Whitbread K Ales in the 1870's

It seems like several years ago I started this series on Whitbread's K Ales. At this rate, I may just finish before I expire.

It's a momentous, er, moment in the history of Whitbread's Ales. Why? We'll be getting to that in a minute. After I've run through a few other things in excruciating detail.

First let's look at the changes in K Ales since the last decade. The table shows a continued decline in gravity of both KK and KKK - 3%-odd. Not huge, but over the whole century such small changes add up. As you can see by comparing the figures from the 1840's and the 1870's. OG is down almost 16% for KK and 13% for KKK. There's been a similar fall in ABV and, for KKK, even a fall in the degree of apparent attenuation.

The hopping rates are more complicated. They're slightly down on the 1860's, but more than 50% higher than in the 1840's. Such a big change must have altered the character of the finished beers. Why did they up the hop rate so much? No idea. If you have an explanation, feel free to chip in.

period	beer	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl
1840's	KXX	1089.0	1031.3	7.63	64.87%	10.10	3.96
1860's	KK	1078.1	1027.4	6.70	64.76%	15.98	6.4
1870's	KK	1075.1	1024.9	6.63	66.86%	15.34	5.22
difference 1860's - 1870's		-3.83%	-9.09%	-0.98%	3.25%	-4.04%	-18.33%
difference 1840's - 1870's		-15.64%	-20.35%	-13.09%	3.07%	51.92%	31.83%
1840's	KXXX	1097.7	1030.8	8.85	68.42%	8.99	3.92
1860's	KKK	1087.5	1028.9	7.30	67.01%	15.91	6.79
1870's	KKK	1084.8	1032.2	6.98	62.12%	15.21	6.19
difference 1860's - 1870's		-3.08%	11.57%	-4.34%	-7.30%	-4.42%	-8.92%
difference 1840's - 1870's		-13.26%	4.47%	-21.14%	-9.20%	69.14%	57.86%
Sources:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives.

The level of attenuation of the K Ales still looks pretty low at well under 70%. But remember that these were Stock Ales which would have been stored for perhaps a year or more before sale. During which time Brettanomyces would have been nibbling away slowly at the remaining sugars. The true final gravity was doubtless a good bit lower. How can I say for sure there would have been a secondary Brettanomyces fermentation? Because the customers would have complained if there hadn't been. If you were buying Stock Ale, you'd expect the "aged" flavour imparted by Brettanomyces.

Before we go any further, I have to point out something I noticed when looking at the X Ales. For this decade I've examples from both the winter and summer months. And there's a clear difference in the hopping. I've seen brewing manuals advise a higher hopping rate for the warmer months and here it's plain to see. 10%-15% per quarter, 14%-30% per barrel.

period	beer	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl
1870's summer	X	1062.2	1019.0	5.72	69.49%	8.33	2.32
1870's winter	X	1061.4	1018.0	5.75	70.71%	6.03	1.63
difference summer - winter		-1.29%	-5.19%	0.49%	1.75%	-27.56%	-29.79%
1870's summer	XL	1069.7	1022.2	6.28	68.17%	8.74	2.83
1870's winter	XL	1069.0	1023.0	6.08	66.69%	7.47	2.36
difference summer - winter		-1.02%	3.61%	-3.18%	-2.17%	-14.51%	-16.54%
1870's summer	XX	1079.0	1031.1	6.34	60.62%	9.10	3.41
1870's winter	XX	1077.6	1023.6	6.28	61.27%	8.14	2.93
difference summer - winter		-1.87%	-24.07%	-0.87%	1.08%	-10.58%	-14.14%

(The figures are derived from the other and previous tables.)

A continued reduction in Whitbread's range of X Ales - this time XXX has disappeared, has left only one meaningful comparison. The only two beers to still share a strength band, XX and KK. This whittling down of the strong Milds is probably connected with the most fascinating insight these figures have given me: the weakening of the connection between K and X Ales. The hopping rate of XX is 44% lower per quarter and 39% lower per barrel. About what I'd expect.

period	beer	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl
1870's	KK	1075.1	1024.9	6.63	66.86%	15.34	5.22
1870's	XX	1078.4	1030.7	6.30	60.8%	8.64	3.20
difference:		4.43%	23.33%	-4.97%	-9.09%	-43.64%	-38.76%

Now here's the best bit. Looking at the recipes, for the first time there are significant differences between the K and X Ales. No longer is the K Ale just a more heavily hopped version of the X Ale. The grists aren't the same. This is the start of the process which, by the 1930's, would leave Mild and Burton with significantly different recipes.

