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Tennant’s Mild had the rather odd name of Rock Ale. There was a simple explanation, according to Frank Priestley:

"Tennant's produced four draught been and five bottled beers. The draught beers were: Bitter Beer (BB), Best Bitter Beer (BBB), Rock Ale, which was a dark, mild ale and Queen's Ale. Rock Ale probably originated at the Nottingham Brewery (see later). The Nottingham cellars had been excavated out of the solid rock on which the old town stood. Beers stored in the cellars were known as Rock Ales."
"The Brewer's Tale" by Frank Priestley, 2010, page 11.
The beer itself is a pretty typical post-war Dark Mild. Not all that dark, with the colour all deriving from sugar. The high degree of attenuation must have left it tasting quite dry.

It’s another simple grist, with just base pale malt and a dash of enzymic malt. Plus loads of sugar of various types. The No. 3 is my substitution for SBS and CWA. I’ve no idea how accurate that is.

The hops are all classic English varieties: Kent Fuggles (1954), Worcester Fuggles (1953 and 1954 CS), Worcester Goldings (1955 CS) copper hops, plus Kent Goldings (1955) dry hops.

The original mashing scheme started at 143º F, then raised to 148º F, presumably by an underlet, and held there for two hours.


1956 Tennant's Rock Ale
pale malt 5.50 lb 76.44%
enzymic malt 0.25 lb 3.47%
malt extract 0.07 lb 0.97%
No. 2 invert sugar 0.125 lb 1.74%
No. 3 invert sugar 1.00 lb 13.90%
caramel 500 SRM 0.25 lb 3.47%
Fuggles 90 mins 0.50 oz
Goldings 40 mins 0.25 oz
Fuggles 40 mins 0.25 oz
Goldings dry hops 0.125 oz
OG 1033
FG 1006
ABV 3.57
Apparent attenuation 81.82%
IBU 15
SRM 16
Mash at 148º F
Sparge at 165º F
Boil time 90 minutes
pitching temp 60º F
Yeast Wyeast 1099 Whitbread ale


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