Let's Brew - 1897 Hancock XXX

Next up the Mild strength pole is, logically enough, XXX. Another beer which doesn’t appear in the 1887 brewing records.

For its strength, it’s surprising just how much of XXX was brewed. It’s also pretty strong for a Mild this late in the century. While a simple X Ale might have been a similar gravity in the 1830s, stronger Milds had mostly disappeared by this point.

I’m not 100% sure that XXX was a Mild Ale. It might well have been marketed as a Strong Ale or Old ale. Pointedly, the water treatment is different to that for X and XX. With five times as much gypsum, no kainit and two extra minerals, in the form of calcium chloride and sulphate of magnesia. Though the lower hopping rate compared to X and XX goes against it being a Stock or Old Ale.

It’s another very simple recipe. Just a single type of English base malt. Along with two types of English hops, East Kent from the 1896 harvest and Worcester from 1895.

1897 Hancock XXX
pale malt	16.50 lb	100.00%
Fuggles 120 mins	1.75 oz
Goldings 30 mins	1.75 oz
OG	1071
FG	1015
ABV	7.41
Apparent attenuation	78.87%
IBU	37
SRM	6
Mash at	155º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	58º F
Yeast	White Labs WLP099 Super High Gravity