Monday 11 October 2010

Barclay Perkins 1920's hop additions

Hop additions. What a fascinating subject. Just a shame that they are so poorly documented in the brewing records I've looked at. With one exception: Barclay Perkins.

Their logs from the 1920's often contain detailed information about the hopping. It's a great insight into this aspect of British brewing. So much so, that I felt obliged to share some of the details with you.


Barclay Perkins hop addition in the 1920's
Year
Beer
Style
OG
FG
ABV
App. Attenuation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl
lbs hops
boil time (hours)
boil time (hours)
boil time (hours)
Pitch temp
dry hops (oz / barrel)
colour
hopping details
1928
Ale 4d
Mild
1028.8
1006.5
2.95
77.43%
7.43
0.90
26
1.5


61º
0.00
34
Reeves 1927 (Fuggles) @ inch (5 lbs)
Remainder during make up (8 lbs 1927 MK, 10 lbs 1926 Fuggles, 2 lbs 1927 Pacifics)
1928
BBS Ex
Stout
1079.8
1027.5
6.92
65.53%
15.00
5.14
450
2.5


59.5º
8.00
360
Reeves 1926 Tutshams (112 lbs)@ inch
Reeves 1927 Goldings (113 lbs) @ 1 hour boil
1/2 Rogers 1927 Goldings (112.5 lbs) @ 1.5 hour boil
1/2 Rogers 1927 Goldings (112.5 lbs) @ 2 hour boil
1929
BS
Stout
1053.8
1020.0
4.46
62.79%
6.00
1.26
162
2.25
2

61º
0.00
340
2/3 Pacs 1927 (20.66 lbs) @ inch 1st Copper, 1/3 (10.33 lbs) @ inch 2nd Copper
2/3 Faults 1928 (36 lbs) @ inch 1st Copper, 1/3 (18 lbs) @ inch 2nd Copper
2/3 Wye 1928 (18.66 lbs) @ makeup 1st Copper, 1/3 (9.33 lbs) @ makeup 2nd Copper
2/3 Reeves 1926 Fuggles (88 lbs) @ makeup 1st Copper, 1/3 (44 lbs) @ makeup 2nd Copper
1928
BS Exp
Stout
1071.6
1022.0
6.56
69.27%
14.00
4.29
105
2.5


59º
8.00
240
Reeves 1926 Tutshams (26 lbs) @ inch
Reeves 1927 Goldings (26 lbs) @ 1 hour boil
1/2 Rogers 1927 Goldings (26.5 lbs) @ 1.5 hour boil
1/2 Rogers 1927 Goldings (26.5 lbs) @ 2 hour boil
1928
DB
Brown Ale
1040.5
1009.0
4.16
77.76%
7.50
1.24
315
2.25
2
1.75
61.5º
0.00
96
1/2 Pacs 1927 (14.5 lbs) @ inch 1st Copper, 1/4 (7.25 lbs) @ inch 2nd Copper, 1/4 (7.25 lbs) @ inch 3rd Copper
1/2 Rogers 1925 Golding Varieties (79 lbs) after 1 hour 1st copper, 1/4 (34.5 lbs) after 1 hour 2nd copper, 1/4 (34.5 lbs) after 1 hour 3rd copper
1/2 Faults 1927 Fuggles (31.5 lbs) after 1.75 hours 1st copper, 1/4 (15.75 lbs) after 1.5 hours 2nd copper, 1/4 (15.75 lbs) after 1.25 hours 3rd copper
1/2 Rogers 1927 Golding Varieties (27.5 lbs) after 1.75 hours 1st copper, 1/4 (13.75 lbs) after 1.5 hours 2nd copper, 1/4 (13.75 lbs) after 1.25 hours 3rd copper
1929
IBS
Stout
1060.7
1022.5
5.05
62.93%
8.00
1.95
248
2
1.75

59º
0.00
290
3/4 Pacs 1927 (22.25 lbs) @ inch 1st Copper, 1/4 (7.75 lbs) @ inch 2nd Copper
3/4 Powell 1927 (99.75 lbs) after 1 hour boil 1st Copper, 1/4 (33.25 lbs) after 1 hour boil 2nd Copper
3/4 Berry Faults 1928 (63 lbs) after 1.5 hours boil 1st Copper, 1/4 (21 lbs) after 1.5 hours boil 2nd Copper
1928
IBS Ex
Stout
1102.4
1037.5
8.59
63.39%
15.10
6.83
608
2.5


