Let's Brew - 1946 Tetley Mild

Here’s a beer with a very special place in my heart. Something which for seven years was about the only beer I drank.

It’s typical of a type of Mild brewed in Yorkshire, lying somewhere between pale and dark. Weirdly, all those years I drank it, I never realised that it wasn’t really that dark. More of a dark red than brown.

The effect of the war is plain to see in the grist. Flaked barley was forced on brewers as a replacement for flaked maize during hostilities. It’s interesting to see how Tetley’s adjunct usage changed over time. In 1939 it was grits, in 1941 flaked rice, in 1943 flaked oats, in 1944 flaked barley and flaked oats and in 1945 flaked barley. All mostly out of the brewer’s hands.

What I’ve interpreted as brown sugar was listed as Barbados in the brewing record. While what I’ve put down as No. 3 invert was mostly ERC with a touch of G & S. No idea what either of those were but No. 3 is probably the best substitute.

The hops were a combination of Kent and Worcester, with no mention of variety. Chances were that they were Fuggles.

Though there’s not much difference in the OG compared the version I drank, the high degree of attenuation leaves this beer about 0.6% ABV stronger. The gravity is quite high for a Mild of this period. 1027-1030º was more typical.

1946 Tetley Mild
pale malt	4.00 lb	59.26%
flaked barley	1.00 lb	14.81%
brown sugar	0.75 lb	11.11%
No. 3 invert sugar	1.00 lb	14.81%
Fuggles 120 mins	0.25 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	0.25 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	0.25 oz
OG	1034.3
FG	1005.3
ABV	3.84
Apparent attenuation	84.55%
IBU	10
SRM	9
Mash at	148º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	63.75º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire Ale