep reminding you - "heavy" is Scottish brewing parlance meant nothing more than "strong". I'd love to know when it became so closely associated with a specific type of Pale Ale. From what I've seen so far, definitely after WW II.
I've been saving the best until last. Scottish breweries had never been that enthusiastic about Stout. Yes, they brewed it, but in a fairly desultory way. And they moved from the older dry types to very sweet versions much earlier than English breweries, starting in the 19th century. To most eyes Younger's Extra Stout, with a mere 52% attenuation, would seem pretty damn sweet. Until they'd got a look at Sweetheart Stout with just 30-odd% attenuation. And at around 1.5% ABV, it counts as a low-alcohol beer.
What does it tell us about Scottish tastes that the only beer still to bear the George Younger name is Sweetheart Stout? I'd love to try it. It looks more like a Malzbier than a Stout. Anyone know where I can score a bottle (or a can)?
The more I think about it, the more these Younger beers demonstrate 20th-century trends in Scottish brewing. Pale Ales, Strong Ales and the odd very sweet Stout. Only Lager is missing. That was the speciality of another Alloa brewery - the Alloa Brewery.
Here's the table:
George Younger beers 1940 - 1961
Year
Beer
Style
Price
size
package
Acidity
FG
OG
colour
ABV
App. Attenuation
1940
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1007
1035
3.64
80.00%
1940
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1008.5
1033.5
3.24
74.63%
1941
Pale Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1012.5
1037
3.17
66.22%
1946
60/- Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1007.5
1029.5
2.85
74.58%
1947
80/- Ale
Pale Ale
16d
pint
bottled
1009
1039.5
3.96
77.22%
1947
India Pale Ale 120/-
IPA
14d
half pint
bottled
1010
1042
4.16
76.19%
1948
Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
1/5.5d
half pint
bottled
0.08
1014
1047.7
23.5
4.37
70.65%
1948
Extra Stout
Stout
pint
bottled
1017.5
1036.5
2.44
52.05%
1948
Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1016
1048.5
4.21
67.01%
1949
Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
pint
bottled
1016.5
1047
3.94
64.89%
1950
Gordon Highland Scotch Ale
Scotch Ale
bottled
0.90
1031.1
1091.2
1 + 40
7.81
65.90%
1950
Gordon Xmas Ale (bottled in Antwerp)
Scotch Ale
bottled
0.10
1032.3
1090.7
2 + 40
7.58
64.39%
1952
Gordon Highland Scotch Ale
Scotch Ale
bottled
0.08
1026.5
1081.8
2.5 + 40
7.19
67.60%
1953
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
14.5d
nip
bottled
0.06
1021.9
1067.6
13 + 40
5.93
67.60%
1954
Extra Stout
Stout
1/2d
half pint
bottled
0.05
1018
1037.5
1 + 30
2.51
52.00%
1954
Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
bottled
0.06
1011.1
1044.7
19
4.36
75.17%
1954
Gordon Highland Scotch Ale (purchased in Belgium)
Scotch Ale
bottled
0.06
1028
1090.9
60
8.20
69.20%
1955
Extra Stout
Stout
15d
half pint
bottled
0.05
1015.8
1038.5
575
2.93
58.96%
1955
Strong Ale
Strong Ale
15d
nip
bottled
0.05
1022.3
1067.6
100
5.87
67.01%
1955
Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
15d
half pint
bottled
0.06
1012
1043.9
27
4.14
72.67%
1955
Gordon Highland Scotch Ale (purchased in Belgium)
Scotch Ale
bottled
0.07
1029.9
1090.3
55
7.86
66.89%
1955
Treble Top Ale
Pale Ale
21d
16 oz
can
0.05
1006.6
1031.2
37.5
3.19
78.85%
1955
Sweetheart Stout
Stout
26d
16 oz
can
0.04
1024.5
1036.4
225
1.52
32.69%
1956
Sweetheart Stout
Stout
1/3d
half pint
bottled
0.04
1024.6
1037.6
225
1.66
34.57%
1959
Sweetheart Stout
Stout
14d
halfpint
bottled
1024.4
1036.4
275
1.53
32.97%
1959
Sparkling Ale
Pale Ale
10d
half pint
bottled
0.05
1006.6
1026.6
30
2.59
75.19%
1959
Sparkling Ale
Pale Ale
12d
half pint
bottled
0.05
1024.5
1031.8
45
0.93
22.96%
1961
Husky Heavy Export Ale
Pale Ale
15d
half pint
bottled
0.05
1013.8
1042.8
25
3.63
67.76%
Sources:
Thomas Usher Gravity Book document TU/6/11 held at the Scottish Brewing Archive
Whitbread Gravity Book document LMA/4453/D/02/002 held at the London Metropolitan Archives
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9wFLYRG-L8Y/Tnr5wjINvSI/AAAAAAAAIKU/gNkvP8ohufw/s320/George_Younger_beers_1940_1961.JPG (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9wFLYRG-L8Y/Tnr5wjINvSI/AAAAAAAAIKU/gNkvP8ohufw/s1600/George_Younger_beers_1940_1961.JPG)
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5445569787371915337-4261734040649307163?l=barclayperkins.blogspot.com
More... (http://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2011/09/george-younger-beers-1940-1961.html)