Exhibit of Foreign and Colonial Beers (part nine)

Just in case you were wondering, these were the jurors:

The jurors consisted of Messrs. J. Grimble Groves, M.P., Salford (chairman, Groves and Whitnall, Limited), Chairman; W. Crockford (head brewer, Charrington and Co., Limited, of Mile End); Robert Hutton (head brewer, Samuel Allsopp and Co., Limited, of Burton-on-Trent); Arthur R. Ling, F.I.C., F.C.S. (consulting chemist, editor of The Journal of the Federated Institutes of Brewing), &c.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

That looks like a pretty distinguished bunch. You've got the head brewers of two pretty renowned brewers, Charrington and Allsopp. Plus Arthur Ling, a distinguished brewing scientist. Grinble Groves is a great name. Almost as good as Cosmo Bonsor.

It's the turn of Canada today.

Canadian samples
Exhibitors	Country	Samples	Style
Alex Keith, Halifax	Canada	India Pale Ale	IPA
J. H. R. Molson and Bros., Montreal	Canada	XXX Porter	Porter
J. H. R. Molson and Bros., Montreal	Canada	Export Ale	Pale Ale
Cosgrave Brewery Company, Toronto	Canada	Pale Ale	Pale Ale
Cosgrave Brewery Company, Toronto	Canada	XXX Porter	Porter
Port Hope Brewing and Malting Company, Ontario	Canada	Fine Ale (Blue Star)	Pale Ale
Eaton Bros., Limited, Owen Sound	Canada	XXX Stout (Dublin)	Stout
Eaton Bros., Limited, Owen Sound	Canada	Golden Ale	Pale Ale
Halifax Breweries, Limited	Canada	Extra Stout	Stout
Halifax Breweries, Limited	Canada	Ale	Pale Ale
Copland Brewing Company, Toronto	Canada	Extra Stout	Stout
Copland Brewing Company, Toronto	Canada	India Ale	IPA
Simeon Jones, Limited, New Brunswick	Canada	India Pale Ale	IPA
Radnor Water Company, Montreal, Quebec	Canada	Radnor Mineral Water	Water
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

Porter/Stout and Pale Ale/IPA. So, much like India. No-one was brewing Mild Ale. Sadly.

Canada.— Among the first group of ales (top fermentation) the best sample shown from Canada was the India ale (pale) of the Copland Brewery Company, Toronto. It was in good condition, and bright. It is awarded three marks. Second on the list must be placed the export ale of Messrs. J. H. R. Molson, Brothers, Montreal. It is awarded two marks. It was a very fair beer.

Among the second group, the ale of Messrs. Howard and Co., Halifax, was bright though flat, and had a rough flavour. It is awarded two marks. The "pale ale ” of the Cosgrave Brewery Company, Toronto, had also a rough flavour and was not bright. It is awarded two marks. The "fine ale” (Blue Star) of the Port Hope Brewing and Malting Company, Ontario, was slightly acid. It is awarded one mark.

The best Canadian stout shown was the extra stout of Messrs. Howard, Halifax; it was of good general quality, excellent condition, and carried a satisfactory head. It is awarded three marks. The XXX stout (Dublin) of Messrs. Eaton Brothers, Limited, Owen Sound, might be described as very fair. It is awarded two marks.

Of two brands of porter the XXX porter of the Cosgrave Brewery Company, Toronto, was the better. It was slightly acid, but of good character. It is awarded three marks. The XXX porter of Messrs. J. H. R. Molson and Brothers, Montreal, was satisfactory as regards condition, but drank thin. It is awarded two marks.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

I think the jury was trying to be polite. The Canadian beers sound, er, a bit rough. And many of them sound like they have obvious faults. I'm surprised at the marks given to some.
 

Exhibit of Foreign and Colonial Beers (part eight)

I'm still having a good chew of this article. And will spit out the odd post, to the disgust of everyone, doubtless.

I'm particularly interested in the beers from India. As it gives some indication of the local competition British brewers faced in the Indian market.

