Let's Brew - 1882 Strangman H Porter

Another Strangman beer today. And another mystery. So many questions and so few answers. As so often when bathing in the pool of history.

Here we have a beer which actually is called Porter. Though what does the prefix “H” stand for? Could it be “heading”.

Heading being the high gravity, fermenting wort added at racking time as a sort of Kräusen. Two problems with that theory: the gravity isn’t high enough and there’s far too much of it. The 132 barrels would have been enough for 7 or 8 batches of their Beer. So about two weeks’ worth. But it wouldn’t last that long. And it was pitched in tuns the normal way.

My guess is that it’s one of the other elements of Irish Porter and Stout” aged beer. At least, that’s what the high hopping rate implies to me.

The grist is similar to Single Stout, having around 5% black malt. Of which around 20% was added to the copper rather than the mash tun. Which probably resulted in a beer darker than the 27 SRM in the recipe below.

Just a single type of hops, which I assume, based on the grower’s name of Noakes, were English. 

1882 Strangman H Porter
pale malt	15.25 lb	94.57%
black malt	0.875 lb	5.43%
Fuggles 90 mins	2.25 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	2.25 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	2.25 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1068.5
FG	1016
ABV	6.95
Apparent attenuation	76.64%
IBU	69
SRM	27
Mash at	153º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	58.5º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1880 Strangman Beer

Irish recipes seem to be popular. So here's another one. Though from a different brewery.

I’ll be honest with you: I’m not really sure what type of beer this is. It’s too pale to be a Porter. And too dark to be a Pale Ale. All that’s really left is Mild Ale. Is that what it is? I don’t think so. No fucking idea, really.

The hopping rate, at just 4 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt, certainly implies Mild to me. In which case, calling it “Beer” is a bit strange. But who am I to argue? Certainly, the colour fits in with the type of semi-dark Mild which started to appear at the end of the 19tth century.

Mostly, the grist is very straightforward. Just pale malt and a smidgin of black malt. With a bit more than a quarter of the black malt being added to the copper rather than the mash tun.   A practice that also occurred in London Potter breweries.

Three types of hops were used. English from the 1879 and 1880 harvests along with Bavarian from 1880.

1880 Strangman Beer
pale malt	13.25 lb	97.57%
black malt	0.33 lb	2.43%
Fuggles 90 mins	0.67 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	0.67 oz
Hallertau 30 mins	0.67 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.50 oz
OG	1058
FG	1014
ABV	5.82
Apparent attenuation	75.86%
IBU	22
SRM	15
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew - 1906 Murphy XX Stout

We’re now getting to a proper strength Stout. One which have counted as a Stout in London.

The excitement comes from a grist that’s different. There’s another element to the grist, other than just pale and black malt. And that element is amber malt. How exciting. Amber malt is something which turns up in stronger London Stouts. So it’s not such a surprise to see it here.

There are also changes with the hopping. For a start, the rate is far heavier at 14 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt. Compared to just 5 lbs per quarter for Porter.

The types of hops are slightly different, too. There were two types of English hops, without any vintage listed. Along with Oregon hops from the 1904 and 1905 seasons.

With the high rate of hopping, my guess is that his was aged for a while. Probably at least six to twelve months.

1906 Murphy XX Stout
pale malt	15.00 lb	88.24%
black malt	1.00 lb	5.88%
amber malt	1.00 lb	5.88%
Cluster 90 mins	3.00 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	3.00 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	3.00 oz
Fuggles dry hops	1.25 oz
OG	1072
FG	1018
ABV	7.14
Apparent attenuation	75.00%
IBU	101
SRM	30
Mash at	153º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	58º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1906 Murphy X Stout

Another Irish recipe for you lucky devils. This time, a  Stout.

Now I’m not really sure that this was marketed as a Stout. But I’m guessing that it was. I’d plump for it being sold as Single Stout. Despite only having a gravity about the same as a London Porter.

The grist is the same as that of their Porter. That is, 92% pale malt and 8% black malt. Which is pretty stripped down compared to the Stouts brewed in London. Where, in addition, brown malt, flaked maize and a couple of types of sugar were pretty standard.

There is a slightly higher rate of hopping than in Porter: 6 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) compared to 5 lbs. The hops themselves were, but no all, English. Two from the 1904 season and one undated. There was a single type of Oregon hops, also from 1904.

Was this aged at all before sale? I doubt it. Though there may have been some aged beer blended with it at racking time. Some Kraeusen, too, possibly.

1906 Murphy X Stout
pale malt	11.50 lb	92.00%
black malt	1.00 lb	8.00%
Fuggles 100 mins	0.875 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	0.875 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	0.875 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1053
FG	1012
ABV	5.42
Apparent attenuation	77.36%
IBU	27
SRM	29
Mash at	149º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	100 minutes
pitching temp	57º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew - 1906 Murphy Porter

Someone asked for more Irish recipes. Here you go.

Almost thirty years on and there have been a few changes to Murphy Porter. Most notably, the gravity is 6.5º lower.

There have also been changes to the grist. Where sugar has been dropped and the simplest grist imaginable adopted: just pale and black malt. Though there were five different types of the former. Some of which were definitely Irish.

