Monday 23 May 2016

Tetley’s Mild Ales in 1920

It’s still Mild month. That’s my excuse for yet more Mild stuff.

Even better, it’s about Tetley Mild. Or rather, Milds. Back then they brewed three. Or four.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 01 May 1920, page 1.

This is how they looked in the Brewhouse:

Tetley Milds in 1920
Date Beer OG FG ABV App. Attenuation lbs hops/ qtr hops lb/brl boil time (hours) boil time (hours) boil time (hours) Pitch temp
1st Jan X1 1041.8 1011.1 4.07 73.51% 3.82 0.67 2.08 2 1.75 64º
1st Jan F 1033.8 1009.1 3.26 72.95% 3.82 0.54 2.08 2 1.75 64º
1st Jan X 1028.0 1009.4 2.46 66.34% 3.82 0.45 2.08 2 1.75 64º
26th May X2 1053.7 1014.7 5.17 72.68% 5.70 1.21 2 2 2 62º
Source:
Tetely's brewing record held at the West Yorkshire archives. Document number WYL756/54/ACC1903

I’m amazed that they were brewing something as strong as X2 in 1920. It’s a proper full-strength Mild, reminiscent of a pre-WW I London X Ale.

I’m pretty sure F (which I think stands for Family Ale) was a bottled Mild. But it’s far too weak to be Special Mild Ale because it cost the same as Guinness Stout. It has to be the strongest Mild, X2.