Wednesday 18 May 2016

Let’s Brew Wednesday - 1917 Wadworth XXXX

I get all sorts of bits and bobs. Brewing records and other stuff. It’s been a great help as there’s a limit to how many archives and breweries I can get to.

This recipe is derived from a materials sheet. That shows each brew in a particular month and the materials used in it. I think Boak and Bailey sent me it. There are a few details missing: mashing temperatures, boil times, pitching temperature. All of those, I’ve guessed. Plus the hops are only defined as English and foreign.

Wadworth were still brewing three Milds at this point. More than London brewers were, who’d mostly slimmed down to just X Ale. While Wadworth had X, XX and XXXX. Odd the way XXX was missing.

The grist is typical 20th century: base malt, flaked maize and sugar. As I’ve often told you before, getting the colour from sugar is typical of British beers. This is quite dark, making it an unusual combination. A Mild that is both quite strong and dark.  By the time Mild had gone properly dark, there were few strong ones left.

I’m less garrulous than usual. Here’s the recipe.


1917 Wadworth XXXX
pale malt 7.25 lb 70.53%
flaked maize 1.75 lb 17.02%
No. 3 invert sugar 1.25 lb 12.16%
caramel 0.03 lb 0.29%
Cluster 90 mins 0.75 oz
Fuggles 60 mins 0.75 oz
Fuggles 30 mins 0.75 oz
OG 1049.6
FG 1016.6
ABV 4.37
Apparent attenuation 66.53%
IBU 35
SRM 18
Mash at 152º F
Sparge at 165º F
Boil time 90 minutes
pitching temp 60º F
Yeast Wyeast 1275 Thames Valley ale (Brakspear)

4 comments:

Bailey said...

Not us, guv.

Lady Luck Brewing said...

A new brewery! Any details on this brewery?

Skypilot said...

Going to brew this one up on Friday, ten gallon batch.
5 gallons on Thames
5 gallons on London ESB.

Skypilot said...

Ended up doing only a 5 gallon batch on Thames.
Been on carb in the keg for over a week and it's quite tasty.
It was also my first attempt at making invert 3.