58º
10.67
400
All Reeves 1926 (Tutshams) during make up (158 lbs)
1/2 Reeves 1927 (Goldings) after 0.5 hour boil (79.5 lbs)
1/2 Reeves 1927 (Goldings) after 1 hour boil (79.5 lbs)
1/2 Rogers 1927 (Goldings) after 2 hours boil (159 lbs)
1/2 Rogers 1927 (Goldings) after 2.25 hours boil (158 lbs)
1928
IPA bottling
IPA
1045.8
1012.0
4.47
73.80%
8.00
1.44
192
2.25
2

61.5º
3.00
15
Pacs 1927 (Pacifics) 3/4 @ inch (18 lbs) 1st Copper
Reeves 1926 (Fuggles) 3/4 @ 1 hour boil (54 lbs) 1st Copper
Rogers 1927 (Golding Varieties) & Reeves 1927 (Fuggles) 3/4 @ 1.75 hours boil (28.5 & 43.5 lbs) 1st Copper
Pacs 1927 (Pacifics) 1/4 @ inch (6 lbs) 2nd Copper
Reeves 1926 (Fuggles) 1/4 @ 1 hour boil (18 lbs) 2nd Copper
Rogers 1927 (Golding Varieties) & Reeves 1927 (Fuggles) 1/4 @ 1.5 hours boil (9.5 & 14.5 lbs) 2nd Copper
1928
KK bottling
Strong Ale
1069.5
1020.0
6.55
71.21%
11.00
2.97
429
2.5
2

58.5º
8.00
90
Reeves 1927 (Goldings) 3/4 @ inch (107.25 lbs) 1st Copper
Rogers 1927 (Golding Varieties) 3/4 @ 1 hour boil (107.25 lbs) 1st Copper
Rogers 1928 (Goldings) 3/4 @ 2 hours boil (107.25 lbs) 1st Copper
Reeves 1927 (Goldings) 1/4 @ inch (36.75 lbs) 2nd Copper
Rogers 1927 (Golding Varieties) 1/4 @ 1 hour boil (36.75 lbs) 2nd Copper
Rogers 1928 (Goldings) 1/4 @ 2 hours boil (36.75 lbs) 2nd Copper
1928
KKKK
Strong Ale
1079.0
1024.0
7.27
69.61%
11.00
3.44
440
2.25
2

58º
4.00
120
All Reeves 1926 Golding Varieties (147 lbs) during make up
1/2 Rogers 1927 Golding Varieties (73.5 lbs) after 1 hour boil
1/2 Reeves 1927 Golding Varieties (73.5lbs) after 1.5 hours boil
1/2 Rogers 1928 Golding Varieties (73 lbs) after 1.75 hours boil
1/2 Rogers 1928 Golding Varieties (73 lbs) after 2 hours boil
1928
OMS
Stout
1050.9
1016.0
4.62
68.58%
6.50
1.41
364
2.25
2
1.75
62º
0.00
240
1/2 1st copper Pacs during make up remainder at inch
1/4 2nd copper Pacs during make up remainder at inch
1/4 3rd copper Pacs during make up remainder at inch
Chambers 1928 61 lbs
Goodwin 1928 60 lbs
Ditton Court 1927 198 lbs
Pacifics 1926 45 lbs
1928
PA
Pale Ale
1052.7
1013.0
5.25
75.32%
6.49
1.36
39
2.25
2

61º
3.00
20
2/3 1st copper Reeves and Clark @ inch, Rogers @ 1.5 hours boil
1/3 2nd copper Reeves and Clark @ inch, Rogers @ 1.5 hours boil
Clark 1928 80 lbs
Rogers 1927 (Golding Varieties) 130 lbs
Reeves 1926 (Fuggles) 30 lbs
1928
PA export
Pale Ale
1058.7
1017.5
5.45
70.18%
8.89
2.05
40
2.5


59º
4.00
28
Reeves 1926 (Tutshams) @ inch (10 lbs)
Reeves 1927 (Goldings) @ 1 hour boil (10 lbs)
Rogers 1927 (Goldings) @ 1.5 hours boil (20 lbs)
1929
SBS
Stout
1054.7
1019.0
4.72
65.24%
7.50
1.68
225
2
1.75

