I've caught 350 new analyses in the last week or so. There are hundreds more. I've really improved my data set on Czech Lagers, much to my delight. I never dreamed that I'd be able to find so many details. I suppose I should really do something constructive with them. Which I guess this sort of is.
The 58 beers in this set I've somewhat arbitrarily lumped together in 5 groups: Schenkbier, Helles Lagerbier, Dunkles, Pilsener and stronger Lagers. It's arbitrary because the Pilseners are also Pale Lagerbiers and some of the Schenkbiers are Pilseners. But I had to draw the lines somewhere. Feel free to rearrange everything in your head if you disagree with my categorisations.
All the place names were given in German and, where I've been able to work out the Czech name, I've put that in brackets
I'll begin with Schenkbier, because I've the most of them. Which is another confirmation that this was the most common type of beer in Bohemia. As it still is today. I suppose I could have used the modern Czech name of Výčepní Pivo, which is what these beers really are.
Bohemian Pale Schenkbiers 1888 - 1894 | ||||||||||
Year | Brewer | Beer | Style | package | OG | FG | OG Plato | ABV | App. Atten-uation | lactic acid % |
1895 | Aktien-Brauerei Eger (Cheb) | Abzugsbier | Schenkbier | draught | 1031.2 | 1003.0 | 7.89 | 3.68 | 90.38% | 0.089 |
1890 | Petromitzer | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1037.7 | 1012.4 | 9.48 | 3.28 | 67.11% | 0.270 |
1890 | Nusler | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1037.9 | 1015.6 | 9.53 | 2.88 | 58.84% | 0.170 |
1890 | Popowitzer (Popovice) | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1038.4 | 1010.9 | 9.65 | 3.56 | 71.61% | 0.170 |
1890 | Wisotschauer | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1039.0 | 1013.0 | 9.79 | 3.36 | 66.67% | 0.150 |
1890 | Raudnitz (Roudnice nad Labem) | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1039.2 | 1010.6 | 9.84 | 3.71 | 72.96% | 0.150 |
1890 | Miliner(Milín) | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1039.4 | 1010.5 | 9.89 | 3.75 | 73.35% | 0.230 |
1890 | Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1039.6 | 1007.0 | 9.94 | 4.24 | 82.32% | 0.170 |
1888 | Alt-Pilsener | Schenkbier? | Schenkbier | draught | 1039.7 | 1012.1 | 9.96 | 3.58 | 69.52% | |
1890 | Konopischter (Konopiště) | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1040.0 | 1017.8 | 10.03 | 2.86 | 55.50% | 0.140 |
1890 | Jinonitzer | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1040.3 | 1014.7 | 10.11 | 3.31 | 63.52% | 0.120 |
1894 | Unknown | Abzugsbier | Schenkbier | draught | 1040.9 | 1012.0 | 10.25 | 3.75 | 70.66% | 0.115 |
1890 | Wrschowitzer (Vršovice) | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1042.0 | 1018.2 | 10.51 | 3.06 | 56.67% | 0.180 |
1895 | Bürgerliches Brauhaus in den Kgl. Weinbergen, Prague | Helles gewönhl. Bier | Schenkbier | draught | 1042.3 | 1011.6 | 10.59 | 3.98 | 72.58% | 0.098 |
1890 | Actien Brauhaus, Smichov | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1042.4 | 1016.4 | 10.61 | 3.35 | 61.32% | 0.170 |
1891 | Unknown, Pilsen | Pilsener Schenkbier | Schenkbier | bottled | 1042.6 | 1014.8 | 10.66 | 3.59 | 65.26% | 0.092 |
1891 | Pracer | Schenkbier | Schenkbier | bottled | 1042.9 | 1012.4 | 10.73 | 3.95 | 71.10% | 0.131 |
1898 | Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen | Schankbier | Schenkbier | draught | 1043.0 | 1011.5 | 10.76 | 4.09 | 73.26% | 0.112 |
1890 | Pracer | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1043.0 | 1012.7 | 10.76 | 3.93 | 70.47% | 0.170 |
1894 | Unknown | Abzugsbier | Schenkbier | draught | 1043.2 | 1014.5 | 10.80 | 3.71 | 66.44% | 0.108 |
1894 | Unknown | Abzugsbier | Schenkbier | draught | 1044.7 | 1016.6 | 11.16 | 3.63 | 62.86% | 0.092 |
1890 | Kreuzherrn (Krizovnicka) | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Schenkbier | bottled | 1045.5 | 1020.3 | 11.35 | 3.25 | 55.38% | 0.150 |
1892 | Gödinger (Hodonín) | Schenkbier | Schenkbier | draught | 1047.6 | 1018.0 | 11.85 | 3.83 | 62.18% | 0.218 |
1892 | Budweiser | Schenkbier | Schenkbier | draught | 1047.7 | 1010.8 | 11.88 | 4.80 | 77.36% | 0.258 |
Average | 1041.3 | 1013.2 | 10.33 | 3.63 | 68.22% | 0.154 | ||||
Sources: | ||||||||||
Chemie der menschlichen Nahrungs- und Genussmittel by Joseph König, 1903, pages 1102 - 1156 |
I was surprised by how low the gravities were for some of this class. Quite a few are below 1040º and one barely over 1030º. On the other hand, a couple at the top end have gravities more in line with a Lagerbier. Thought the majority are between 10º and 11º Plato. The average gravity is just a touch over 10º Plato, which is about what I'd expect.
You'll note that a lot of the weaker examples are bottled beers. I find it a little that the weakest beers should be bottled.
In common with most 19th-century Lagers, the average rate of attenuation isn't great at 68%. In some examples it's a good bit worse than that, leaving the odd beer under 3% ABV. This really isn't how you usually imagine Lager of the 1800's.
