Monday 17 February 2020

Truman (Burton) malts in 1939

There wasn’t a great deal of variation in Truman’s recipes. The only real difference being that the Mild Ales contained some crystal malt.

The percentage of malt was pretty high in all the beers, ranging from 85% to 95% of the grist. Unsurprisingly, it was the two strongest and most expensive beers, Stock 1 and Stock 2, which contained the highest percentage.

The pale malt, as was standard. Consisted of several different types. Usually two English and one Californian, with the latter around 25% of the pale malt.

Less usual is the presence of two further types of base malt: high-dried malt and I.M Co. I believe the latter was some sort of enzymic malt. High-dried is a tricky one. Evidently Simpson’s Imperial malt is the closest modern equivalent.

The Mild Ales and the Burton Ale, all contained 5-7% crystal malt. Which is pretty much what you would expect. The Pale and Stock Ales included none at all. I keep banging on about this, but crystal malt in Pale Ales only really became common after WW II.

Truman (Burton) malts in 1939
Beer Style OG pale malt crystal malt high dried malt I.M. Co. total malt
X Mild 1030.2 54.10% 4.92% 22.13% 2.46% 83.61%
X "Dark" Mild 1028.5 52.63% 7.02% 21.05% 3.51% 84.21%
X "Light" Mild 1030.2 52.29% 5.50% 22.02% 2.75% 82.57%
XX Mild 1035.5 54.10% 4.92% 22.13% 2.46% 83.61%
XX "Dark" Mild 1033.8 52.63% 7.02% 21.05% 3.51% 84.21%
XX "Light" Mild 1035.5 52.29% 5.50% 22.02% 2.75% 82.57%
No. 7 Mild 1041.3 55.65% 4.84% 21.77% 2.42% 84.68%
Pale1 Pale Ale 1053.5 71.68% 13.27% 2.65% 87.61%
Pale1 B Pale Ale 1053.5 71.68% 13.27% 2.65% 87.61%
Pale2 Pale Ale 1047.4 67.35% 15.31% 3.06% 85.71%
XXX Strong Ale 1048.2 54.10% 4.92% 22.13% 2.46% 83.61%
B3 Ale 1056 67.35% 15.31% 3.06% 85.71%
R4 Ale 1052.9 67.35% 15.31% 3.06% 85.71%
Stock 1 Stock Ale 1105.3 72.09% 23.26% 95.35%
Stock 2 Stock Ale 1088.6 72.09% 23.26% 95.35%
Source:
Truman brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number B/THB/C/339.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't recall high dried malt coming up much in your other summaries -- Was Truman unusual in using it so often?

Ron Pattinson said...

Anonymous,

in a word: yes. I see it occasionally elsewhere, but not in everything as at Truman.