Looking at the K Ales first, they have grists of around 85% pale malt and 15% sugar. Given all that sugar, it's surprising how poor the attenuation is. What type of sugar is it? Probably No. 1 or No. 2 invert. Looking at the recipes, those K Ales  are starting to look quite like Pale Ales, just higher gravity and not quite as heavily hopped.

Now look at the X Ales. Only one contains sugar and about a quarter contain a small quantity of brown malt. Which is why, unlike in some of the earlier decades, K and X Ales were never parti-gyled together in the 1870's.

There's also a notable difference in the type of hops used. More than half the K Ales contain only English hops. Almost every X Ale does. Poperinghe and Belgian hops both only occur in X Ales. My conclusion: they used better quality hops in the K Ales. Which, of course, makes sense.

Nothing remains but to show you the final tables.

Whitbread K Ales in the 1870's
Date	Year	Beer	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	max. fermen-tation temp	length of fermen-tation (days)
6th Dec	1871	KK	1078.7	1029.9	6.45	61.97%	15.36	6.31			58º	º
17th Oct	1872	KK	1075.1	1017.5	7.62	76.75%	14.10	4.98			58º	º
25th Sep	1873	KK	1078.4	1028.3	6.63	63.96%	14.20	5.50			58º	72º	3 + 3
11th Dec	1874	KK	1075.9	1030.5	6.01	59.85%	13.64	5.14			57º	73º	4 + 3
15th Nov	1875	KK	1073.4	1022.2	6.78	69.81%	14.85	5.23	1.75	3.17	56º	72º	4 + 5
24th Nov	1876	KK	1073.1	1023.3	6.60	68.18%	13.08	4.39	1.75	2.83	58º	73º	4 + 4
17th Apr	1877	KK	1073.4	1021.6	6.85	70.57%	15.88	5.44	1.75	2.58	58º	71.5º	4 + 5
25th Jan	1878	KK	1069.3	1023.5	6.05	66.00%	15.08	4.87	1.75	3	58º	75.5º	5 + 6
4th Dec	1879	KK	1078.4	1027.7	6.71	64.66%	21.84	5.10	2	3	58º	º	9
9th Feb	1870	KKK	1084.8	1029.1	7.37	65.69%	14.38	6.21	1.5	2	58º	º	6
27th Mar	1871	KKK	1085.0	1035.5	6.56	58.31%	13.51	5.97	2.5		58º	º	5
27th Nov	1872	KKK	1085.0	1034.1	6.74	59.93%	14.36	6.85			58º	º
23rd Sep	1873	KKK	1084.5	1033.2	6.78	60.66%	14.53	6.90			58º	72º	3 + 3
6th Oct	1874	KKK	1084.8	1036.0	6.45	57.52%	11.54	4.92			58º	73º	4 + 3
6th Jan	1875	KKK	1083.4	1028.0	7.33	66.45%	14.53	6.35			57º	72.75º	4 + 4
20th Nov	1876	KKK	1085.3	1028.5	7.51	66.56%	14.17	6.24	1.75	2.5	57º	72.25º	4 + 5
19th Jan	1877	KKK	1086.4	1034.1	6.93	60.58%	14.99	5.94	2	2.75	57º	71.5º	5 + 3
28th Jan	1878	KKK	1085.6	1031.3	7.18	63.43%	15.04	6.11		2.75	57º	º	9
8th Dec	1879	KKK	1083.1				25.03	6.37	2	3.08	58º	º	8
Source:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/035, LMA/4453/D/01/036, LMA/4453/D/01/037, LMA/4453/D/01/038, LMA/4453/D/01/039, LMA/4453/D/01/040, LMA/4453/D/01/041, LMA/4453/D/01/042, LMA/4453/D/01/043, LMA/4453/D/01/045 and LMA/4453/D/02/024.

