Shut up about Barclay Perkins - Prominent firms - Mann, Crossman, and Paulin

Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2DA675rJu...arley_Wine.jpg

Here's another of those Brewers' Society puff pieces. This time about another London brewer, Mann, Crossman, and Paulin.

Mann was one of the big success stories of the later 19th century. Rising from relative obscurity to become once of the capital's leading brewers. Unlike the established large breweries, Mann built their success on Ale, not Porter. Along with Watney and Charrington, they were one of a new breed of big London brewers.

"MANN, CROSSMAN, & PAULIN, LTD.
Messrs. Mann, Crossman, and Paulin have one of the moat extensive bottle trade connections in London. It was the privilege of the writer to go over this brewery, which has a great reputation for ale. Needless to say it is governed by the only principlee on which such reputation can rest. Every ingredient is systematically tested for purity and quality by the brewery analyst, and hygienic conditions are regarded as a part the art of brewing. Over and above this, all the beers produced at this brewery are made from that cereal which has always been considered the foundation of good beer — to wit, barley — and nothing but the best materials enter into their composition.

For Varying Tastes.
As has been said, prominent feature of the firm’s business is the bottle trade. No fewer than a dozen different kinds of ale and stout are made for varying tastes. Those who like beer very light, and those who prefer it fuller in body, are equally catered for. The most popular kinds are the family ale and brown stout. Of ales, there are in all seven kinds, including bitter ale, light and tonic, the K.K.K., a strong ale, and barley wine, which, as its name indicates, is a delectable brew, particularly adapted for winter use. The stouts include the brown stout, a fine, light dinner beverage, double stout, and oatmeal stout. The variety of bottled beers produced by the firm testifies to the efforts which the modern brewer makes to meet every taste. They are bottled under the most approved system, are free from sediment, and are carbonated by the pure gas which is collected from the firm’s own fermenting vats. The ales are brilliant, and great pains are taken to ensure the stout being always in perfect condition. Owing to their complete distributing arrangements, Messrs. Mann, Crossman, and Paulin’s specialities can be obtained in any part of London at the grocers’ or wine and beer stores."
London Evening Standard - Monday 19 October 1908, page 12.

I'm shocked to see that Mann's most famous product, Brown Ale, is mentioned. I find that really odd, as it had been around for something like a decade at that point. One the other hand, it's one of the few references in print, other than advertisements, I've seen for KKK. And an early reference to Barley Wine as a specific kind of beer. Oatmeal Stout, which hadn't been around for very long already seemd to have become an established part of London brewers' repertoire.

Here's proof of the rapid groth of Mann towards the end of the 19th century:

Output of large London brewers 1847 - 1908
Brewer	1847	1850	1860	1870	1880	1890	1900	1908
Barclay Perkins	417,998	397,360	421,286	410,710		522,645	589,201	527,716
Whitbread	187,852	177,555	242,848	225,600	249,744	357,878	693,706	808,237
Truman	383,993	388,475	457,796	509,447	456,393	453,336	505,341	355,110
Reid	233,795	213,345	288,597	264,753	274,146
Mann	41,470	97,802	128,179	217,575	231,942	293,845	500,029	625,130
Source:
The British Brewing Industry, 1830-1980 T. R. Gourvish & R.G. Wilson, pages 610-611.

You can see that, with the exception of Whitbread, the output of the older breweries was either stagnant or in decline.

More...