British troops in India and Porter

More from "Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire Into the Sanitary State of the Army in India". This time looking at a specific type of beer, Porter.

You may recall me banging on at every available opportunity about Porter being imported into India in greater quantities than IPA. Here's confirmation than drinking Porter was a regular part of the life of an ordinary soldier in India.

Soldiers were issued with a daily ration of Porter in some units:

Lieut.-Colonel Gall—, The usual beverages are spirits, porter, and arrack. . . .  The usual issue is one quart of porter and one dram; the latter may be exchanged. Porter is cheapened to encourage its use in lieu of spirits.
"Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire Into the Sanitary State of the Army in India", 1863, page 225.

A quart was reasonably generous, given the strength of it (between 5.5% and 6% ABV):

India Porter and Stout
Year	Brewer	Beer	Style	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	max. fermen-tation temp
1855	Barclay Perkins	EI	Porter	1061.5	1016.0	6.02	73.98%	21.01	4.47				66º	81º
1856	Barclay Perkins	EI	Porter	1061.8	1016.0	6.06	74.10%	21.03	4.57				66º	81º
1856	Barclay Perkins	EI	Porter	1060.9	1016.0	5.95	73.74%	17.05	4.68				65º	80º
1853	Whitbread	Expt. India Beer	Porter	1062.3	1018.3	5.83	70.67%	20.23	5.58	1.5	1.5	2	64º
1853	Whitbread	Contract India Beer	Porter	1059.6	1018.6	5.42	68.84%	20.31	4.95	1.5	1.5	2	64º
1854	Whitbread	Contract India Beer	Porter	1057.9	1015.0	5.68	74.16%	19.62	4.64	1.5	1.5	2	64º
1854	Whitbread	Contract India Beer	Porter	1058.4	1014.7	5.79	74.88%	19.58	4.57	1.5	1.5	2	64º
1854	Whitbread	Expt. India Beer	Stout	1072.0	1022.2	6.60	69.23%	19.33	6.42	1.75	1.5	2	64º
1854	Whitbread	Expt. India Beer	Stout	1071.2	1019.9	6.78	71.98%	18.90	5.93	1.5	1.5	2	64º
Sources:
Barclay Perkins brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number ACC/2305/1/542.
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/09/047 and LMA/4453/D/09/048 .

Note that Whitbread also brewed a Stout for export to India.

Here's more evidence of soldiers receiving Porter as part of their rations:

Brig.-Gen. Russell—, . . . . Every effort was made to draw men from the canteen, which was kept as far as possible from the place of amusement. The men preferred going thither and getting their porter fresh to having it brought to them at dinner.
"Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire Into the Sanitary State of the Army in India", 1863, page 227.

Finally, something that flies in the face of all received wisdom about India and beer:

Dr. Dempster—, . . . .  Advises pure water or slightly acidulated drinks only in general, but in some cases pale ale, i.e., for weak persons after several years' residence.   . . . . It is difficult to keep ale imported from England. Porter keeps better.
"Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire Into the Sanitary State of the Army in India", 1863, page 229.

Yes, that's right. Dr. Dempster reckoned Porter lasted better in the heat than IPA.