Whitbread K Ale grists in the 1870's
Date	Year	Beer	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	pale malt	sugar	hops
6th Dec	1871	KK	1078.7	1029.9	6.45	61.97%	85.32%	14.68%	English hops.
17th Oct	1872	KK	1075.1	1017.5	7.62	76.75%	84.68%	15.32%	English hops.
25th Sep	1873	KK	1078.4	1028.3	6.63	63.96%	85.16%	14.84%	English hops.
11th Dec	1874	KK	1075.9	1030.5	6.01	59.85%	86.76%	13.24%	English hops.
15th Nov	1875	KK	1073.4	1022.2	6.78	69.81%	88.57%	11.43%	American and Altmark hops
24th Nov	1876	KK	1073.1	1023.3	6.60	68.18%	86.82%	13.18%	American and English hops.
17th Apr	1877	KK	1073.4	1021.6	6.85	70.57%	87.36%	12.64%	American and English hops.
25th Jan	1878	KK	1069.3	1023.5	6.05	66.00%	86.85%	13.15%	American and English hops.
4th Dec	1879	KK	1078.4	1027.7	6.71	64.66%	73.73%	26.27%	American and English hops.
9th Feb	1870	KKK	1084.8	1029.1	7.37	65.69%	85.62%	14.38%	American, Bavarian and English hops.
27th Mar	1871	KKK	1085.0	1035.5	6.56	58.31%	84.46%	15.54%	English hops.
27th Nov	1872	KKK	1085.0	1034.1	6.74	59.93%	86.14%	13.86%	English hops.
23rd Sep	1873	KKK	1084.5	1033.2	6.78	60.66%	86.37%	13.63%	English hops.
6th Oct	1874	KKK	1084.8	1036.0	6.45	57.52%	87.10%	12.90%	English hops.
6th Jan	1875	KKK	1083.4	1028.0	7.33	66.45%	84.82%	15.18%	English hops.
20th Nov	1876	KKK	1085.3	1028.5	7.51	66.56%	86.87%	13.13%	American and English hops.
19th Jan	1877	KKK	1086.4	1034.1	6.93	60.58%	88.02%	11.98%	English hops.
28th Jan	1878	KKK	1085.6	1031.3	7.18	63.43%	86.50%	13.50%	English hops.
8th Dec	1879	KKK	1083.1				76.28%	23.72%	American, Californian and English hops.
Source:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/035, LMA/4453/D/01/036, LMA/4453/D/01/037, LMA/4453/D/01/038, LMA/4453/D/01/039, LMA/4453/D/01/040, LMA/4453/D/01/041, LMA/4453/D/01/042, LMA/4453/D/01/043, LMA/4453/D/01/045 and LMA/4453/D/02/024.

