Pale Ales, though not the biggest sellers, were all the rage in the late 19th century. As you can see from both brewers' price lists and brewing records. Many brewers produced more than one. Let's take a look, shall we:
Late 19th century Pale Ales | ||||||||||||||||||||
Date | Year | Brewer | Beer | Style | OG | FG | ABV | App. Atten-uation | lbs hops/ qtr | hops lb/brl | Pitch temp | dry hops (oz / barrel) | pale malt | PA malt | no. 1 sugar | no. 2 sugar | other sugar | flaked maize | flaked rice | total |
15th Aug | 1866 | Whitbread | PA | Pale Ale | 1060.4 | 1016.6 | 5.79 | 72.48% | 18.26 | 5.94 | 58º | 80.78% | 19.22% | 100.00% | ||||||
26th Nov | 1866 | Whitbread | PA | Pale Ale | 1060.7 | 1014.7 | 6.08 | 75.80% | 15.20 | 4.50 | 58º | 81.82% | 18.18% | 100.00% | ||||||
15th Mar | 1871 | Whitbread | PA | Pale Ale | 1062.6 | 1020.5 | 5.57 | 67.26% | 17.47 | 5.67 | 58º | 82.23% | 17.77% | 100.00% | ||||||
24th Mar | 1871 | Whitbread | PA | Pale Ale | 1063.7 | 1019.4 | 5.86 | 69.57% | 17.30 | 5.57 | 58º | 81.60% | 18.40% | 100.00% | ||||||
6th Sep | 1875 | Whitbread | FA | Pale Ale | 1052.1 | 1011.4 | 5.39 | 78.19% | 12.37 | 2.93 | 58º | 85.08% | 14.92% | 100.00% | ||||||
30th Aug | 1875 | Whitbread | PA | Pale Ale | 1058.2 | 1014.7 | 5.75 | 74.76% | 18.11 | 5.04 | 58º | 92.13% | 7.87% | 100.00% | ||||||
7th Dec | 1875 | Whitbread | PA | Pale Ale | 1060.1 | 1015.2 | 5.94 | 74.65% | 15.72 | 4.64 | 58º | 85.18% | 14.82% | 100.00% | ||||||
11th Jul | 1876 | Whitbread | FA | Pale Ale | 1054.8 | 1019.9 | 4.62 | 63.64% | 12.24 | 3.15 | 60º | 84.51% | 15.49% | 100.00% | ||||||
11th Apr | 1877 | Whitbread | PA | Pale Ale | 1058.7 | 1014.7 | 5.83 | 75.00% | 16.03 | 4.65 | 58º | 74.64% | 25.36% | 100.00% | ||||||
12th Jul | 1880 | Whitbread | FA | Pale Ale | 1052.6 | 1008.6 | 5.83 | 83.68% | 13.52 | 3.58 | 58º | 60.48% | 39.52% | 100.00% | ||||||
9th Aug | 1880 | Whitbread | PA | Pale Ale | 1065.4 | 1014.4 | 6.74 | 77.97% | 17.12 | 4.30 | 58º | 86.88% | 13.12% | 100.00% | ||||||
16th Jul | 1890 | Whitbread | PA | Pale Ale | 1060.1 | 1013.0 | 6.23 | 78.37% | 11.69 | 3.25 | 57º | 78.57% | 21.43% | 100.00% | ||||||
16th Jul | 1890 | Whitbread | 2PA | Pale Ale | 1055.4 | 1010.0 | 6.01 | 81.95% | 11.69 | 2.99 | 57º | 78.57% | 21.43% | 100.00% | ||||||
20th Oct | 1890 | Whitbread | FA | Pale Ale | 1054.8 | 1012.0 | 5.67 | 78.12% | 11.01 | 2.73 | 57º | 23.81% | 55.56% | 20.63% | 100.00% | |||||
17th Nov | 1890 | Whitbread | PA | Pale Ale | 1059.6 | 1015.0 | 5.89 | 74.81% | 11.53 | 3.00 | 57º | 58.14% | 18.60% | 23.26% | 100.00% | |||||
1st Apr | 1891 | Whitbread | 2PA | Pale Ale | 1053.2 | 1011.0 | 5.58 | 79.32% | 10.12 | 2.43 | 57º | 21.74% | 57.97% | 20.29% | 100.00% | |||||
12th Nov | 1890 | Whitbread | FA | Pale Ale | 1054.0 | 1011.0 | 5.69 | 79.64% | 11.17 | 2.73 | 57º | 78.57% | 21.43% | 100.00% | ||||||
12th May | 1886 | Barclay Perkins | PA | Pale Ale | 1058.0 | 1013.0 | 5.95 | 77.55% | 12.00 | 2.95 | 60º | 71.64% | 14.93% | 13.43% | 100.00% | |||||
15th Jul | 1886 | Barclay Perkins | PA | Pale Ale | 1059.0 | 1016.1 | 5.68 | 72.77% | 16.00 | 3.88 | 60º | 71.64% | 14.93% | 13.43% | 100.00% | |||||
7th Jan | 1892 | Barclay Perkins | PA | Pale Ale | 1063.0 | 1021.1 | 5.55 | 66.58% | 12.46 | 3.03 | 60º | 72.97% | 10.81% | 16.22% | 100.00% | |||||
29th Sep | 1899 | Barclay Perkins | XLK | Pale Ale | 1051.6 | 1010.5 | 5.43 | 79.60% | 10.11 | 2.13 | 60º | 73.64% | 18.18% | 8.18% | 100.00% | |||||
20th Apr | 1900 | Barclay Perkins | XLK | Pale Ale | 1051.7 | 1013.9 | 5.01 | 73.21% | 10.34 | 2.21 | 60º | 73.64% | 18.18% | 4.09% | 4.09% | 100.00% | ||||
23rd Oct | 1899 | Barclay Perkins | XLK | Pale Ale | 1051.1 | 1010.0 | 5.44 | 80.49% | 10.00 | 2.14 | 60º | 8.00 | 72.90% | 18.69% | 8.41% | 100.00% | ||||
15th May | 1900 | Barclay Perkins | PA | Pale Ale | 1059.4 | 1017.0 | 5.61 | 71.38% | 11.13 | 4.00 | 59º | 4.00 | 70.91% | 18.18% | 5.45% | 5.45% | 100.00% | |||
31st Dec | 1869 | Simonds | SB | Pale Ale | 1057.3 | 1016.1 | 5.46 | 71.98% | 12.00 | 2.85 | 58º | 16 | 100.00% | 100.00% | ||||||
2nd Mar | 1886 | Hodgson | Bitter Ale | Pale Ale | 1063.4 | 1007.8 | 7.37 | 87.77% | 14.00 | 3.57 | 52º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
19th Mar | 1886 | Hodgson | FP Ale | Pale Ale | 1058.2 | 10.00 | 2.45 | 59.5º | 100.00% | 100.00% | ||||||||||
29th Jul | 1869 | Medway | B Beer | Pale Ale | 1049.6 | 18.94 | 3.83 | 60º | 82.21% | 17.79% | 100.00% | |||||||||
28th Aug | 1869 | Medway | BA | Pale Ale | 1065.8 | 16.47 | 4.62 | 60º | 82.21% | 17.79% | 100.00% | |||||||||
28th Oct | 1870 | Medway | IPA | IPA | 1066.5 | 16.00 | 4.71 | º | 100.00% | 100.00% | ||||||||||
22nd Aug | 1877 | Truman ( | P1 | Pale Ale | 1066.5 | 1022.2 | 5.86 | 66.67% | 19.16 | 5.35 | 57º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
18th Sep | 1877 | Truman ( | P2 | Pale Ale | 1061.2 | 1015.8 | 6.01 | 74.21% | 19.00 | 5.08 | 58º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
11th Oct | 1877 | Truman ( | Pale Ale | Pale Ale | 1055.7 | 1016.6 | 5.17 | 70.15% | 17.00 | 3.85 | 62º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
19th Nov | 1877 | Truman ( | P2 K | Pale Ale | 1062.3 | 1020.5 | 5.53 | 67.11% | 19.04 | 4.84 | 58º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
19th Nov | 1877 | Truman ( | P1 R | Pale Ale | 1066.5 | 1019.4 | 6.23 | 70.83% | 19.00 | 5.21 | 58º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
29th Nov | 1877 | Truman ( | P1 B | Pale Ale | 1069.5 | 1024.9 | 5.90 | 64.14% | 20.00 | 5.86 | 57º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
10th Dec | 1877 | Truman ( | P1 K | Pale Ale | 1068.7 | 1022.2 | 6.16 | 67.74% | 19.00 | 5.45 | 58º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
15th Jan | 1883 | Truman ( | P2 | Pale Ale | 1061.5 | 1020.8 | 5.39 | 66.22% | 10.97 | 2.76 | 58º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
16th Jan | 1883 | Truman ( | P1 S | Pale Ale | 1067.9 | 1019.4 | 6.41 | 71.43% | 16.95 | 4.75 | 56º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
18th Jan | 1883 | Truman ( | P2 B | Pale Ale | 1063.2 | 1020.8 | 5.61 | 67.11% | 16.11 | 4.37 | 58º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
19th Jan | 1883 | Truman ( | P1 B | Pale Ale | 1067.9 | 1022.2 | 6.05 | 67.35% | 16.56 | 4.75 | 56º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
22nd Jan | 1883 | Truman ( | PA | Pale Ale | 1057.6 | 1016.6 | 5.42 | 71.15% | 11.89 | 2.83 | 58º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
8th Feb | 1883 | Truman ( | P1 | Pale Ale | 1066.5 | 1018.3 | 6.38 | 72.50% | 16.95 | 4.62 | 56º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
6th Mar | 1883 | Truman ( | P2 S | Pale Ale | 1062.6 | 1017.7 | 5.94 | 71.68% | 18.00 | 4.65 | 58º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
9th Apr | 1883 | Truman ( | P1 export | Pale Ale | 1068.7 | 1022.2 | 6.16 | 67.74% | 17.44 | 5.17 | 54º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
17th Jan | 1887 | Truman ( | PA | Pale Ale | 1055.7 | 1013.3 | 5.61 | 76.12% | 14.70 | 4.05 | 58º | 94.44% | 5.56% | 100.00% | ||||||
18th Jan | 1887 | Truman ( | P1 S | Pale Ale | 1066.8 | 1019.9 | 6.19 | 70.12% | 17.05 | 4.72 | 56º | 98.47% | 1.53% | 100.00% | ||||||
21st Jan | 1887 | Truman ( | P1 S | Pale Ale | 1068.1 | 1019.4 | 6.45 | 71.54% | 17.44 | 4.93 | 56º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
24th Jan | 1887 | Truman ( | P2 | Pale Ale | 1062.0 | 1017.7 | 5.86 | 71.43% | 14.63 | 4.00 | 57º | 96.69% | 3.31% | 100.00% | ||||||
27th Jan | 1887 | Truman ( | P2 export B | Pale Ale | 1057.9 | 1018.3 | 5.24 | 68.42% | 20.27 | 4.84 | 58º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
7th Feb | 1887 | Truman ( | P2 S | Pale Ale | 1062.6 | 1021.3 | 5.46 | 65.93% | 18.29 | 5.17 | 56º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
18th Feb | 1887 | Truman ( | P2 R | Pale Ale | 1062.0 | 1015.8 | 6.12 | 74.55% | 15.00 | 4.03 | 57º | 100.00% | 100.00% | |||||||
Sources: Brewing records | ||||||||||||||||||||
Whitbread at first just brewed one, the imaginatively-named PA, which had a gravity of arouund 1060. Later this was acquired two siblings, FA (Family Ale, I think) and 2PA, both around 1055. The early versions of PA were massively hopped: over 5 lbs a barrel. It must have been a seriously bitter beer. The hopping rate fell in later years, but at 3 lbs and more per barrel, was still pretty high.
At Barclay Perkins the situation was much the same. PA at around 1060 and the weaker XLK at a tad over 1050. They were also hopped at much the same level as the Whitbread beers. The Bitter Ales from Medway and Hodgson and Simond's were very similar to the PA's from the London brewers.
The grists are, to be honest, pretty dull. Pale malt alone or pale malt and sugar. With Barclay Perkins showing their keenness for adjuncts by throwing in maize and rice. Their beers had by far the lowest malt content.
A couple of the beers are very highly attenuated. Between 65% and 75% was typical for other styles of beer. Hodgson's Bitter Ale was pushing 90%. Very impressive. I wonder if the low pitching temperature (just 52º F) played a role?
I believe there are samples from enough different breweries to give us a representative view of Pale Ales of the period.
Like I said, I have many reasons for posting on particular topic. I'll be revisiting Pale Ales again soon for one of them. (Reasons, that is.)
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3 comments:
The higher attenuation India Pale Ale generally received is very interesting. At 80-90% attenuation, the palate must have been rather dry.
A Wells India Pale Ale, imported to Ontario at 5% ABV or maybe a bit above, generally has little residual sweetness. It is one of the driest pale ales I know and probably is quite traditional in this respect. However, the current canned version seems sweeter than normal. I don't know if this is just natural variations or an intentional change.
I prefer it sweeter. The dryness of a high-attenuated beer can make it hard for some to drink. Logically this doesn't make sense for anyone who also likes wine, since many reds are as dry or drier by definition. But there is a degree of expectation with beer, based on the moderate sweetness (regardless of style) most have.
This Wells IPA was really good. It was two months from packaging (by my reckoning). It had a complex earthy/spicy taste (not flowery) from the hops but with some good biscuit and fruit underlying. Also, there was a sulphur-like or mineral note, which may denote Burtonization. I believe this taste might be close to some 1800's pale ales.
I wonder if pale ale departed the market by the end of the 1800's in India due to the fact of being too dry. In those pre-pasteurization days, the beer would have continued to condition and probably some samples reached 95% or more attenuation at destination.
Once lager came in, its residual sweetness was probably instantly more appealing. India kept on with some British or British-influenced drinks, notably whisky and tea, long after the Raj ended, but not pale ale.
I can only assume, and have read some evidence, that despite its fabled qualities, the palate was not perfected in the local market, or not appealing to enough people even at its best, to hang on much less thrive after German and other lager came in. This is a pity since few alcoholic drinks accompany Indian food as well as IPA.
Gary
That's the Kingston upon Thames Hodgson, I'm assuming, not to be confused (though it has been) with the Bow one.
Martyn, that's correct, the Kingston one.
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