The hopping rate has been halved, from 10 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt to 5 lbs. Which is a pretty massive change. One reflected in the much lower (calculated) bitterness level of just 25 IBU.

Four types of copper hops were used. English from the 1904 and 1905 harvests; and Oregon, also from 1904 and 1905. Several types of English hops were used as dry hops.

1906 Murphy Porter
pale malt	10.00 lb	91.95%
black malt	0.875 lb	8.05%
Fuggles 100 mins	0.75 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	0.75 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	0.75 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1046
FG	1010.5
ABV	4.70
Apparent attenuation	77.17%
IBU	25
SRM	27
Mash at	149º F
Sparge at	176º F
Boil time	100 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1878 Murphy Porter

Here we have the first result of my visit to the archives in Cork last year. It's taken a while. But, hopefully, it'll be worth it.

Murphy’s records are so much fun. Because they’re split across brewing books and fermentation books. With the former not even including the OG. Matching up entries from the two books is a royal pain in the arse.

The vast majority of the beer Murphy brewed was Porter. And it looks very much like a London Porter, in terms of gravity. Though not in terms of grist. As, unlike London brewers, Murphy didn’t use any brown malt. Instead, going for simple pale and black malt. Along with some sugar.

Talking of the sugar, I’ve no idea of the type. I’m also not totally sure of the quantity. I’ve assumed that it’s given in hundredweights. Bu, given malt is listed in barrels rather than quarters, I’m not totally sure.

I’m equally vague about the hops. All I know for certain is that here were two types. Only the growers name is given. My guess is that they were all English.

1878 Murphy Porter
pale malt	7.75 lb	72.63%
black malt	0.67 lb	6.28%
No. 3 invert sugar	2.25 lb	21.09%
Fuggles 100 mins	2.00 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	2.00 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	2.00 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1052.5
FG	1010.5
ABV	5.56
Apparent attenuation	80.00%
IBU	63
SRM	28.5
Mash at	152º F
Sparge at	176º F
Boil time	100 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1935 Cairnes IV Porter

This low-gravity Porter was a relatively new beer, having first been brewed in 1933. Though it seems to have been a replacement for 6d Porter. A slightly stronger beer (1030º) that was itself introduced just a couple of years earlier in 1931.

Not totally sure of the name. It’s just scribbled into the brewing record and isn’t very easy to read.

Unless there was a whole lot of priming or addition of “heading” going on, this is pretty much a non-intoxicating beer. I’m sure that the intention was to provide drinkers with a cheap alternative. Much like the 4d Ales that were brewed in the UK between the wars.

Nothing much to say about the recipe, as this brew was parti-gyled with the Single Stout above. 

1935 Cairnes IV Porter
pale malt	4.50 lb	75.89%
roast barley	1.00 lb	16.86%
flaked maize	0.33 lb	5.56%
caramel 2000 SRM	0.10 lb	1.69%
Cluster 120 mins	0.75 oz
Cluster 60 mins	0.50 oz
Cluster 30 mins	0.50 oz
OG	1025
FG	1008.5
ABV	2.18
Apparent attenuation	66.00%
IBU	39
SRM	28
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	170º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	59.75º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1084 Irish ale

Cairnes Single Stout hops

Over to the hops. At the start of the period, Cairnes used exclusively foreign hops in their Single Stout. Either from Oregon or Belgium. That all changed in the middle of the year.

When English hops appear. There were still Oregon hops, but they were getting older as they all remained from the 1915 harvest. The reason is obvious: imports of American hops dried up. Once the war was over, large quantities of fresher American hops came into the mix. Though there were still some English hops used.

Let’s see how Fullers use of hops compared.

There’s a similar pattern to at Cairnes, where new foreign hops disappear in 1916. Though, in this case, rather than American hops they were Belgian and Germany. After that, it’s all English hops until after war’s end. When lots of French and American hops appear.

“MK”, obviously, stands for Mid-Kent. Not really sure what “B” means. I can’t think of a type of hops that starts with the letter “B”, other than Belgian.

Cairnes Single Stout hops 1914 - 1923
Date	Year	hop 1	hop 2	hop 3	hop 4
1st Jan	1914	Oregon 1912	Belgium old
1st Sep	1914	Oregon 1913	Oregon no date	Oregon 1912
7th Jan	1915	Oregon 1913	Oregon 1913	Oregon 1907
2nd Oct	1916	Oregon 1915	English 1915	Poperinge 1915
3rd May	1917	Oregon 1915	English 1916
7th Jun	1917	Oregon 1915	English 1916
1st Nov	1917	Oregon 1915	English 1916
3rd Jan	1918	Oregon 1915	English 1916
2nd May	1918	Oregon 1915	English 1916
3rd Oct	1918	Oregon 1915	English 1916	English 1917
3rd Feb	1919	Oregon 1915	English 1917
2nd Oct	1919	English 1917	English 1918	Pacifics no date
1st Jan	1920	Oregon 1918	English 1917	English 1918	old Pacifics
15th Apr	1920	Oregon 1918	English 1918
4th Oct	1920	Oregon 1918	Oregon 1919	English 1919
3rd Oct	1921	Oregon 1918	Oregon 1919	English 1919	English 1920
2nd Feb	1922	Sonoma 1920	English 1917	English 1920
1st Jan	1923	English 1921	English 1921	English 1921
Sources:
Cairnes brewing records held at the Guinness archives, document numbers GDB/SUB/0022 and GDB/BR17/1257.