Indian samples
Exhibitors	Country	Samples	Style
E. Dyer and Co., Lucknow	India	Pale Ale No. 1	Pale Ale
E. Dyer and Co., Lucknow	India	Pale Ale No. 2	Pale Ale
E. Dyer and Co., Lucknow	India	Pale Ale No. 3	Pale Ale
E. Dyer and Co., Lucknow	India	XX. Stout No. 1	Stout
E. Dyer and Co., Lucknow	India	XX. Stout No. 2	Stout
E. Dyer and Co., Lucknow	India	XX. Stout No. 3	Stout
E. Dyer and Co., Solan	India	India Pale Ale.	IPA
E. Dyer and Co., Solan	India	Stout	Stout
Meakin and Co, Kasanli	India	XXX Stout	Stout
Meakin and Co, Kasanli	India	Pale Ale	Pale Ale
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

In the traidition of the random use of the term IPA, two of the Indian brewers simply called their beers Pale Ales. Despite having an excellent claim to the prefix India. While the other did plump for IPA. Note that there are as many examples of Stout as Pale Ale.

India.— Among the samples of ale (top fermentation) the India pale ale of Messrs. E. Dyer and Co., Solan, was decidedly the best. It was a brilliant full-drinking beer, and is awarded three marks. Next in order of merit, though decidedly inferior to the last brand, should be mentioned the pale ale No. 3, of Messrs. E. Dyer and Co., Lucknow. It is awarded two marks.

The XX stout, No. 3, of Messrs. E. Dyer and Co., Lucknow, is awarded three marks as the best brand exhibited from India, while the XXX stout of Messrs. Meaking and Co., Kasanli, is also given three marks; the sample tested was not quite so good as that of the first-mentioned brand.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

I would have guessed that the numbered beers from Dyer of Lucknow were in descending order of strength, in the manner of Bass. But with the No. 3 of both the Pale Ales and Stouts scoring well, I suspect that it's the other way around. With No. 3 the strongest.

It seems that they were quite good at making Stout in India. With two of the three top scores going to Stouts.

We now switch continents to Africa.

Egyptian samples
Exhibitors	Country	Samples	Style
Brasserie des Pyramides	Egypt	Pilsen (non-Pasteurised)	Pils
Brasserie des Pyramides	Egypt	Pilsen (Pasteurised)	Pils
Brasserie des Pyramides	Egypt	Munich (non-Pasteurised)	Münchener
Brasserie des Pyramides	Egypt	Munich (Pasteurised)	Münchener
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

Egypt— These samples arrived too late for the Exhibition. The non-Pasteurised Pilsen of the Brasserie des Pyramides was a very fair beer in good condition. It is awarded three marks. The Pasteurised beer of the same brand is awarded two marks. The flavour was injured by the Pasteurising. Two samples of Munich beer (Pasteurised and non-Pasteurised) from the same brewery were also tested. The Pasteurised beer is awarded two marks. It was a fair beer, brilliant, and in good condition, but rather sweet. The sample of non-Pasteurised beer of the same brand was not so good.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

Can you imagine what a nightmare it must have been to coordinate the arrival of all these samples from around the world? The Japanese and Australian beers would have been months in transit. I assume that it was partly arranged by telegram. Probably a bit too early for it to be all by telephone. How we take instant communication for granted now.

Interesting that the unpasteurised Pils was good, while the unpasteurised Munich was crap. Was it a difference in the age of the samples, perhaps? Or maybe their bottling was a bit hit and miss.

 

William Younger beers in 1884 and 1885

Younger's Abbey Brewery in the 1890s.

I've spent a good bit of the last two weeks extracting information from William Younger's brewing records. Records that I'd been too lazy to go through properly. Until now. Information that I need for "Free!", the book I'm currently working on.

Going through the records for both the Abbey and Holyrood breweries, it became clear how different the beers they brewed were. Holyrood stuck to mostly Pale Ales, along with occasional brews of Strong Ales. And a few brews of Pils. The Abbey Brewery, while it mostly brewed Shilling Ales, Stout and Mild Ales, made pretty much every beer in their range. Other than Pils.

At Holyrood, XP was far and away the most-brewed beer, accounting for well over half of the brews. With most of the rest being XXP.

At Abbey, things were far more diverse, with no one beer dominating. The most frquently brewed were X, 50/-, 60/- and the Stouts S1 and S2. Note the huge range of gravities brewed, from 1031º to 1115º. Few English breweries could have matched that. Nor the 24 different beers brewed at Abbey.

Interested in learning more about these beers? I can stretch out the material to several more posts, if I can be bothered.

