Shut up about Barclay Perkins - Ind Coope AKK

Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9sXjw3kzVh..._Coope_AKK.jpgThis has all been inspired by a label that I found. You can it there to the right. Ind Coope AKK Ale.

It's beer names like this that have left me doubting Martyn Cornell's explanation of AK standing for Ankel Koyt. If it did, then what does the extra K stand for in AKK? To me names like this confirm my explanation of AK. That the AK and the K both stand for something.

Though I'll be honest that the usual meaning of K - Keeping - on the face of it makes little sense for the type of Light Bitter that was called AK. It being one of the classic types of 19th-century Running Beers. Let me think a bit more about that one.

I've a few examples of AKK from old brewery price lists. Always alongside an AK. Interesting that. There are plenty of examples of AK without AKK, but not the other way around. I think that makes clear which came first: AK. AKK is usually one step up in price and strength from AK.

Sometimes, like at Fuller's, the strength slot one up from AK is filled by XK. Which works with my explanation of AK. A being an indication of strength, just like X. In the late 19th-century, X implies a gravity of about 1055º, A 1050º. K specifying that it's a Pale Ale rather than a Mild Ale.

Tables. I don't like to leave you without one or two. Some examples from price lists would seem appropriate.

First Ind Coope themselves:

Brewery	Place	year	beer	price per barrel (shillings)	price per gallon (pence)
Ind Coope & Co	Romford	1865	AKK	44	14.6667
Ind Coope & Co	Romford	1865	AK	46	15.3333
Source:
Exeter and Plymouth Gazette - Friday 03 November 1865, page 8

This one shows where AK and AKK fitted into a range of Pale Ales:

Brewery	Place	year	beer	price per barrel (shillings)	price per gallon (pence)
Rogers' Ales	Bristol	1900	AK Bitter Ale	36	12
Rogers' Ales	Bristol	1900	AKK Bitter Ale	42	14
Rogers' Ales	Bristol	1900	PA Pale Ale	48	16
Rogers' Ales	Bristol	1900	IPA India Pale Ale	54	18
Source:
Western Daily Press - Saturday 15 December 1900, page 3

And so does this one, except I've included the brewery's whole set of beers:

Brewery	Place	year	beer	price per barrel (shillings)	price per gallon (pence)
Godsell & Sons	Stroud, Gloucs	1909	X Mild Ale	30	10d
Godsell & Sons	Stroud, Gloucs	1909	XX Mild Ale	36	1s
Godsell & Sons	Stroud, Gloucs	1909	XXXX Mild Ale	48	1s 4d
Godsell & Sons	Stroud, Gloucs	1909	XXX Old Ale	48	1s 4d
Godsell & Sons	Stroud, Gloucs	1909	IPA India Pale Ale	54	1s 6d
Godsell & Sons	Stroud, Gloucs	1909	AK Light Dinner Ale	36	1s
Godsell & Sons	Stroud, Gloucs	1909	AKK Bitter Ale	42	1s 2d
Godsell & Sons	Stroud, Gloucs	1909	AB Pale Ale	48	1s 4d
Godsell & Sons	Stroud, Gloucs	1909	A1 Strong Ale	54	1s 6d
Godsell & Sons	Stroud, Gloucs	1909	XXX Extra Stout	48	1s 4d

You may have spotted something odd. And illogical. Ind Coope's AKK was weaker than its AK. Don't ask me why. It makes absolutely no sense. The more letters, the stronger the beer is the usual rule.

More...