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Really strong Milds weren’t killed off by WW I. Quite. Almost, but not quite.
As this advertisement from the 1920’s demonstrates:
““SAMSON” ALE
we brew an old-fashioned type of Extra Strong Mild Ale.
A revelation to people who have not previously tried Ale of this class; it is far removed from ordinary beer and stout, and possesses the qualities of a fine old wine.
Try a “Nip" “SAMSON” Bottle of ALE, 5.5d, At Hotels supplied by The North-Eastern Breweries, Limited.”
Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail - Friday 12 February 1926, page 7.
A price of 5.5d for a nip (third of a pint) bottle implies an OG of around 1080º. Unless Vaux were thieving bastards. Which is incredibly strong for a post-WW I Mild. Low-1050’s is the highest other gravity I’ve seen for a Mild in this period.
Hang on a minute. I remember Vaux Samson. I’m pretty sure I’ve drunk it. But it wasn’t a strong Mild. It wasn’t a Mild at all, but a Best Bitter. Clearly at some point Vaux recycled the name and used it for a totally different type of beer.
Vaux Samson 1964 - 1982 |
Year |
Beer |
Style |
Price per pint |
OG |
FG |
ABV |
App. Atten-uation |
1964 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
20d |
1043.1 |
1011.1 |
4.00 |
74.25% |
1967 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
24d |
1035.7 |
1007.1 |
3.58 |
80.11% |
1967 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
24d |
1035.7 |
1006.8 |
3.61 |
80.95% |
1967 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
24d |
1040.5 |
1008.1 |
4.05 |
80.00% |
1972 |
Sampson |
Pale Ale |
13p |
1041.2 |
1011.1 |
3.90 |
73.06% |
1977 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
|
1042.3 |
|
|
|
1979 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
|
1042.3 |
|
|
|
1981 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
|
1042.3 |
|
|
|
1982 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
|
1042.3 |
|
|
|
1983 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
|
1042.3 |
|
|
|
1986 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
|
1042.3 |
|
|
|
1989 |
Samson |
Pale Ale |
|
1041 |
|
|
|
Sources: |
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/001. |
Good Beer Guide 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990 |
Daily Mirror July 10th 1972, page 15 |
It wasn’t even consistently a Best Bitter, being relegated to Ordinary Bitter for part of 1967.
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