Shut up about Barclay Perkins - American Mild Ale

Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site

I told you Vassar was one of my new obsessions. A new drum to bang, dog to kick, whatever you want to call it. Plus, as I've already spent so much time on the research, I can knock out a series of these post double-quick. An important consideration for someone as compelled to post every day as I am.

Here's an admission. When I spotted the words "present use" in the Vassar records, I did a little joy dance. Quite literally. Because I know exactly what that phrase means. It crops up occasionally in British records, too. I don't know why, because the alternative is much more concise: mild. Yes, I'd not only found definite proof of Mild Ale being brewed in 19th century America, I'd even got a recipe.

How does this work? I remember. First I throw a couple of tables full of numbers at you, then I attempt to make some sort of sense out of it.

Let's ball-up with Vassar's beers. You'll notice that they are a powerful bunch. Beers of this gravity, called Double Ale, were pretty much all Vassar brewed. Only 500 barrels of the weaker Single Ale were brewed in the brewing season 1833-1834, compared to 11,000 of Double Ale.

I'd best mention that this was just one flavour of Vassar Mild Ale. There were also Double Ale and Pale Double Ale versions.

Amber Double Ale Present use
Date	Year	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/US brl	hops lb/Imp. brl	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	max. fermen-tation temp	length of fermen-tation (days)
5th Nov	1833	1101.1	1044.3	7.51	56.16%	5.00	1.98	2.78	1.5	3	60	75
18th Nov	1833	1099.7	1044.3	7.33	55.56%	5.00	2.16	3.02	1.5	2.5	60	75
8th Jan	1834	1101.1	1042.9	7.70	57.53%	5.00	2.08	2.92	1.5	2.5	62	78	8
8th Nov	1833	1108.0	1048.5	7.88	55.13%	5.20	2.24	3.14	1.5	3	62	80
17th Mar	1834	1097.0	1038.8	7.70	60.00%	5.26	1.84	2.58	1.25	2	60	72
18th Mar	1834	1099.7	1038.8	8.06	61.11%	5.26	2.02	2.83	1.25	2	60	76
19th Mar	1834	1099.7	1047.1	6.96	52.78%	5.26	1.87	2.62	1	2	60	78
24th Mar	1834	1099.7	1041.6	7.70	58.33%	5.26	1.98	2.78	1	2	60	73
25th Mar	1834	1099.7	1041.6	7.70	58.33%	5.26	1.98	2.78	1.25	2.25	58	72
26th Mar	1834	1098.3	1045.7	6.96	53.52%	5.26	1.98	2.78	1.25	2.5	60	75
27th Mar	1834	1098.3	1041.6	7.51	57.75%	5.26	2.05	2.87	1.25	2.5	60	75
31st Mar	1834	1099.7	1041.6	7.70	58.33%	5.26	1.95	2.74	1.25	2.25	61	80	8
1st Apr	1834	1099.7	1042.9	7.51	56.94%	5.26	1.92	2.70	1.25	2.25	60	76	8
2nd Apr	1834	1098.3	1041.6	7.51	57.75%	5.26	1.98	2.78	1.25	2.25	60	76	8
7th Apr	1834	1097.0	1044.3	6.96	54.29%	5.26	1.98	2.78	1.25	2.25	60	76	10
8th Apr	1834	1097.0	1044.3	6.96	54.29%	5.26	1.95	2.74	1.25	2.5	62	77	9
14th Apr	1834	1094.2	1041.6	6.96	55.88%	5.33	1.96	2.75	1.25	2	60	75	10
15th Apr	1834	1094.2	1041.6	6.96	55.88%	5.33	1.96	2.75	1.25	2	61	76	10
3rd Apr	1834	1097.0	1041.6	7.33	57.14%	5.47	2.06	2.89	1.25	2.25	60	78	8
4th Apr	1834	1099.7	1038.8	8.06	61.11%	5.47	2.17	3.04	1.25	2.5	62	77	9
17th Apr	1834	1092.8	1036.0	7.51	61.19%	5.87	2.16	3.02	1.5	2.25	61	76	9
Average		1098.7	1042.3	7.45	57.10%	5.28	2.01	2.82	1.29	2.32	60.4	76.0	8.8
Source:
Matthew Vassar's Brewing Accounts 1833 - 1837

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MPgNJbY4-0..._1833_1834.jpg

Next are a selection of British Mild Ales. As I've tried to match up the average OG, these are mostly XX, XXX and XXXX Ales. To give some diversity, I've included William Younger Ales as well as London ones.

