Tuesday 17 June 2014

London vs provincial beer in the 1930's: Strong Beers and Old Ales

We're just about at the end of this table-heavy series. That's just how I like my posts: without too many words in them.

Based on the hugely diverging strengths is the samples - from 4.76% to 11.91% ABV - it's clear that they encompass several different types of beer. I'm not sure how meaningful any comparisons are going to be. But why let a little detail like that stop me? Especially now I've come so far.

I'm not just scratching my head, but turning my scalp into a bloodied mess, trying to work out which London beers these could be. Let's start off by saying what they aren't: Burton. At least not draught Burton. All are way too strong (draught Burton was 5% to 5.5% ABV). Even Fuller's Old Burton Extra is well short, strength-wise. Even Barclay Perkins KKKK was much weaker, 7 and a bit % ABV, 1080 OG.

No. 25 must have had a massive OG. It's 11% ABV and still has lots of unfermented stuff in it. Probably about as high as you reasonably go with gravity, 1140 or so. I'm sure I've never seen any 20th-century London beer anywhere near that level, other than Russian Stout.

As usual, we begin with London beers:

Composition of London Beers
Calories per pint.
Total Solids per cent. Absolute Alcohol (by weight) per cent. Ratio of Total Solids to Alcohol (T.S.=1). ABV Solid Matter. Alcohol. Total.
Strong Beers and Old Ales
No. 23 4.65 7.00 1:1.50 8.89 108 278 386
No. 24 6.11 8.62 1:1.41 10.95 142 343 485
No. 25 9.55 8.72 1:0.91 11.07 222 347 569
No. 26 5.16 9.38 1:1.82 11.91 120 374 494
Average 6.36 8.43 1:1.32 10.71 148 335 483
Source:
Journal of the Institute of Brewing, Volume 38, Issue 1, January-February 1932, pages 84 - 88.


The country beers are a real hotch-potch:

Composition of Country Beers
Calories per pint.
Total Solids per cent. Absolute Alcohol (by weight) per cent. Ratio of Total Solids to Alcohol (T.S.=1). ABV Solid Matter. Alcohol. Total.
Strong Beers and Old Ales
No. 79 7.97 7.14 1:0.89 9.07 185 284 469
No. 80 6.04 5.27 1:0.87 6.69 141 209 350
No. 81 6.72 4.72 1:0.70 5.99 156 187 343
No. 82 10.42 5.28 1:0.50 6.71 243 210 453
No. 83 5.47 8.53 1:1.55 10.83 127 339 466
No. 84 6.12 4.28 1:0.69 5.44 142 170 312
No. 85 6.57 5.86 1:0.89 7.44 153 233 386
No. 80 3.89 3.75 1:0.96 4.76 91 149 240
No. 87 4.44 4.33 1:0.97 5.50 103 172 275
No. 88 5.13 4.52 1:0.88 5.74 119 180 299
Average 6.27 5.36 1:0.85 6.81 146 213 359
Source:
Journal of the Institute of Brewing, Volume 38, Issue 1, January-February 1932, pages 84 - 88.

Some of the weaker ones look like the equivalent of a London Burton, while a couple look like Barley Wine. The lower ration of solids to alcohol in the country beers means that they must have been drier.

Finally the comparison of averages:

Strong Beers and Old Ales Calories per pint.
Total Solids per cent. Absolute Alcohol (by weight) per cent. Ratio of Total Solids to Alcohol (T.S.=1). ABV Solid Matter. Alcohol. Total.
London 6.36 8.43 1:1.32 10.71 148 335 483
Country 6.27 5.36 1:0.85 6.81 146 213 359
% difference -1.44% -57.28% -0.77% -57.28% -1.37% -57.28% -34.54%

I can see a pattern emerging now: more of everything in the London beers.

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