William Younger (Holyrood) beers in 1884
Beer	Style	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	dry hops (oz / barrel)
S XP	IPA	1055	1014	5.42	74.55%	10.33	2.46	9.90
XP	IPA	1056	1015	5.42	73.21%	8.08	2.76	8.84
XXP	IPA	1062	1015	6.22	75.81%	9.31	3.46	9.44
XXX	Mild	1063	1021	5.56	66.67%	5.45	1.25	4.54
XXXX	Mild	1080	1025	7.28	68.75%	9.07	3.24	11.28
XXXX / 3	Mild	1101	1022	10.45	78.22%	8.38	4.37	17.80
Ext	Pale Ale	1061	1014	6.22	77.05%	15.71	4.35	14.92
S Ext	Pale Ale	1068	1021	6.22	69.12%	15.71	4.68	14.98
PX	Pils	1054	1020	4.50	62.96%	5.82	1.14	0.00
1	Strong Ale	1100	1038	8.20	62.00%	11.08	5.54	14.70
3	Strong Ale	1077	1027	6.61	64.94%	8.57	2.87	9.39
Source:
William Younger brewing record held at the Scottish Brewing Archive, document number WY/6/1/3/11.

 

William Younger (Abbey) beers in 1885
Beer	Style	OG	FG	ABV	App. Atten-uation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	dry hops (oz / barrel)
T	Table Beer	1031	1008	3.04	74.19%	6.36	0.78	3.95
50/-	Ale	1037	1011	3.44	70.27%	5.45	0.85	3.69
S 50/-	Ale	1042	1018	3.18	57.14%	3.85	0.45	0.00
B 50/-	Ale	1044	1016	3.70	63.64%	3.85	0.85	3.61
H 60/-	Ale	1041	1014	3.57	65.85%	6.43	1.14	5.67
60/-	Ale	1052	1023	3.84	55.77%	5.00	1.06	0.00
80/-	Ale	1063	1025	5.03	60.32%	5.24	1.39	0.00
100/-	Ale	1075	1036	5.16	52.00%	8.00	1.85	0.00
120/-	Ale	1087	1034	7.01	60.92%	6.23	2.67	0.00
140/-	Ale	1101	1043	7.67	57.43%	8.44	4.61	0.00
160/-	Ale	1115	1050	8.60	56.52%	8.44	5.25	0.00
X	Mild	1048	1012	4.76	75.00%	5.29	1.11	3.36
XX	Mild	1056	1016	5.29	71.43%	6.19	1.48	3.82
XXX	Mild	1071	1024	6.22	66.20%	7.69	2.45	4.71
XXXX	Stock Ale	1079	1020	7.81	74.68%	7.42	2.97	9.91
P	Pale Ale	1047	1009	5.03	80.85%	8.82	1.73	3.14
XP	IPA	1054	1013	5.42	75.93%	11.50	2.84	9.28
XP Scotch	Pale Ale	1055	1016	5.16	70.91%	11.00	2.72	9.48
DBS	Stout	1073	1025	6.35	65.75%	15.86	5.51	11.50
S1	Stout	1074	1034	5.29	54.05%	1.43	0.45	0.00
S2	Stout	1065	1028	4.89	56.92%	1.60	0.39	0.00
1	Strong Ale	1106	1035	9.39	66.98%	12.05	6.39	15.04
2	Strong Ale	1091	1030	8.07	67.03%	9.76	4.80	11.42
3	Strong Ale	1081	1029	6.88	64.20%	9.12	3.46	9.12
3 pale	Strong Ale	1077	1024	7.01	68.83%	9.33	3.37	9.25
Source:
William Younger brewing record held at the Scottish Brewing Archive, document number WY/6/1/2/31.

 

 

 

 

Let's Brew - 1885 William Younger No. 3 Pale

Another recipe for a beer I'm sort of obsessed by. Younger's No. 3. One of the first beers I brewed with my brother was a supposed clone of it. And I drank quite a bit of it in Burley road Liberal Club whilst playing snooker very badly. 

Younger wasn’t content with making No. 3. They made two of them: No. 3 and No. 3 Pale. The difference, I assume, being the colour.

Though if you look at the recipes, they come out about exactly the same shade. No sugar in this version, just 100% base malt. It’s not a complicated beer. Though there were three types of pale malt, made of barley from various countries.

