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In the middle of the 18th century, London Stock Ales were monsters of beers. High gravity and ridiculously heavily hopped.

Of course, they need all those hops to keep them healthy between primary fermentation and sale. Because they would have been aged for a long period – probably at least 12 months. Though, unlike Porter and Stout, which were aged in vats, Stock Ales were aged in trade casks, most likely hogsheads.

There’s nothing much to the recipe. Just one type of pale malt and two types of hops. East Kent and Mid-Kent from the 1867 harvest, to be specific. The hops, I mean.

The FG is just a guess. It could well have been considerably lower as there would have been a secondary Brettanomyces fermentation during the ageing process.

Barclay Perkins also brewed a Mild version, XX. It had the same OG as KK, but was hopped at around two-thirds the rate.


1869 Barclay Perkins KK
Mild malt 19.50 lb 100.00%
Goldings 90 min 4.50 oz
Goldings 60 min 4.50 oz
Goldings 30 min 4.50 oz
Goldings dry hops 1.50 oz
OG 1085.5
FG 1020
ABV 8.67
Apparent attenuation 76.61%
IBU 148
SRM 8
Mash at 155º F
Sparge at 190º F
Boil time 90 minutes
pitching temp 58º F
Yeast Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale



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