Whitbread X Ales in the 1870's
Date	Year	Beer	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	max. fermen-tation temp	length of fermen-tation (days)
17th Mar	1870	X	1061.2				6.06	1.71	1.5	2	64º	º
19th Jul	1871	X	1061.8	1022.2	5.24	64.13%	8.99	2.61			64º	º	5
18th Oct	1872	X	1059.8	1018.3	5.50	69.44%	6.94	1.88			64º	º
23rd Aug	1872	X	1065.9	1021.6	5.86	67.23%	8.66	2.54			64º	º
29th Jul	1873	X	1062.0	1023.0	5.17	62.95%	8.03	2.41			64º	º	5
16th Jan	1873	X	1062.3	1022.7	5.24	63.56%	5.77	1.63			64º	º
18th Jul	1874	X	1060.4	1019.7	5.39	67.43%	8.40	2.33			64º	74.5º	2 + 3
19th Oct	1874	X	1061.5	1016.3	5.97	73.42%	6.43	1.63			62º	73º	2 + 3
23rd Sep	1875	X	1062.3	1019.9	5.61	68.00%	7.73	2.17		2.17	60º	71º	3 + 3
1st Nov	1875	X	1062.3	1017.5	5.94	72.00%	6.54	1.73	1.33	2	60º	72º	3 + 3
19th Oct	1876	X	1061.8	1016.1	6.05	73.99%	6.13	1.66			60º	72.5º	3 + 4
17th Jul	1876	X	1064.8	1015.8	6.49	75.64%	8.04	2.14	1.5	2	61º	73º	3 + 4
19th Jul	1877	X	1060.4	1015.8	5.90	73.85%	8.52	2.27	1.5	2.58	61º	72º	3 + 4
19th Oct	1877	X	1060.9	1019.1	5.53	68.64%	5.06	1.35	1.5	2.33	61º	72º	8
5th Feb	1878	X	1060.7	1016.6	5.83	72.60%	5.29	1.41			61º	72º	7
16th Jul	1878	X	1060.7	1015.8	5.94	73.97%	8.53	2.29	2.5	2	61º	º	7
26th Jul	1879	X	1061.8	1017.2	5.90	72.20%	8.03	2.13	2	2	62º	º	6
6th Jan	1879	X	1062.3	1017.5	5.94	72.00%	6.08	1.69	1.5	1.75	61º	75º	3 + 3
29th Mar	1871	XL	1067.6	1021.3	6.12	68.44%	8.14	2.67	1.5	2	60º	º	6
26th Sep	1871	XL	1068.1	1024.7	5.75	63.82%	10.18	3.35			60º	º
15th Jul	1872	XL	1069.3	1026.3	5.68	62.00%	9.06	2.79			60º	º
10th Feb	1872	XL	1070.1	1024.9	5.97	64.43%	7.00	2.05			60º	º
18th Oct	1873	XL	1070.1	1024.7	6.01	64.82%	9.11	2.99			60º	75º	3 + 3
2nd Aug	1873	XL	1071.2	1027.1	5.83	61.87%	9.09	3.08			60º	75º	5
28th Jul	1874	XL	1071.7	1023.8	6.34	66.80%	9.41	3.14			60º	75º	3 + 2
17th Feb	1875	XL	1068.4	1022.4	6.08	67.21%	8.06	2.58			59º	72.5º	3 + 3
22nd Sep	1875	XL	1069.3	1022.2	6.23	68.00%	7.79	2.49	1.5		60º	71º	3 + 3
11th Jul	1876	XL	1070.4	1019.9	6.67	71.65%	8.11	2.87	2.5	2.75	60º	72.5º	3 + 3
19th Oct	1877	XL	1068.7	1021.6	6.23	68.55%	5.06	1.52	1.5	2.33	61º	72º	8
17th Jul	1877	XL	1069.0	1016.6	6.93	75.90%	8.49	2.62		3.5	60º	72º	3 + 5
16th Jul	1878	XL	1069.3	1018.3	6.74	73.60%	8.53	2.62	2.5	2	61º	º	7
29th Jul	1879	XL	1069.0	1020.8	6.38	69.88%	8.02	2.52		1.5	61º	72.5º	8
18th Mar	1879	XL	1070.4	1015.8	7.22	77.56%	6.00	1.80	1.75	2.25	61º	73º	7
26th Sep	1871	XX	1080.1	1030.2	6.60	62.28%	10.18	3.93			60º	º
3rd Apr	1871	XX	1080.3	1032.7	6.30	59.31%	8.53	3.33	1.5	2	64º	º	5
23rd Aug	1872	XX	1079.5	1031.9	6.30	59.93%	8.66	3.06			60º	º
8th Aug	1873	XX	1077.6	1031.3	6.12	59.64%	8.47	3.23			60º	75º	3 + 2
16th Apr	1874	XX	1077.0	1029.1	6.34	62.23%	7.98	2.76			60º	75º	3 + 2
17th Feb	1875	XX	1075.9	1029.4	6.16	61.31%	8.06	2.86			59º	73.75º	3 + 3
Source:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/035, LMA/4453/D/01/036, LMA/4453/D/01/037, LMA/4453/D/01/038, LMA/4453/D/01/039, LMA/4453/D/01/040, LMA/4453/D/01/041, LMA/4453/D/01/042, LMA/4453/D/01/043, LMA/4453/D/01/044, LMA/4453/D/01/045 and LMA/4453/D/02/024.

