IPA’s gravity didn’t bounce back the way that Whitbread’s PA’s did. In June 1918, there was little between the two beers, PA was 1035.1º and IPA just a couple of points lower at 1033º. But while PA jumped back to 1048.2º in 1912, an increase of 13 gravity points, IPA only increased by two.
Though IPA remained significantly more heavily hopped than PA. Something that might please style Nazis.
Whitbread IPA had a very simple recipe. And one that changed very little during the war.
The only really significant change was a drop in the sugar percentage in 1917 and 1918. After which it rose back to its old level. The recipe in March 1919 was identical to the one in 1914. Even though the beer itself was far weaker. Whitbread clearly thought the old recipe was a winner.
| Whitbread IPA 1914 - 1921 | |||||||
| Date | Year | OG | FG | ABV | App. Atten-uation | lbs hops/ qtr | hops lb/brl |
| 5th Jun | 1914 | 1049.3 | 1013.0 | 4.80 | 73.63% | 11.96 | 2.53 |
| 6th Oct | 1914 | 1049.9 | 1015.0 | 4.61 | 69.92% | 10.97 | 2.39 |
| 31st Jan | 1916 | 1047.1 | 1015.0 | 4.25 | 68.15% | 10.94 | 2.26 |
| 3rd Jul | 1917 | 1047.1 | 1012.0 | 4.64 | 74.52% | 11.90 | 2.46 |
| 10th Oct | 1917 | 1047.4 | 1012.0 | 4.68 | 74.67% | 11.87 | 2.49 |
| 16th Oct | 1917 | 1038.8 | 1007.0 | 4.20 | 81.95% | 11.41 | 1.91 |
| 17th Oct | 1917 | 1040.9 | 1008.0 | 4.35 | 80.43% | 10.61 | 1.81 |
| 11th Jun | 1918 | 1033.0 | 1008.0 | 3.30 | 75.73% | 11.68 | 1.69 |
| 30th Oct | 1918 | 1032.4 | 1005.0 | 3.63 | 84.57% | 11.97 | 1.70 |
| 19th Mar | 1919 | 1032.4 | 1007.0 | 3.36 | 78.40% | 11.85 | 1.67 |
| 11th Nov | 1919 | 1036.0 | 1009.0 | 3.57 | 74.97% | 12.95 | 1.98 |
| 5th Mar | 1920 | 1034.0 | 1007.0 | 3.58 | 79.44% | 12.99 | 1.90 |
| 8th Mar | 1921 | 1035.5 | 1007.0 | 3.76 | 80.26% | 12.94 | 1.81 |
| 21st Jan | 1921 | 1034.2 | 1006.0 | 3.73 | 82.46% | 12.88 | 1.80 |
| Sources: | |||||||
| Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/079, LMA/4453/D/01/081, LMA/4453/D/01/082, LMA/4453/D/01/083, LMA/4453/D/01/084, LMA/4453/D/01/085 and LMA/4453/D/01/086. | |||||||
| Whitbread IPA grists 1914 - 1921 | |||||
| Date | Year | OG | pale malt | PA malt | no. 1 sugar |
| 5th Jun | 1914 | 1049.3 | 22.0% | 58.5% | 19.5% |
| 6th Oct | 1914 | 1049.9 | 22.0% | 58.5% | 19.5% |
| 31st Jan | 1916 | 1047.1 | 23.3% | 56.0% | 20.7% |
| 3rd Jul | 1917 | 1047.1 | 22.8% | 60.9% | 16.2% |
| 10th Oct | 1917 | 1047.4 | 22.8% | 60.9% | 16.2% |
| 16th Oct | 1917 | 1038.8 | 22.7% | 68.2% | 9.1% |
| 17th Oct | 1917 | 1040.9 | 26.2% | 64.5% | 9.3% |
| 11th Jun | 1918 | 1033.0 | 29.2% | 64.3% | 6.5% |
| 30th Oct | 1918 | 1032.4 | 21.3% | 59.7% | 19.0% |
| 19th Mar | 1919 | 1032.4 | 22.0% | 58.5% | 19.5% |
| 11th Nov | 1919 | 1036.0 | 52.3% | 31.1% | 16.6% |
| 5th Mar | 1920 | 1034.0 | 23.5% | 64.2% | 12.2% |
| 8th Mar | 1921 | 1035.5 | 35.9% | 51.4% | 12.7% |
| 21st Jan | 1921 | 1034.2 | 34.7% | 52.1% | 13.1% |
| Sources: | |||||
| Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/079, LMA/4453/D/01/081, LMA/4453/D/01/082, LMA/4453/D/01/083, LMA/4453/D/01/084, LMA/4453/D/01/085 and LMA/4453/D/01/086. | |||||
A look at the hops used in brewing Whitbread IPA gives a fascinating insight to what was happening with the hop industry during the war.
Until 1919, Whitbread only used Kent hops in their IPA. Even more specific than that, they only used East Kent hops. Which means Goldings or something similar. Though they are becoming increasingly old. For example, the 1916 crop only turns up in the records about a year after harvest.
| Whitbread IPA hops 1914 - 1921 | |||
| Date | Year | OG | hops |
| 5th Jun | 1914 | 1049.3 | EK (1912 CS, 1913) |
| 6th Oct | 1914 | 1049.9 | EK (1912 CS, 1913 CS, 1913) |
| 31st Jan | 1916 | 1047.1 | EK (1914 CS, 1914) |
| 3rd Jul | 1917 | 1047.1 | EK (1914 CS, 1914) |
| 10th Oct | 1917 | 1047.4 | EK (1915 CS, 1916) |
| 16th Oct | 1917 | 1038.8 | EK (1915 CS, 1916) |
| 17th Oct | 1917 | 1040.9 | EK (1915 CS, 1916) |
| 11th Jun | 1918 | 1033.0 | EK (1915 CS, 1916 CS) |
| 30th Oct | 1918 | 1032.4 | EK (1916 CS) |
| 19th Mar | 1919 | 1032.4 | EK (1917), EK (1917 CS) |
| 11th Nov | 1919 | 1036.0 | EK (1918), MK (1918), Oregon (1917) |
| 5th Mar | 1920 | 1034.0 | EK (1918 CS), MK (1918), MK (1919), Pacific (1917) |
| 8th Mar | 1921 | 1035.5 | EK (1919), MK (1919), Oregon (1917), Bohemian (1919) |
| 21st Jan | 1921 | 1034.2 | EK (1919), MK (1918, 1919), Oregon (1917), Bohemian (1919) |
| Sources: | |||
| Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/079, LMA/4453/D/01/081, LMA/4453/D/01/082, LMA/4453/D/01/083, LMA/4453/D/01/084, LMA/4453/D/01/085 and LMA/4453/D/01/086. | |||
Using older hops was nothing new. But usually a Pale Ale would always contain some hops of the most recent season. That wasn’t the case during WW I.
After the end of hostilities, several foreign hops appear. Pacific and Oregon from the US and Bohemians, from what had been enemy territory. Given the minimal amounts of hops imported in into the UK in 1917 and 1919, the US from the 1917 crop must have been imported later.
This an excerpt from my book on brewing in WW I, Armistice!
Alexei the left.
Buy this wonderful book.
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