Visit the Shut up about Barclay Perkins site

Strongest of Younger’s range was No. 1 Strong Ale. It’s origins lay back in the middle of the 19th century when they introduced a set of numbered Strong Ales (Nos. 1 to 4), presumably in emulation of Strong Burton Ales.

Younger had links with Burton. At least one of the family served an apprenticeship at Evershed, a brewery based in Burton. And also one which produced numbered Burton Ales after the fashion of Bass. It was all a bit odd as Younger continued to brew a set of strong Shilling Ales. No. 1 had the same OG as 140/-, while No. 2 and No. 3 were the same as 120/- and 100/-, respectively.

Initially, No. 1 had an OG of around 1100º. WW I changed that, knocking it back to the mid-1080ºs. Which was still a pretty respectable gravity.

The recipe will come as a shock to anyone who has soaked up the widespread misinformation about Scottish beers, especially Strong Ales. There’s no roast barley and certainly no peated malt. But it does contain grits and lactose.

As with all Younger’s dark beers, No. 1 included the mysterious “M” and “C”. Pretty sure the C stands for crystal. I’ve combined the two as a dark crystal malt.

I’ve adjusted the FG down from 1035º, as that was the cleansing gravity, not the true FG. 1027º comes from an analysis of 1936 in the Whitbread Gravity Book of the beer as sold.


1939 William Younger No. 1
pale malt 13.25 lb 68.83%
crystal malt 120L 1.50 lb 7.79%
grits 3.75 lb 19.48%
lactose 0.75 lb 3.90%
Fuggles 150 min 1.00 oz
Fuggles 60 min 1.00 oz
Fuggles 30 min 1.00 oz
Goldings dry hops 0.25 oz
OG 1084
FG 1027
ABV 7.54
Apparent attenuation 67.86%
IBU 30
SRM 16
Mash at 156º F
Sparge at 160º F
Boil time 150 minutes
pitching temp 57.5º F
Yeast WLP028 Edinburgh Ale


More...