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This 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.

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