 

Fullers Porter hops 1914 - 1925
Date	Year	hop 1	hop 2	hop 3	hop 4	hop 5
18th Nov	1914	MK 1913	Poperinge 1913	Hallertau 1912	Farnham 1913	Tolhurst 1914
17th Feb	1915	Poperinge 1913	B 1913	MK 1913	Tolhurst 1913
2nd Jun	1916	Tolhurst 1915	MK 1914	Farnham 1914
4th Aug	1916	Tolhurst 1915	MK 1914	B 1914	old hops
12th Apr	1917	MK 1915	B 1915
9th Aug	1917	No. 2 B 1915	Tolhurst 1916	MK 1916
5th Jan	1918	MK 1916	Tolhuirst 1916
19th Apr	1918	Farnham 1916	MK 1916
14th Jan	1919	MK 1917	Poperinge 1914
10th Feb	1920	Alsace 1917	Alsace 1919	Sonoma 1916	Oregon
16th Jun	1925	Pacifics 1922	English 1923	English 1924
Source:
Fullers brewing records held at the brewery.

 

Cairnes Single Stout sugars 1914 - 1923

Moving on to the sugars, this is where Fullers and Cairnes really diverge. At the start of the war, Cairnes Single Stout had a little under 9% sugar, in the form of glucose. In 1916, that disappears in 1916, and for the rest of the war there’s no sugar at all. Sugar does reappear in 1920, but only in the form of caramel.

Things at Fullers were way, way more complicated. Over the war years, they employed seven different types of sugar. Though in any single brew there were never more than three.

The most popular sugars were glucose and something called Special Dark. I’m guessing that the latter was some sort of dark invert sugar. The quantity used was pretty high at the start and the end of the period covered by the table. I assume restrictions on the supply of sugar was responsible for the drastic reduction in the quantity during the war years.

At Fullers, the proportion of sugar in the grist was far higher than at Cairnes. Starting at over 25%. Even in the most difficult later war years, the amount never fell lower than 6.5%. And for most of the time was well over 10%.

Fullers also used way more caramel, varying between 3% and 7.5%. While at Cairnes it went from zero to a maximum of 2%.

While at Cairnes, even at the start of the war, sugar was less than 10% of the grist. From 1916 on, that was reduced to zero. And, other than caramel, no sugar was used after WW I. 

Cairnes Single Stout grists 1914 - 1923
Date	Year	pale malt	roast barley	flaked maize	glucose	caramel
1st Jan	1914	74.45%	6.50%	9.93%	8.82%	0.30%
1st Sep	1914	70.03%	7.74%	13.34%	8.89%
7th Jan	1915	71.37%	7.22%	12.69%	8.72%
2nd Oct	1916	79.62%	7.11%	13.27%
3rd May	1917	79.62%	7.11%	13.27%
7th Jun	1917	87.83%	6.84%	5.32%
1st Nov	1917	87.83%	6.84%	5.32%
3rd Jan	1918	86.70%	6.88%	6.42%
2nd May	1918	91.17%	6.74%	2.10%
3rd Oct	1918	93.33%	6.67%
3rd Feb	1919	93.33%	6.67%
2nd Oct	1919	85.42%	7.46%	7.12%
1st Jan	1920	89.05%	7.66%	3.30%
15th Apr	1920	87.33%	7.37%	5.29%
4th Oct	1920	81.76%	8.54%	9.28%		0.41%
3rd Oct	1921	95.33%	3.91%			0.76%
2nd Feb	1922	76.04%	10.18%	12.64%		1.13%
1st Jan	1923	89.36%	8.51%			2.13%
Sources:
Cairnes brewing records held at the Guinness archives, document numbers GDB/SUB/0022 and GDB/BR17/1257.

Fullers Porter sugars 1914 - 1925
Date	Year	glucose	invert	Special Dark	cane sugar	Dark Trivert	Porteris	caramel	total sugar
18th Nov	1914	11.34%		12.60%				3.30%	27.25%
17th Feb	1915	3.83%				9.56%		2.91%	16.30%
2nd Jun	1916						15.84%	6.15%	21.99%
4th Aug	1916			4.90%				3.85%	8.75%
12th Apr	1917	3.44%		6.89%				3.59%	13.92%
9th Aug	1917			1.25%	1.25%			3.92%	6.42%
5th Jan	1918			2.35%	2.35%			3.69%	8.39%
19th Apr	1918	8.59%		4.30%	8.59%			4.42%	25.90%
14th Jan	1919	5.69%	5.69%					7.57%	18.94%
10th Feb	1920				6.92%			4.89%	11.81%
16th Jun	1925			13.50%				4.80%	18.31%
Source:
Fullers brewing records held at the brewery.