First the well waters from the most famous Burton brewers:
Various | ||||
Allsopp | Bass | |||
Grains per gallon. | Grains per gallon. | Grains per gallon. | Grains per gallon. | |
Sulphate of Lime | 70.994 | 25.48 | 18.96 | 54.4 |
Carbonate of Lime | 9.046 | 18.06 | 15.51 | 9.93 |
Carbonate of Magnesia | 5.88 | 9.10 | 1.7 | |
Sulphate of Magnesia | 12.60 | 9.95 | 0.83 | |
Sulphate of Soda | 13.30 | 7.63 | ||
Sulphate of Potassium | 7.65 | |||
Chloride of Sodium | 9.170 | 10.01 | 10.12 | |
Chloride of Potassium | 0.966 | 2.275 | ||
Chloride of Lime | 13.28 | |||
Carbonate of Iron | 1.218 | 0.90 | 0.6 | |
Silica | 1.12 | 0.84 | 0.79 | |
Total solid residue | 124.294 | 74.293 | 65.28 | 78.44 |
Sources: "The Lancet 1852, vol.1", 1852, page 474 "Noted Breweries of Great Britain and |
What struck me when I lined these up together was the big variation in the amount of sulphate of lime (or gypsum). Especially between Bass and Allsopp. It looks as if they were using different depth wells for their brewing water. Bass's water resembles that of the deep Worthington well and Allsopp's the shallow well.
To allow you to compare and contrast, in the comfort of your own home, the waters of other brewing centres, here's another table:
Brewing water (grains per gallon) | |||||||
chalk water (South of | New River ( | brewing well | |||||
Carbonates of lime and magnesia precipitated on boiling | 11.4 | 15.4 | 11 | 14.2 | 11.2 | 4.9 | 12.2 |
Lime not precipitated on boiling | 17.7 | 25.5 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.7 | |
Magnesia not precipitated on boiling | 4.3 | 10.2 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.7 | |
Carbonates of the alkalies | 13 | ||||||
Sulphuric acid | 33.9 | 56.8 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 8.4 | 2.4 |
Chlorine | 3 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 8 | 1.6 |
Nitric acid | 0.2 | 0.4 | |||||
or combined | |||||||
Carbonates of lime and magnesia | 11.4 | 15.4 | 14.2 | 11.2 | 4.9 | 12.2 | |
Carbonates of the alkalies | 13 | ||||||
Sulphates of the alkalies | 14.4 | ||||||
Carbonates of lime and magnesia precipitated on boiling | 11 | 12.2 | |||||
Sulphate of lime | 43 | 61.9 | 0.8 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.7 | |
Sulphate of magnesia | 12.9 | 30.6 | 2.1 | ||||
Alkaline chlorides | 5 | 4.2 | 13.9 | ||||
Chloride of calcium | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.4 | ||||
Chloride of magnesium | 0.7 | 2.2 | |||||
Carbonate of magnesia not precipitated on boiling | 1.2 | ||||||
Nitrate of magnesia | 0.3 | 0.8 | |||||
Chloride of sodium | 0.8 | ||||||
Source: "A Systematic Handbook of Practical Brewing", by E.R. Southby, 1885, pages 161 -165 |
The New River and Thames Valley deep well waters were those usually used by London brewers. You'll note the much smaller quantity of gypsum they contain. I've been meaning to combine these details with Barclay Perkins water treatment. Then I'll have the exact profile of the water they used to brew different types of beer. Maybe I'll get around to it soon.
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