Once again, the average acidity looks high. I'd expect a maximum of 0.1%. Compare this values with these ones from the 20th century:
20th-century Czech Lagers | |||||||||||
Year | Brewer | Beer | Style | package | OG | FG | OG Plato | ABV | App. Attenuation | Acidity | colour |
1935 | Pilsner Urquell | Pilsner Urquell | Pils | bottled | 1049.4 | 1013.8 | 12.28 | 4.62 | 72.06% | 0.05 | |
1961 | Pilsner Urquell | Pilsner Urquell | Pils | bottled | 1032.5 | 1010.9 | 8.21 | 2.70 | 66.46% | 0.02 | 10 |
1950 | Pilsner Urquell | Lager | Pils | bottled | 1049 | 1013.5 | 12.19 | 4.61 | 72.45% | 0.08 | 10.5 B |
1950 | Pilsner Urquell | Lager | Pils | bottled | 1038.9 | 1010.3 | 9.77 | 3.71 | 73.52% | 0.05 | 11 B |
1957 | Pilsner Urquell | Pilsner Urquell | Pils | bottled | 1036.4 | 1010.1 | 9.16 | 3.41 | 72.25% | 0.04 | 12 |
1957 | Pilsner Urquell | Pilsener | Pils | bottled | 1036.3 | 1010 | 9.14 | 3.41 | 72.45% | 0.04 | 9 |
Sources: | |||||||||||
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/001. | |||||||||||
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002. |
What next? How about Pilseners? Using modern Czech terminology, these would be called Světlý Ležák. Or Pale Lagerbier in German. I know. It's very inconsistent as I've also got a group Pale Lagerbiers.
Bohemian Pilseners 1888 - 1894 | ||||||||||
Year | Brewer | Beer | Style | package | OG | FG | OG Plato | ABV | App. Atten-uation | lactic acid % |
1894 | Mährisch-Neustädter (Uničov) | Lagerbier a la Pilsen | Pilsener | draught | 1047.1 | 1011.1 | 11.74 | 4.68 | 76.43% | 0.194 |
1890 | Actien Brauhaus, Pilsen | Flaschenbier served in Prague | Pilsener | bottled | 1047.2 | 1015.8 | 11.76 | 4.06 | 66.53% | 0.210 |
1886 | Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen | Pilsener | Pilsener | draught | 1047.8 | 1015.4 | 11.89 | 4.19 | 67.75% | |
1897 | Unknown Pilsen | Original-Pilsener | Pilsener | draught | 1048.0 | 1014.3 | 11.95 | 4.36 | 70.21% | 0.242 |
1890 | Unknown Pilsen | Pilsener | Pilsener | draught | 1048.1 | 1013.1 | 11.97 | 4.54 | 72.77% | 0.186 |
1888 | Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen | Pilsener | Pilsener | draught | 1048.5 | 1015.0 | 12.07 | 4.34 | 69.07% | |
1898 | Unknown Pilsen | Pilsener (sold in Berlin) | Pilsener | draught | 1048.5 | 1014.3 | 12.07 | 4.44 | 70.52% | |
1891 | Actien Brauhaus, Pilsen | Pilsener (sold in Zürich) | Pilsener | draught | 1048.9 | 1012.0 | 12.16 | 4.80 | 75.46% | |
1891 | Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen | Pilsener (sold in Zürich) | Pilsener | draught | 1049.3 | 1014.6 | 12.26 | 4.50 | 70.39% | |
1892 | Pilsener Export-Brauerei | Pilsener (sold in Bern) | Pilsener | draught | 1052.2 | 1011.1 | 12.94 | 5.35 | 78.74% | 0.120 |
1893 | Bürgerliches Brauhaus, Pilsen | Pilsener | Pilsener | draught | 1053.2 | 1013.2 | 13.18 | 5.20 | 75.19% | 0.320 |
Average | 1049.0 | 1013.6 | 12.18 | 4.59 | 72.09% | 0.212 | ||||
Sources: | ||||||||||
Chemie der menschlichen Nahrungs- und Genussmittel by Joseph König, 1903, pages 1102 - 1156 |
You'll see I've got a few from Pilsen itself. Bürgerliches Brauhaus, I'm sure you realise, is Pilsner Urquell. In terms of gravity and ABV the average is scarily close to modern Pilsner Urquell. Interestingly, four of the 5 strongest examples had been exported abroad.
Attenuation is better than for the Schenkbiers, but still well below the level of modern Lagers. Once again the level of acidity is high, even higher than in Schenkbier.
There are going to be just too many tables if I do all of this in one go. You'll have to wait until next time for the Dark Lagers, strong Lagers and, er, Pale Lagers,
5 comments:
Petromitzer must be Petrovický (Petrovice was a village back, now it's part of Prague)
Nusler is Nuselský (the brewery is still there, in Nusle, a neighbourhood just southeast of the centre. It's been closed since the 1960s, I think, and is now used as a wine storage, but there're rumors that someone wants to set up a microbrewery there)
Jinotizter is Jinonický (a town just outside Prague)
Bürgerliches Brauhaus in den Kgl. Weinbergen is the long, German name of Vinohradský Pivovar. Shut down in the 1950s and now turned into flats, but a brewpub is set to open this year in the old fermenting cellars.
Actien Brauhaus Smíchov is today's Staropramen
Hey Ron,
Some suggestions on the German - Czech names:
Wisotschauer - Vysočany
Nusler - Nusle (a district of Prague)
Jinonitzer - Jinonice
I need a language lesson. I understand what schankbier is. Is schenkbier a dialectical variation or a different beer?
Pivni, Al.
thanks very much. Some of the names are fairly easy to work out, others a nightmare.
Doug,
yes, Schenkbier and Schankbier are just spelling variations for the same thing.
Post a Comment