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If you’re wondering about the cryptic name for this beer, it’s quite simple, really. P stands for Pale Ale and 1/4 is the retail price per pint. It’s very Scottish to name beers by their price. I wonder why?

The system isn’t great in times of inflation. By 1965 the name was P 1/8, the price having gone up by 4d per pint. And it didn’t stop there.

Usher’s records for this period are wonderfully detailed. Before WW II they were in the typical Scottish format, with multiple brews spread across two pages. But these are two pages per brew, one with the brewing details, the other logging the progress of the fermentation.

As the malt extract was added to the mash tun, I assume that its purpose is enzymatic.

Typically, the grist is just pale malt, flaked maize and sugar. The last, in this case, being invert and DAS. Which I’ve interpreted as No. 1 and No. 3 invert, respectively.

The hops were English, more I don’t know.


1961 Thomas Usher P 1/4
pale malt 5.25 lb 70.42%
flaked maize 0.50 lb 6.71%
malt extract 0.125 lb 1.68%
No. 1 invert sugar 1.25 lb 16.77%
No. 3 invert sugar 0.33 lb 4.43%
Fuggles 120 mins 0.50 oz
Fuggles 60 mins 0.50 oz
Goldings 30 mins 0.50 oz
Goldings dry hops 0.125 oz
OG 1036
FG 1006.5
ABV 3.90
Apparent attenuation 81.94%
IBU 22
SRM 7
Mash at 150º F
Sparge at 157º F
Boil time 120 minutes
pitching temp 60º F
Yeast WLP013 London Ale (Worthington White Shield)


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