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Shut up about Barclay Perkins - London vs provincial beer in the 1930's: Strong Beers
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We're just about at the end of this table-heavy series. That's just how I like my posts: without too many words in them.
Based on the hugely diverging strengths is the samples - from 4.76% to 11.91% ABV - it's clear that they encompass several different types of beer. I'm not sure how meaningful any comparisons are going to be. But why let a little detail like that stop me? Especially now I've come so far.
I'm not just scratching my head, but turning my scalp into a bloodied mess, trying to work out which London beers these could be. Let's start off by saying what they aren't: Burton. At least not draught Burton. All are way too strong (draught Burton was 5% to 5.5% ABV). Even Fuller's Old Burton Extra is well short, strength-wise. Even Barclay Perkins KKKK was much weaker, 7 and a bit % ABV, 1080 OG.
No. 25 must have had a massive OG. It's 11% ABV and still has lots of unfermented stuff in it. Probably about as high as you reasonably go with gravity, 1140 or so. I'm sure I've never seen any 20th-century London beer anywhere near that level, other than Russian Stout.
As usual, we begin with London beers:
Composition of London Beers |
|
|
|
|
|
Calories per pint. |
|
Total Solids per cent. |
Absolute Alcohol (by weight) per cent. |
Ratio of Total Solids to Alcohol (T.S.=1). |
ABV |
Solid Matter. |
Alcohol. |
Total. |
Strong Beers and Old Ales |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No. 23 |
4.65 |
7.00 |
1:1.50 |
8.89 |
108 |
278 |
386 |
No. 24 |
6.11 |
8.62 |
1:1.41 |
10.95 |
142 |
343 |
485 |
No. 25 |
9.55 |
8.72 |
1:0.91 |
11.07 |
222 |
347 |
569 |
No. 26 |
5.16 |
9.38 |
1:1.82 |
11.91 |
120 |
374 |
494 |
Average |
6.36 |
8.43 |
1:1.32 |
10.71 |
148 |
335 |
483 |
Source: |
Journal of the Institute of Brewing, Volume 38, Issue 1, January-February 1932, pages 84 - 88. |
The country beers are a real hotch-potch:
Composition of Country Beers |
|
|
|
|
|
Calories per pint. |
|
Total Solids per cent. |
Absolute Alcohol (by weight) per cent. |
Ratio of Total Solids to Alcohol (T.S.=1). |
ABV |
Solid Matter. |
Alcohol. |
Total. |
Strong Beers and Old Ales |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
No. 79 |
7.97 |
7.14 |
1:0.89 |
9.07 |
185 |
284 |
469 |
No. 80 |
6.04 |
5.27 |
1:0.87 |
6.69 |
141 |
209 |
350 |
No. 81 |
6.72 |
4.72 |
1:0.70 |
5.99 |
156 |
187 |
343 |
No. 82 |
10.42 |
5.28 |
1:0.50 |
6.71 |
243 |
210 |
453 |
No. 83 |
5.47 |
8.53 |
1:1.55 |
10.83 |
127 |
339 |
466 |
No. 84 |
6.12 |
4.28 |
1:0.69 |
5.44 |
142 |
170 |
312 |
No. 85 |
6.57 |
5.86 |
1:0.89 |
7.44 |
153 |
233 |
386 |
No. 80 |
3.89 |
3.75 |
1:0.96 |
4.76 |
91 |
149 |
240 |
No. 87 |
4.44 |
4.33 |
1:0.97 |
5.50 |
103 |
172 |
275 |
No. 88 |
5.13 |
4.52 |
1:0.88 |
5.74 |
119 |
180 |
299 |
Average |
6.27 |
5.36 |
1:0.85 |
6.81 |
146 |
213 |
359 |
Source: |
Journal of the Institute of Brewing, Volume 38, Issue 1, January-February 1932, pages 84 - 88. |
Some of the weaker ones look like the equivalent of a London Burton, while a couple look like Barley Wine. The lower ration of solids to alcohol in the country beers means that they must have been drier.
Finally the comparison of averages:
Strong Beers and Old Ales |
|
|
|
|
Calories per pint. |
|
Total Solids per cent. |
Absolute Alcohol (by weight) per cent. |
Ratio of Total Solids to Alcohol (T.S.=1). |
ABV |
Solid Matter. |
Alcohol. |
Total. |
London |
6.36 |
8.43 |
1:1.32 |
10.71 |
148 |
335 |
483 |
Country |
6.27 |
5.36 |
1:0.85 |
6.81 |
146 |
213 |
359 |
% difference |
-1.44% |
-57.28% |
-0.77% |
-57.28% |
-1.37% |
-57.28% |
-34.54% |
I can see a pattern emerging now: more of everything in the London beers.
More...
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