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I was poking around the British Newspaper Archive, looking to see what the earliest reference to Bass Barley Wine, when I turned up this advertisement.

Kentish Independent - Saturday 07 November 1868, page 1.
Which isn't for Bass Barley Wine, but for another beer I've never heard of: Plaisted's Barley Wine. Judging by the price - 10d per pot compared to 6d per pot for Bass Pale Ale - it must have been something pretty strong. It looks very much as if it's a beer brewed by someone else and given a gouse name.

This is a very early date for something referred to as Barley Wine. At least for a specific beer to be so called. I'm now wondering what the hell it was like and whho brewed it.

Plaisted's Wine House seems to have still been operating fairly recently, given the amoung of signage that remains on the building.


Odd theat the advery should specifically state that they didn't sell tea, sugar of Spanish port. What on earth did they have against Spanish port?

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