Youngs X Ale adjuncts and sugars 1939 - 1945

At the start of the war, Youngs used no adjuncts of any type. That obviously wasn’t going to last the war. And it didn’t. In 1941, they introduced flaked barley. This wasn’t a voluntary decision. Brewers were compelled to use flaked barley by the government. There was plenty of barley, but not enough labour to malt it. Hence the use of flaked barley. Which, at most breweries, replaced flaked maize.

Moving on to the sugars, there are three. Which all appear in almost every iteration of the beer.

The sugar content started the war at a bit over 10%. This fell in the first couple of war years to around 7%.  It then rose to around 10% in 1942 to 1944. Finally bumping up to 14% in the final year of the war. All these changes would have been out of the control of Youngs.  With the government providing rationing the quantity of sugar for brewers could use.

The quantity of malt extract is pretty constant at 2.5% - 3%. And is missing only from one brew in 1941.  I assume its absence is due to a supply problem. Its purpose was simply to provide more enzymes in the mash.

The bulk of the sugar used came in the form of No. 3 invert. Though the exact amount varied quite a bit across the war years. Starting at 7%, then falling to a low of around 3% in late 1940. Rising again, in late 1941 to almost 6.5%, where it remained until the final war year, when it rose to over 10%.

Caramel was less volatile across the war. Starting at around 1%, then falling a little to 0.75% or so. In the final war years, the quantity was a bit lower. Presumably, as less was needed to achieve the required colour with the increased percentage of No. 3 invert. 

Youngs X Ale adjuncts and sugars 1939 - 1945
Date	Year	flaked barley	malt extract	no. 3 sugar	caramel	total sugar
18th Oct	1939		2.21%	7.19%	0.97%	10.37%
17th May	1940		2.91%	4.37%	1.00%	8.28%
2nd Dec	1940		2.95%	2.95%	1.02%	6.93%
30th Apr	1941		3.20%	3.20%	0.93%	7.32%
6th May	1941		2.38%	3.97%	0.79%	7.14%
24th Oct	1941	4.76%		6.35%	0.79%	7.14%
4th May	1942	7.69%	2.56%	6.41%	0.68%	9.65%
8th Jul	1942	7.69%	2.56%	6.41%	0.68%	9.65%
19th Oct	1942	9.61%	2.56%	6.41%	0.68%	9.65%
5th May	1943	5.22%	3.48%	6.96%	0.87%	11.30%
28th Apr	1944	9.52%	3.17%	6.35%		9.52%
5th May	1944	9.29%	3.10%	6.19%	0.90%	10.19%
20th Oct	1944	12.39%	3.10%	6.19%	0.90%	10.19%
2nd Jul	1945	15.79%	3.01%	10.53%	0.75%	14.29%
4th Jul	1945	16.36%	3.03%	10.90%	0.64%	14.58%
Sources:
Young's brewing records held at Battersea Library, document numbers YO/RE/1/8 YO/RE/1/9 YO/RE/1/10, YO/RE/1/11, YO/RE/1/12, YO/RE/1/13 and YO/RE/1/14.