Sunday, 6 September 2026

London Strong Burton Ale adjuncts and sugars 1880 - 1899

A Courage KKK Old English Strong Ale label featuring a red cockerel.
There’s not much more in the way of adjuncts and sugars. 

Barclay Perkins KKK is the only adjunct beer, with just shy of 10% flaked rice. Which is a surprise, as, by the 1890s, adjuncts had become fairly common in English brewing. Usually in the form of flaked maize. Occasionally rice, as in this case.

Every beer, with the exception of the 1897 Truman example, contains some sugar. The proportion varying between around 10% and 15%. Averaging about 11%.

Unfortunately, the type of sugar mostly isn’t specified. Probably some sort of invert, in most cases. I wouldn’t like to guess exactly which exact type. Quite likely No. 2 invert, as in the case of Barclay Perkins KKK. No. 3 is also a possibility, especially in the beers from the 1890s. 

London Strong Burton Ale adjuncts and sugars 1880 - 1899
Year Brewer Beer flaked rice no. 2 sugar other sugar total sugar
1881 Whitbread KKK     15.25% 15.25%
1891 Whitbread KKK     13.41% 13.41%
1886 Barclay Perkins KKK 9.60% 16.00%   16.00%
1887 Truman (Burton) S3     9.30% 9.30%
1897 Truman (Burton) CS 3       0.00%
  Average         10.79%
Sources:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/01/047 and LMA/4453/D/01/057.
Barclay Perkins brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number ACC/2305/1/583.
Truman brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document numbers B/THB/BUR/11 and B/THB/C/327.

 

No comments: