Grists and mashing temperatures in 1905

Another snazzy title there. It's no wonder readers flock to this blog. Today's text is a little something on grist composition and mashing temperatures. One of the main reasons I've selected it is the explanation of the use of several different pale malts in a beer. And why a proportion of foreign malt was used.

"In addition to English malt, brewers use some kind of malt made from foreign barley; for experience has shown, that beers brewed from a grist containing a proportion of foreign malt drain more easily in the mash tun, come into condition more quickly, and clarify more readily, than if the beer were brewed solely from English malt. Malts made from foreign barleys contain relatively smaller amounts of soluble albuminoids, and their lightness and large amount of husk help to make a buoyant mash, which drains easily. The barleys from which these malts are derived are grown and harvested under ideal conditions, and this, doubtless, accounts in a measure for the light, dry, and delicate flavour which such malts impart to beer.

Brewers fully recognise that two malts mashed separately under identical conditions will produce beers of very different character. Since it is most important that the beer of a brewery should be constant in flavour, the brewer tries to maintain a standard by using a mixed grist comprised of two or more malts. Thus if a brewer should be brewing a pale ale from a grist consisting of a mixture of a Pale English, Hungarian, and Californian malts, the chances of this mixed grist producing a wort of fairly uniform flavour and composition would be greater, than if one of the three malts were used. Again, if one of the malts showed some defect, the result would not be so unsatisfactory as if it were used alone. The proportions in which different malts are mixed calls for great judgment and care on the part of the brewer. Pale malt forms the principal constituent of most grists, London stout being excepted, the colour of the beer being adjusted by adding certain proportions of amber, brown, and black malts, or caramels.

Stock and export beers are mashed at a higher temperature than beers brewed for rapid consumption. The following table shows the approximate composition of the grist used in some typical beers and also the mashing heats:—

Beer	Mashing temperature	Grist
Pale or Stock Ale	151 - 153º F	Pale English malt	60%
		Foreign malt (Smyrna or Californian)	25%
		Flaked maize	5%
		Invert sugar	10%
Mild Ale	145 - 148º F	Pale English malt	35%
		Amber malt	15%
		Foreign malt (Smyrna or Californian)	30%
		Flaked maize	5%
		Invert sugar	15%
London Stout	148 - 150º F	Pale English malt	25%
		Amber malt	50%
		Roasted malt	2%
		Foreign malt	17%
		Invert sugar	6%

For London porter a somewhat similar grist would be used. A portion of the roasted malt would be replaced by caramel, and raw cane sugar might be used in place of some of the malt. London porter is usually brewed with from 15 to 20 per cent. of substitutes.

Beer	Mashing temperature	Grist
Irish Stout	148 - 150º F	Pale English malt	40%
		Amber malt	20%
		Foreign malt (Smyrna or Californian)	22%
		Maize	10%
		Roasted malt or barley	8%

The composition of these grists is, of course, only approximate, and varies according to the discretion of the brewer. There are, however, certain well-defined differences. In the superior beers a smaller percentage of malt substitutes are used than in running beer. In some Irish stouts and porters no substitutes are used, but this is not invariably the case. In Ireland practically no mild ale is brewed, porter and stout being the beverage of the country."
"The Brewing Industry" by Julian L. Baker, 1905, pages 75-77.

So, foreign malt was used because it had a good husk that helped drainage of the mash. I suppose the ffact that they were also cheaper than English malts is just a happy coincidence.

I confess that the Mild and London Stout grists look weird. All that amber malt. Not seen that in any records. And where's the brown malt in the London Stout?

I'm a bit confused about the mashing temperatures. Isn't Mild usually mashed at a higher temperature to produce a less fermentable wort? Or have I got that the wrong way around?