Tuesday 27 April 2021

AK sugars 1925 - 1939

The story is much more complicated when it comes to sugars. Between, the four brewers featured used six different types.

Only No. 2 invert was used by more than one brewery: Greene King and Fullers. Whitbread instead opted for No. 1 invert, and in large quantities. Making up no less than 16% of the total fermentables

With three different sugars, Fullers used the most types. In addition to the No. 2 invert there was also a little glucose. Not that common an ingredient in UK brewing, but one which Fullers seemed attached to. Intense is some type of caramel used for colour correction. Despite the many types, sugar made up less than 4% of the grist. Considerably less than at Whitbread and Greene king.

I’ve no real idea what Fiona was. Possibly a type of proprietary malt extract. 

AK sugars 1925 - 1939
Year Brewer Beer malt extract no. 1 sugar no. 2 sugar glucose intense Fiona total sugar
1925 Fullers AK     1.67% 1.67% 0.22%   3.56%
1930 Whitbread AK   16.33%         16.33%
1931 Fullers AK     2.18% 1.09% 0.20%   3.47%
1935 Fullers AK     2.42% 1.21% 0.13%   3.76%
1937 Fullers AK     2.11% 1.06% 0.10%   3.27%
1937 Greene King AK     9.88%     2.47% 12.35%
1937 Shepherd Neame AK 0.66%           0.66%
1939 Fullers AK     2.46% 1.23% 0.18%   3.88%
  Average   0.08% 2.04% 2.59% 0.78% 0.10% 0.31% 5.91%
Sources:
Fullers brewing records held at the brewery.
Greene King brewing record held at the brewery, document number AC93/1/12 .
Shepherd Neame brewing record held at the brewery.
Whitbread brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/01/096.

Only the hops to go now.

1 comment:

qq said...

Fiona was a malt extract, available in dry and liquid form, made by Edward Fison of Ipswich.

Not to be confused with other branches of the industrious Fison family, they were acquired by Muntona in 1935 and Fiona seems to have been produced well into the late 20th century so I imagine Muntons will have good records of it.