Wednesday 13 May 2020

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1945 Whitbread Mackeson Stout

Another recipe from 75 years ago. This time a beer which is still around. Just about.

The longer the war lasted, the more Whitbread went over to brewing single gyle. Even with their Stouts, which pre-war had always been brewed in a parti-gyle of some description.

By moving over to brewing London Stout and Mackeson separately, it meant Whitbread could employ slightly different recipes for the two. Post-war, there was a return to parti-gyling Mackeson, but only with Extra Stout, the beer brewed for the Belgian market, never with the standard Stout.

One of the biggest differences being the hopping rate. London Stout received 6.25 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt, Mackeson 5 lbs. Also, there was no longer any need to include a minimal quantity of oats in the grist. This particular example also differs in having 100% mild malt as base, with no pale malt. Leaving the recipe a good bit simple than London Stout’s.

The hops are a right mixture. Whitbread Mid-Kent from the 1944 and 1945 crops, Kent from 1944, Oregon from 1942 and Old Continentals. A bit of everything, really.

1945 Whitbread Mackeson Stout
mild malt 6.15 lb 63.21%
brown malt 0.50 lb 5.14%
chocolate malt 0.50 lb 5.14%
flaked barley 0.50 lb 5.14%
lactose 0.75 lb 7.71%
No. 3 invert sugar 1.00 lb 10.28%
caramel 1000 SRM 0.33 lb 3.39%
Cluster 60 mins 0.125 lb
Hallertau 60 mins 0.125 lb
Fuggles 60 mins 0.75 oz
Fuggles 30 mins 0.75 oz
OG 1046
FG 1016.5
ABV 3.90
Apparent attenuation 64.13%
IBU 20
SRM 35
Mash at 147º F
After underlet 154º F
Sparge at 170º F
Boil time 60 minutes
pitching temp 64º F
Yeast Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale

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