What complication there is, comes in the hopping. Where there are four copper hops: Kent from the 1884 and 1885 harvests, plus Württemberg and American, both from 1884.  Then there are four dry hops: Württemberg and American from the 1885 season, with American and East Kent, both from 1884. 

Was this aged? I would think so. Probably around a year. With Brettanomyces, of course. Which would drop down that FG quite a bit. Leaving the apparent attenuation 75%-80% and pushing 8% ABV. 

1885 William Younger No. 3 Pale
pale malt	18.00 lb	100.00%
Cluster 150 min	2.00 oz
Hallertau 60 min	2.00 oz
Fuggles 30 min	2.00 oz
Hallertau dry hops	1.00 oz
Cluster dry hops	0.67 oz
Hallertau dry hops	0.33 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.33 oz
OG	1077
FG	1024
ABV	7.01
Apparent attenuation	68.83%
IBU	73
SRM	6
Mash at	153º F
Sparge at	163º F
Boil time	150 minutes
pitching temp	55.5º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

 

What am I up to?

Thought I'd give you an update on my current activities. Not sure of how much interest it is. But I'm going to tell you anyway.

My current long-term project is the book "Free!". Which is a history of UK beer 1880-1914. Another part of my long-long-term series covering UK brewing  1700 to 1973. These are the volumes I've published so far:

Armistice! 1914-1918
Peace! 1919-1939
Blitzkrieg! 1939-1945
Austerity! 1946-1969
Keg! 1970-1980!

I've covered most of the 20th century. With "Free!" I'll have pretty much finished it off. Plus a bit of the 19th century.

1880 to 1914 is probably my favourite period of UK brewing. When the beers were still full strength and there were plenty of different styles. My idea of heaven.

The first section, which covers general brewing statistics, brewing materials, brewing equipment, tax and licensing, is pretty much complete. The second section, which is about beer styles, is way more incomplete. All I've completed is most of Mild Ale and a bit of Pale Ale.

I've been putting quite a bit of effort into the third section, which consists of home-brew recipes. And it's coming along pretty well. With 318 recipes, I'm about two-thirds done. 

With a good tail wind, I might have "Free!" finished by the end of the year.

All my travelling is plumping out a couple of travel books quite nicely. Which I will probably publish later in the year. Not that I'm likely to sell any of those. 

Exhibit of Foreign and Colonial Beers (part seven)

Three weeks I'll be away in Singapore and Australia. Leaving me with loads of posts to load up before I leave. This series will spawn so many posts. Exactly what I need.

Beers from another couple of exotic countries: Russia and Japan.

Russia.— These beers arrived too late for the exhibition.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

Not a good start. Note that all the beers came from Warsaw, one of the most westerly cities in the Russian Empire.

Russian samples
Exhibitors	Country	Samples	Style
Brasserie E. Reych Synomie and Fils, Warsaw	Russia	Brown Beer	Brown Beer
Brasserie E. Reych Synomie and Fils, Warsaw	Russia	Golden Beer	Golden Beer
Brasserie E. Reych Synomie and Fils, Warsaw	Russia	Takopjanskie Malt	Malt Beer
Brasserie E. Reych Synomie and Fils, Warsaw	Russia	Pilsen	Pils
Brasserie Carl Machlejd, Warsaw	Russia	Lezak Beer	Lager
Brasserie Carl Machlejd, Warsaw	Russia	Pilsen Beer	Pils
Brasserie Haberbusch and Schiele, Warsaw	Russia	Bavarian (Beer)	Lager
Brasserie Haberbusch and Schiele, Warsaw	Russia	Pilsen	Pils
Brasserie Haberbusch and Schiele, Warsaw	Russia	Kulmbach	Kulmbacher
Brasserie Francois Lutoslawski Fils, Drozdowo	Russia	Drozdowakia	Lager
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

 

A dark lager from the Brasserie Francois Lutoslawski Fils, Drozdowo, labelled Piwo Drozdowskie Marcowe, of high gravity, drank very full, but was somewhat too sweet. It is awarded three marks. The dark lager Zakopianskie E. Key ch Synowye, Warsaw, was a good beer. It is also given three marks.

The Lezak of the Brasserie Carl Machlejd, Warsaw, was an excellent full-pale lager. It is awarded three marks. Whilst the Pilsen of E. Bey ch Synowye, Warsaw, drank thin. It is given two marks.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

Are we to assume that all the other beers scored one? It's not very clear.

