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We’ve now come to Hancock’s Pale Ales. Or at least I think we have. I’m fairly sure that the “B” stands for Bitter. But I’m not totally sure.

The hopping rate per quarter (336 lbs) of malt is slightly lower – 6.3 lbs compared to 7 lbs – than X. If XXB is a Pale Ale, you’d expect it to be the other way around. On the other hand, it is dry hopped and the water treatment, with a large amount of gypsum, is the same as for another Pale Ale, BA. On balance, I’d call this as a Pale Ale.

None of the base malt was from English barley. Just over half was Chilean, the rest Ouchak (spelt Ushak in the brewing record), that is, Middle Eastern. Quite a contrast with X, which was all English. It’s unusual to see all foreign barley. Usually, at least some was English.

It’s rather strange to see No. 3 invert sugar in a Pale Ale. The result is a colour which is pretty dark for a Pale Ale. No. 2 invert is a more normal sugar to see in this type of beer.

A single type of hop – East Kent from the 1896 harvest – was used in the copper. I’m guessing that’s also what was used in the rather heavy dry hopping.

1897 Hancock XXB
pale malt 8.25 lb 84.62%
No. 2 invert sugar 0.75 lb 7.69%
No. 3 invert sugar 0.75 lb 7.69%
Goldings 120 mins 1.25 oz
Goldings 30 mins 1.00 oz
Goldings dry hops 1.00 oz
OG 1046
FG 1005.5
ABV 5.36
Apparent attenuation 88.04%
IBU 30
SRM 10
Mash at 155º F
Sparge at 175º F
Boil time 120 minutes
pitching temp 58º F
Yeast White Labs WLP099 Super High Gravity



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