British Mild Ales
Date	Year	Brewer	Beer	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	max. fermen-tation temp	length of fermen-tation (days)
11th Jul	1835	Truman	X Ale	1080.3	1020.5	7.92	74.48%	8.0	2.74				58	69	8
24th Dec	1831	Truman	XX Ale	1083.1	1030.5	6.96	63.33%	6	2.63				59	77	10
1st Dec	1831	Truman	XXX Ale	1086.4	1016.6	9.23	80.77%	8	4.00				62		13
3rd Sep	1839	Barclay Perkins	XX	1087.3	1015.5	9.49	82.24%	9.00	4.08	2.5			58	76
19th Sep	1839	Barclay Perkins	XX	1087.5	1015.5	9.53	82.29%	8.89	4.03	3			58	77
25th Jul	1839	Barclay Perkins	XX	1088.6	1015.0	9.74	83.08%	9.10	4.21	3.75			58	76.5
27th Dec	1838	Reid	XX	1088.6				8.8	3.12	1.5	3		57
26th Dec	1831	Truman	XXX Ale	1088.6	1033.8	7.26	61.87%	7	3.54				58.5	75	10
27th Feb	1837	Whitbread	XX	1088.9	1033.2	7.37	62.62%	6.11	2.38	2	2	3	59	72	8
2nd Nov	1835	Truman	XX Ale	1090.3	1028.3	8.21	68.71%	7	2.82				58	67	8
4th Aug	1835	Truman	XX Ale	1090.9	1027.7	8.36	69.51%	10	4.76				59	72	7
15th Mar	1837	Whitbread	XX	1091.4	1035.5	7.40	61.21%	6.05	2.35	2	2	3	59	74	8
18th Jul	1835	Truman	XX Ale	1092.5	1027.7	8.57	70.06%	10	4.46				59	71	10
9th Apr	1832	Younger, Wm.	100/-	1093.0				11.86	6.60	1			53	70
27th Dec	1831	Younger, Wm.	80/-	1094				3.73	1.93	1.25			50	70
27th Feb	1832	Truman	XXX Ale	1097.0				6	5.13				58.5	70
27th Jan	1832	Younger, Wm.	84/-	1101				4.40	2.24	1			55	70
11th Nov	1836	Whitbread	XXX	1102.8	1036.0	8.83	64.96%	6.09	2.80	2	2	3.5	62.5	74.5
19th Aug	1839	Barclay Perkins	XXX	1104.4	1018.3	11.39	82.48%	8.58	5.31	4			58	77
3rd Aug	1839	Barclay Perkins	XXX	1104.4	1017.6	11.49	83.15%	8.17	4.93	3.25			58.5	77
19th Oct	1835	Truman	XXX Ale	1104.7	1033.2	9.45	68.25%	8	3.45				56
18th Mar	1839	Reid	XXX	1105.3				8	3.75	1.5	3		57
3rd Dec	1835	Truman	XXX Ale	1105.3	1034.9	9.31	66.84%	8	4.00				58
25th Jul	1835	Truman	XXX Ale	1106.6	1034.9	9.49	67.27%	10	5.37				58	68	8
26th Dec	1831	Younger, Wm.	100/-	1108				3.73	2.00	1.25			51	70
11th Aug	1835	Truman	XXX Ale	1109.4	1034.3	9.93	68.61%	10	4.65				59	69	9
27th Feb	1832	Truman	XXXX Ale	1113.6				8	4.32				59	67
14th Oct	1835	Truman	XXXX Ale	1113.6	1045.7	8.98	59.76%	7.5	4.35				57	65	11
23rd Dec	1836	Whitbread	XXXX	1114.7	1039.3	9.97	65.70%	7.00	3.64	2.17	2	2.5	60	73	8
5th Nov	1835	Truman	XXXX Ale	1114.7	1037.9	10.15	66.91%	12	8.73				57		9
21st Nov	1835	Truman	XXXX Ale	1116.3	1045.4	9.38	60.95%	8	5.97				58	69	12
6th Jan	1832	Younger, Wm.	120/-	1117				4.07	2.79	1			54	70
30th Dec	1831	Younger, Wm.	140/-	1135				5.42	5.16	1			52	70
Average				1100.2	1029.5	9.06	70.2%	7.65	4.01	2.01	2.33	3.00	57.4	71.7	9.3
Sources:
Barclay Perkins brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number ACC/2305/1/550
Truman brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers B/THB/C/115 and B/THB/C/119
Whitbread brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/01/001
William Younger brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number WY/6/1/2/1

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k3VN0yUajm..._1831_1839.jpg

To make the comparison easier, I've created a third table with just the averages from the first two.

Date	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/ UK brl	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	max. fermen-tation temp	length of fermen-tation (days)
British Mild Ale	1100.2	1029.5	9.06	70.2%	7.65	4.01	2.01	2.33	3.00	57.4	71.7	9.3
Amber Double Ale Present use	1098.7	1042.3	7.45	57.10%	5.28	2.82	1.29	2.32		60.4	76.0	8.8
difference	-1.5	12.9	-1.61	-13.12%	-2.37	-1.18	-0.72	-0.01		3.03	4.30	-0.45
% difference	-1.51%	30.44%	-21.61%	-22.99%	-44.96%	-41.97%	-56.32%	0.00%	0.00%	5.02%	5.65%	-5.09%

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xLAgz18yJH...itish_Mild.jpg

Moving from left to right, we can see that even though there’s only a small difference between the OG of the two groups, there’s a massive difference in FG: a full 13 points. Which naturally has an effect on the next two columns, the ABV and apparent attenuation. Vassar’s beers averaged 1.6% less ABV and 13 fewer points of attenuation. In percentage terms, differences of 22% and 23% respectively.

It’s clear that Vassar’s beers would have been sweeter and thicker than their British equivalents.

Next let’s take a look at the hopping. The rates in terms of both pounds per quarter and pounds per barrel were lower at Vassar. About 45% lower in case of the former and 42% in the case of the latter.

If you combine the lower attenuation of Vassar’s beers with the lower hopping rate, then their beers must have been thicker, sweeter and less hoppy than British Milds of the period.

The first boil was about 45 minutes longer on average amongst the British beers. The second boils were of almost identical lengths.

I was surprised that the pitching temperature was so much lower for the British Milds. Then I remembered those William Younger beers. They were all pitched in the low 50’s Fahrenheit. If I remove those, though, the average is 58.4º F – still more than two degrees cooler than the Vassar average.

The maximum fermentation temperature is also clearly higher at Vassar. More than 4 degrees higher. I suspect the explanation for this is simple: better control of the temperature of the wort through the use of attemperators.

The British fermentations took an average of three quarters of a day longer. I wouldn’t say that is very significant.

I'd usually say, "That was fun wasn't it?" at this point. But I've done taht way too often. I need to find another ironic comment. I'll get back to you when I've thought of one.https://blogger.googleusercontent.co...s.blogspot.com


More...