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Call me Mr. Pitiful. That's what I am. Missing all the details of hop addition in Barclay Perkins brewing records.Oh well, at least I know they're there now.

How was Russian Stout hopped? That's a question no-one has ever asked me. (Not that I can remember.) But I've asked myself it. In those moments of reflection on the tram home. A bit like Einstein. Except without the genius.

Now I have the answer. In as much detail as I could possibly have wanted. For 1928. I'm thrilled. Much more thrilled than is normal. Would you like me to share it with you? Say please . . .

Ow, alright then. These details are taken from a 1928 brew of Barclay Perkins IBS Ex. That's Russian Stout to you and me. The strong version with an OG of 1100+.


It's not that clear, so here's a transcription (the boil lasted 2.5 hours in total):

All Reeves 1926 (Tutshams) during make up (81 lbs)
1/2 Banks MK 1927 after 0.5 hour boil (40.5 lbs)
1/2 Banks MK 1927 after 1 hour boil (40.5 lbs)
1/2 Rogers 1927 (Goldings) 2 hours boil (87 lbs)
1/2 Rogers 1927 (Goldings) 2.25 hours boil (87 lbs)

These are the hop details:


The TT party-gyled with the IBS Ex was boiled in a different copper with 11 pounds of each type of hop added at the start of the boil.

I was surpised by:

  1. the number of hop additions
  2. how late the last addition was



But this log has much more to teach us. About what can go wrong in a brewery.

About 50 barrels each of IBS Ex and TT (Porter) were boiled in separate coppers. The IBS Ex had a bushel (approx 40 pounds) of roasted malt added to the copper. The TT copper got 112 pounds of caramel. At least that's what was supposed to have happened:


See what it says about the caramel in red? "put into IBS Exp in error". The result of this mistake is recorded in another part of the record:


Firstly the colours. (These are 1 inch cell Lovibond.) IBS Ex was 680 and the TT 96. That's way above what they should have been, about 400. And TT was well below its target colour values of around 200.
The finally note in red tells of the beer's fate:

"This IBS Ex was not put into trade because of excessive colour and caramel flavour.
Sent to vats."

I wonder what happened in the vats? Bey someone got a bollocking for the cock up.


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