Whitbread X Ale grists in the 1870's
Date	Year	Beer	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	pale malt	brown malt	sugar	hops
17th Mar	1870	X	1061.2				100.00%			American and English hops.
19th Jul	1871	X	1061.8	1022.2	5.24	64.13%	100.00%			American and English hops.
18th Oct	1872	X	1059.8	1018.3	5.50	69.44%	99.04%	0.96%		American and English hops.
23rd Aug	1872	X	1065.9	1021.6	5.86	67.23%	100.00%			English hops.
29th Jul	1873	X	1062.0	1023.0	5.17	62.95%	100.00%			American and English hops.
16th Jan	1873	X	1062.3	1022.7	5.24	63.56%	88.50%		11.50%	American, English and Belgian hops
18th Jul	1874	X	1060.4	1019.7	5.39	67.43%	100.00%			American and English hops.
19th Oct	1874	X	1061.5	1016.3	5.97	73.42%	99.24%	0.76%		American and English hops.
23rd Sep	1875	X	1062.3	1019.9	5.61	68.00%	100.00%			Poperinghe and English  hops
1st Nov	1875	X	1062.3	1017.5	5.94	72.00%	100.00%			Altmark and English hops
19th Oct	1876	X	1061.8	1016.1	6.05	73.99%	100.00%			Bavarian, American and English  hops
17th Jul	1876	X	1064.8	1015.8	6.49	75.64%	100.00%			American, Altmark and English hops.
19th Jul	1877	X	1060.4	1015.8	5.90	73.85%	99.36%	0.64%		American and English hops.
19th Oct	1877	X	1060.9	1019.1	5.53	68.64%	99.36%	0.64%		American, Altmark and English hops.
5th Feb	1878	X	1060.7	1016.6	5.83	72.60%	100.00%			American and English hops.
16th Jul	1878	X	1060.7	1015.8	5.94	73.97%	100.00%			American and English hops.
26th Jul	1879	X	1061.8	1017.2	5.90	72.20%	100.00%			American and English hops.
6th Jan	1879	X	1062.3	1017.5	5.94	72.00%	99.24%	0.76%		American and English hops.
29th Mar	1871	XL	1067.6	1021.3	6.12	68.44%	100.00%			English hops.
26th Sep	1871	XL	1068.1	1024.7	5.75	63.82%	100.00%			American and English hops.
15th Jul	1872	XL	1069.3	1026.3	5.68	62.00%	100.00%			American and English hops.
10th Feb	1872	XL	1070.1	1024.9	5.97	64.43%	100.00%			American, English and Belgian hops
18th Oct	1873	XL	1070.1	1024.7	6.01	64.82%	100.00%			English hops.
2nd Aug	1873	XL	1071.2	1027.1	5.83	61.87%	100.00%			American and English hops.
28th Jul	1874	XL	1071.7	1023.8	6.34	66.80%	100.00%			English hops.
17th Feb	1875	XL	1068.4	1022.4	6.08	67.21%	100.00%			American and English hops.
22nd Sep	1875	XL	1069.3	1022.2	6.23	68.00%	100.00%			Poperinghe and English  hops
11th Jul	1876	XL	1070.4	1019.9	6.67	71.65%	100.00%			American, Altmark and English hops.
19th Oct	1877	XL	1068.7	1021.6	6.23	68.55%	99.36%	0.64%		American, Altmark and English hops.
17th Jul	1877	XL	1069.0	1016.6	6.93	75.90%	99.36%	0.64%		American and English hops.
16th Jul	1878	XL	1069.3	1018.3	6.74	73.60%	100.00%			American and English hops.
29th Jul	1879	XL	1069.0	1020.8	6.38	69.88%	100.00%			American and English hops.
18th Mar	1879	XL	1070.4	1015.8	7.22	77.56%	100.00%			American and English hops.
26th Sep	1871	XX	1080.1	1030.2	6.60	62.28%	100.00%			American and English hops.
3rd Apr	1871	XX	1080.3	1032.7	6.30	59.31%	100.00%			English hops.
23rd Aug	1872	XX	1079.5	1031.9	6.30	59.93%	100.00%			English hops.
8th Aug	1873	XX	1077.6	1031.3	6.12	59.64%	100.00%			American and English hops.
16th Apr	1874	XX	1077.0	1029.1	6.34	62.23%	100.00%			Bavarian, Belgian and English hops
17th Feb	1875	XX	1075.9	1029.4	6.16	61.31%	100.00%			American and English hops.
Source:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/035, LMA/4453/D/01/036, LMA/4453/D/01/037, LMA/4453/D/01/038, LMA/4453/D/01/039, LMA/4453/D/01/040, LMA/4453/D/01/041, LMA/4453/D/01/042, LMA/4453/D/01/043, LMA/4453/D/01/044, LMA/4453/D/01/045 and LMA/4453/D/02/024.