Let's Brew - 1885 Mew Langton XXXX

Another new recipe from my new book, "Strong! vol. 2". Which will be available soon. The book itself is done, but I can't sell it until I've approved a proof copy. It'll be a few more days.

An island brewery, this one. Located in Newport, Isle of Wight. It’s one which almost survived into my drinking days. It was bought by Strong in 1965, who in turn were gobbled up by Whitbread in 1969. Mew Langton’s plant closed the same year.

This beer is a real throwback, resembling Reid KKKK from three decades earlier. It’s extremely simple: one base malt and Farnham hops. That’s it. Not that Mew Langton were averse to sugar. Their Pale Ales and Stout contained some. But neither their Mild nor this Strong Ale did.

Unsurprisingly, given its strength, XXXX was only rarely brewed. This appears to be the only batch in 1885. And it wasn’t even a full brew: it was a parti-gyle of 54 barrels of XXXX and 84 barrels of 4d Ale, a Mild.

A whole load of hops and pretty fresh ones, too, being from the 1884 harvest. This beer was brewed in March. I’ve opted for Goldings as the nearest equivalent to Farnham that you’re going to be bale to get hold of.

1885 Mew Langton XXXX
pale malt	23.00 lb	100.00%
Goldings 120 mins	4.50 oz
Goldings 60 mins	4.50 oz
Goldings 30 mins	4.50 oz
Goldings dry hops	1.50 oz
OG	1102
FG	1034
ABV	9.00
Apparent attenuation	66.67%
IBU	127
SRM	9
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	185º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	61º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1275 Thames Valley ale