62º
0.00
260
2 quarts per barrel of unfermented wort added
3/4 1st copper, 1/4 2nd copper
Pacifics 1927 (28 lbs) & Faults 1928 (75 lbs) @ inch
1/2 Powell 1927 Worcs (61 lbs) @ 1 hour boil
1/2 Powell 1927 Worcs (61 lbs) @ 1.5 hour boil
1929
TT
Porter
1033.0
1012.0
2.77
63.58%
6.00
0.81
84
2.25
2

62º
0.00
240
2/3 Pacs 1927 (20.66 lbs) @ inch 1st Copper, 1/3 (10.33 lbs) @ inch 2nd Copper
2/3 Faults 1928 (36 lbs) @ inch 1st Copper, 1/3 (18 lbs) @ inch 2nd Copper
2/3 Wye 1928 (18.66 lbs) @ makeup 1st Copper, 1/3 (9.33 lbs) @ makeup 2nd Copper
2/3 Reeves 1926 Fuggles (88 lbs) @ makeup 1st Copper, 1/3 (44 lbs) @ makeup 2nd Copper
1928
X
Mild
1042.9
1011.0
4.22
74.35%
5.50
0.94
209
2.25
2

61.5º
0.00
42
3/4 1st copper Simmonds and samples at inch, Pacs @ 1 hour, Reeves 1926 @ 1.5 hours
1/4 2nd copper Simmonds and samples at inch, Pacs @ 1 hour, Reeves 1926 @ 1.5 hours
Simmonds 1928 42 lbs
Samples 1928 28 lbs
Reeves MK 1926 113 lbs
Pacifics 1926 26 lbs
1928
XLK (trade)
Pale Ale
1045.9
1010.2
4.72
77.78%
6.49
1.20
201
2.25
2

61º
3.00
16
2/3 1st copper Reeves and Clark @ inch, Rogers @ 1.5 hours boil
1/3 2nd copper Reeves and Clark @ inch, Rogers @ 1.5 hours boil
Clark 1928 80 lbs
Rogers 1927 (Golding Varieties) 130 lbs
Reeves 1926 (Fuggles) 30 lbs
Source:
Barclay Perkins brewing records




I'm in a bit of a rush, so I'll leave you to ponder that.


OK, a couple of quick remarks.

@inch: I'm pretty sure that means when the copper has been filled with wort.
makeup: I think this is at the start of filling the copper. Though I could be wrong.

I was a bit surprised at the lack of late additions in the Pale Ales. And that there were mostly only two hop additions (the export PA and bottled IPA had three additions). Especially as the standard Mild, X, had three additions.

The Stouts are even more surprising. TT (Porter) and BS (Best Stout - the standard Stout) had all the additions right at the start. The stronger Stouts had four additions, at inch, after 1 hour, 1.5 hours. and 2 hours in a 2.5 hour boil. IBS Ex (Russian Stout) had five additions, at inch, after 1 hour, 1.5 hours. 2 hours and 2.25 hours in a 2.5 hour boil. The last is the latest of any of the hop additions.

In general, it seems the stronger the beer, the more hop additions. Isn't that fascinating?

1 comment:

Graham Wheeler said...

'inch' must be an abbreviation for inchoation, which means 'the start of' or 'the beginning of'. Not only does there not seem to be a better explanation, but it also makes sense.

The question is the start of what? I initially assumed that it meant at the start of the boil, but there was always a nagging doubt as to why didn't the brewer use the phrase 'copper up' like everybody else.

It is now plain, to me at least, that it means putting the hops on the bottom of the copper before filling.

With the fourpenny beer, some hops are added @inch, the remainder during makeup. So the inch hops precede the copper being filled.

This is interesting because it is the use of a technique that I assumed had died out long before the twentieth century.

Putting the hops in the underback, or putting them on the bottom of the copper before the mash-tun is run off are both much the same thing and is a technique that is advocated as early as 1773 by Watkins. It appears rarely and sporadically in the literature during the early part of the nineteenth century, and then dies out. It is supposed to improve hop aroma.

The Germans 'rediscovered' the technique in 1993; American home brewers grabbed at this and coined the inappropriate term 'first wort hopping' for it.

There is some dispute as to whether or not it actually works, although there are reasons why it might.

Home brewers flirted enthusiastically with this initially, but achieved very mixed results. Some brewers claimed remarkable, almost mystical improvements, but most detected no benefit or even negative benefit. The novelty seems to have worn off somewhat these days, but it still crops up from time to time

A related technique, that of soaking hops in hot water for a few hours prior to using them survived in British brewing well into the twentieth century. This one does work and should probably be revived.

@makeup I would suggest is when the copper is full; during makeup, when the copper is filling.