Only two beers from Japan. And a mineral water, for some reason.

Japanese samples
Exhibitors	Country	Samples	Style
Sapporo Brewery Company	Japan	Lager Beer	Lager
Sapporo Brewery Company	Japan	Export Beer	Export
Clifford Wilkinson	Japan	Tansan Mineral Water	Mineral Water
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

Japan.— The lager beer of the Sapporo Brewery Company was a very fair beer. It is awarded two marks.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

Now there's faint praise for you.

Still lots more of this to come. 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1884 William Younger No. 3

In addition to the strong Shilling Ales, William Younger also had a range of numbered Strong/Scotch Ales. Which seem to be inspired by the numbered Burton Ales of breweries like Bass and Truman. Originally, they ran from No. 1 to No. 4. But by the 1880s, only Nos. 1 to 3 remained.

No. 3 was by far the longest-lived, limping its way into the 21st century. What was the difference between No. 3 and 100/-? Not very much. The hopping rate is the same. And the only difference in the grist is the presence of a small amount of dextro-maltose. For which I’ve substituted No. 2 invert.

This was probably darkened with caramel. There’s nothing in the brewing record. But, it definitely was a little later. And there’s a No. 3 Pale, implying that this version must have been darker. A shade of 15 to 20 SRM would be my guess.

The presence of dextro-maltose, which would provide food for a slow secondary fermentation, implies to me that this was a Stock Ale. Probably aged for at least twelve months.

There were four types of hops: Kent, California, Württemberg, American, all from the 1883 harvest. 

1884 William Younger No. 3
pale malt	15.75 lb	92.65%
No. 2 invert	1.25 lb	7.35%
Cluster 150 min	3.00 oz
Hallertau 60 min	2.00 oz
Fuggles 30 min	1.00 oz
Goldings dry hops	1.25 oz
OG	1077
FG	1027
ABV	6.61
Apparent attenuation	64.94%
IBU	85
SRM	9
Mash at	153º F
Sparge at	163º F
Boil time	150 minutes
pitching temp	57º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

 

Exhibit of Foreign and Colonial Beers (part six)

I hope you're enjoying this series. Because there's loads more of it still to come.

We're looking at some more European beers. Starting with Austria.

Austrian samples
Exhibitors	Country	Samples	Style
Nussdorfer Bierbrauerei, (Bachofew and Medinger)	Austria	Vienna Maerzenbier	Märzen
Alt-Pilsenetzer Brauhaua	Austria	Pilsen, Sterilised	Pils
Alt-Pilsenetzer Brauhaua	Austria	Pilsen, Non-sterilised	Pils
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

This is their opinion of them.

Austria.— The non-sterilised Pilsen of the "Alt-Pilsenetzer Brauhaus” was one of the best European beers sampled, of good character, flavour, and condition. It is awarded three marks. The sterilised sample was not so good. Two marks are given.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

No surprise that a good Lager should come from Austria. Especially when not sterilised.

Holland provided just a single. Surprisingly, not from one of the big Lager breweries, but from a Trappist monastery.

Dutch samples
Exhibitors	Country	Samples	Style
Bierbrouwerij de Schaapskooi, Bij Tilburg Trappiat Monastery	Holland	Trappisten Bier (as exported to Java)	Trappist
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

The judges seemed to like it, though. 

Holland.—Three marks are given the Trappist Monastery beer as exported to Java. It was a very fine dark lager, but somewhat sweeter than Munich beer.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

Was it really a Dark Lager? Or was it a dark top-fermenting beer?

Sweden only provided two beers, both of them Porter. One of which, Carnegie Porter is still knocking around today. And an excellent beer. A personal favourite of mine.

Swedish samples
Exhibitors	Country	Samples	Style
Carlston Brygueri, Stockholm	Sweden	Porter	Porter
D. Carnegie and Co., Göteborg	Sweden	Porter	Porter
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674.

Sweden.—The porter of Messrs. D. Carnegie and Co., Goteborg, was a very good sample of excellent condition and carrying a fine head. Three marks are awarded. The porter of the “Carlsten Bryggeri” was too sweet, and had a burnt flavour. It is awarded one mark.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, November 15th 1902, page 672 - 674. 

 They seemed to like the Carlsten Porter much less than the Carnegie.