Dipping my toes into the shallow end of the 19th century, much the same Imperial Stouts were knocking around Scotland. Which means Combe and Barclay Perkins.
COMBE & COY.'S LONDON STOUTS.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED BY THE MEDICAL FACULTY.
IMPERIAL STOUT Yellow Label.
DOUBLE Do. Green Do.
INVALID Do. Red Do.
A TRIAL SOLICITED. ONCE TRIED, ALWAYS PREFERRED
TO BE HAD, IN SPLENDID CONDITION, FROM
A. JACK. Grocer and Wine Merchant, 16 HIGH STREET; DINGWALL.
North Star and Farmers' Chronicle - Thursday 31 August 1899 , page 7.
Combe being well established as a Stout brand in Scotland while still an independent brewery explains why Watney persisted with the brand well into the 20th century.
Barclay Perkins likewise had more than just their Imperial Stout on offer:
ELFERT'S. BARCLAY, PERKINS’ LONDON IMPERIAL STOUT, in fine condition, 2s 3d doz, pints. BARCLAY, PERKINS’ BROWN STOUT, 1s 9d per doz. pints.
Aberdeen Press and Journal - Friday 03 April 1891, page 2.
As mentioned in a previous post, at 2.25d per bottle, those have to be reputed pints rather than Imperial pints.
The same applies to this advert:
{BASS ALE. {ALLSOPP'S ALE. 2/3 per dozen {BARCLAY PERKINS' IMPERIAL STOUT. {COMBE'S STOUT. {GLENLIVET No. 1 ALE. {ALLSOPP’S STOUT. 1/9 per dozen {BARCLAY PERKINS' BROWN STOUT {YOUNGERS TABLE BEER (Quarts). These are Bottled on the Premises, and are Guaranteed PURE and in Sparkling Condition.
LEITH & CO., 212 GALLOWGATE, ABERDEEN.
Aberdeen Press and Journal - Tuesday 12 July 1898, page 1.
At least one Scottish brewery was in the Imperial Stout business:
THE CASTLE BREWERY, MARYHILL, GLASGOW.
The Celebrated "CASTLE" PALE ALES sad IMPERIAL STOUT always in Splendid Condition.
G. & J. MACLACHLAN, Town Office - 26 and 27 ST. ENOCH SQUARE GLASGOW.
Hamilton Herald and Lanarkshire Weekly News - Friday 27 May 1898, page 2.
Finally, another English Imperial Stout. And a rather odd Malt Wine:
COLEMAN'S CROWN IMPERIAL INVALID STOUT
Is a specifically brewed INVALID STOUT from Malt and Hops of the finest quality, and will be found to invigorate the system without leaving any sign of heaviness dulness behind after drinking as is the case of most Stouts.Important unsolicited Testimonial from DR. A. BALFOUR.
29, Abercorn Terrace, Portobello,
April 2nd, 1890.
Gentlemen.- I beg to thank you sincerely for your kind gift of "Invalid Stout," sent to me through Mr. Carmicheal. I have already found it beneficial to my wife, who is just now convalescent from a long illness, and I will recommend it to my patients in suitable cases.
I am, Gentlemen, Yours very truly,
ANDREW BALFOUR, MD.Recommended by the Medical Faculty as being the most nourishing Stout obtainable.
Sold in Champagne Pint Bottles at 2/9 per dozen. Bottles charged, but allowed for when returned.
Sole Proprietors:
COLEMAN & CO., LIMITED, 1 , NORWICH & LONDON.
We are also Sole Proprietor of the Celebrated COLEMAN'S EXTRACT OF MEAT & MALT WINE.
Montrose, Arbroath and Brechin review; and Forfar and Kincardineshire advertiser. - Friday 20 March 1891, page 8.
A few pints of Imperial Stout tend to leave me feeling rather dull. Maybe the meaty malt wine would help liven me up. The Victorians did like to put meat into alcoholic drinks, the weird buggers. Given all the weird shit being thrown into beer nowadays, I'm surprised no-one has started adding meat.
There is (was?) the Finnish brewery who made a bacon lager a few years back, in collaboration with one of the big meat companies. They pretty much nailed it, as I remember it. I also remember being surprised that there was no trace of fat whatsoever. :D
ReplyDeleteReading about beer history raises a thirst.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever written or seen a good explanation of the origins of invalid stout?
ReplyDeleteThis piece notes it started being labelled and sold in the late 1800s, but I'm curious how this came about.
https://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-beverage-of-century.html
This piece talks about milk stout and its marketing as good for invalids, and it says stout had been recommended that way for years.
https://barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-birth-of-milk-stout.html
I'm wondering though if that means just a couple of decades or maybe a much longer time going back to early dark beers. I know beer in general has been seen as a safer thing to drink for a long time, but I'm curious how and when stout in particular became seen almost like something Dr. Kellogg might serve at one of his health food sanitoriums.
For posterity, we should not forget Veil Brewing's Fried Chicken Double IPA lest future generations make the same mistake. https://www.craftbeer.com/editors-picks/fried-chicken-double-ipa-real-beer-collaboration
ReplyDeletePlenty of oyster stouts still out there.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.ratebeer.com/tag/oyster-stout/
The Castle Vaults at the foot of Maryhill Road in Glasgow apparently had the same owners as the Castle Brewery: https://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/castlevaultsmaryhill.html
ReplyDeleteNothing much more exciting on tap there than Tennents and Fosters these days sadly.