Adulterated Lager Beer

Time for a random quote from a random publication. Why? I don't need a reason. This is my blog and I'll do what I damn well like. I suppose it fits somewhere in my occasional series on British Lager. If you want to go all anal.

"ADULTERATED LAGER BEER

Vendors of lager beer should beware to secure themselves against dangers like the following:—At Barton Police-court, on the 2nd inst., William H. Ravenscroft, commercial traveller, and John Fearn, were charged with selling lager beer which was not of the quality demanded by the purchaser, and which contained salicylic acid, injurious to health. Mr. W. A. Willcock, of Wolverhampton, prosecuted ; and Mr. Stone (Derby) represented Mr. Ravenscroft. Mr. Jones, County Analyst, showed that the acid was injurious to health when taken with food, because it impeded the process of digestion. Ravenscroft was fined 20s. and 11s. costs in each of two cases, and £5 and costs in a third case. It was thought that Mr. Fearn was a victim, and he was ordered to pay the costs, 11s. 6d.

We have repeatedly pointed out how objectionable the admixture of powerful drugs, such as salicylic acid is in articles of food or drink. In this instance the percentage was enormous, being no less, we understand than 14 grains per gallon. Publicans who unwittingly or otherwise sell lager beer so heavily dosed with dangerous drugs, as appears to be the case in the present instance, run grave risks, and they would do well to obtain a warrant for the lager beers they use that they are free from preservatives. So far as we are aware, this is the first case in which a prosecution has been successfully sustained for the admixture of preservatives to food stuffs. The question cf the repression of this practice is one, however, that has for a considerable time engaged the attention of the medical profession and those concerned with the enforcement of the Food and Drugs Acts, and now that a conviction has been obtained, and magistrates hold the admixture of these powerful drugs to be adulteration, publicans should take care that they are not made the victims of the brewers and dealers using such chemicals."
"Food & Sanitation, Volume 4", 1894, page 43.

Food and Sanitation. It sounds like one of the magazines they include for a laugh in Have I Got News for You. Actually, it's much scarier. It's enough to put you off ever shopping in the 19th century again. Those rascally shopkeepers and publicans. And all the muck they put into food and drink. Almost enough to scare you off the beer. Almost.

Coming to the USA

You might remember me mentioning a forthcoming trip to the USA. If you can't: I'll be going to the USA soon. There. Now you know.

I'll be in Philadelphia, Washington and New York. I have a couple of dates, if anyone feels like buying me beer or giving me money.

10th August: a booze up somewhere in Philadelphia. Possibly Monks Café. Not really decided that bit yet. I'm open to suggestions.

12th August: Churchkey, Washington DC. I think I'll be saying a few words about De Molen SSS and Porter. That's the plan, at least. Early, like at about opening time.

It's your chance - if you live cliose to Philadelphia or Washington - to find out if I'm as obnoxious and opinionated in person. And remember: bring plenty of money to buy me beer.

Gose recipe

These old German recipes are so much fun, I'm posting another today. For one of my old favourites: Gose.

OK, I realise it isn't technically an extinct style. But it fits in nicely with the Kotbusser and Broyhan, so here it is.

"Brewing Gose according to Hermbstädt

This is what they call a Weißbier similar to Broyhahn, which is particularly well-brewed in Goslar and which gets its name from a river of the same name, from whose water Gose is brewed in Goslar.

For a brew of 2000 Berlin quarts [2,290 litres] is required:

1) 12 Berlin bushels (960 pounds) [480 kg] pale wheat malt.

2) 10 Berlin bushels (600 pounds) [300 kg] pale barley malt.

3) 5 pounds [2.5 kg] of the best hops.

The grist is doughed in with 2400 Berlin quarts [2,748 litres] of water at 36° R. [45º C], well worked out and then left to rest for an hour in a covered vessel. The second infusion takes place with the same amount of boiling hot water, being well mashed for 1 hour before the mash is to rest for one hour in a covered vessel. The wort is gently boiled until it has reduced to 2000 Quarts [2,290 litres], strained through straw, mixed with the hop extract and cooled in the coolship down to 14° R. [17.5º C].

The cooled, hopped wort is put into the fermentation vessel with 10 quarts [11.5 litres] of yeast, and when finally the resulting head of yeast has collapsed, the yeast on the top is removed, the fermented wort drawn into the storage barrels in the cellar, and like Broyhahn allowed to ferment out, during which the barrels must be well bunged. The hops are infused twice, the first time with 50 quarts [57 litres], the second time with 40 quarts [46 litres] of water, and finally squeezed. To use the spent grains for Kovent, they are immersed 1000 quarts of boiling hot water, the wort so obtained is boiled for half an hour with the pressed hops and finally pitched with 4 quarts of yeast.
"Grundsaetze der Bierbrauerei nach den neuesten technisch-chemischen
Entdeckungen" by Christian Heinrich Schmidt, 1853, pages 447-448.

I make that about a third of a pound of hops per imperial barrel. So pretty lightly hopped. No surprise there. Though they do seem to have forgotten about the salt and coriander. Bit odd, that.

Lees Mild in WW II

A quick treat today. A comparison of Whitbread and Lees Mild diuring WW II.

Here's Lees Mild, or K as it was known within the brewery:

Lees Mild 1939 - 1945
Date	Year	OG	FG	ABV	App. Attenuation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	barrels	lbs hops	qtrs malt	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	dry hops (oz / barrel)	colour	pale malt	black malt	glucose	other sugar	flaked barley	flaked oat
21st Feb	1939	1035.0	1005.0	3.97	85.71%	6.87	1.04	111	115	16.75		60º	2.02	29	85.71%	1.59%	6.35%	6.35%	0.00%	0.00%
2nd Jan	1940	1034.0				7.10	0.94	116.5	110	15.5		59.5º	2.20		91.67%	1.67%	4.44%	2.22%	0.00%	0.00%
20th Jan	1941	1033.0				6.67	0.87	115.25	100	15		60º	0.97		91.38%	1.72%	4.60%	2.30%	0.00%	0.00%
7th Apr	1941	1032.0				6.90	0.89	112.75	100	14.5		60º	0.99		91.07%	1.79%	4.76%	2.38%	0.00%	0.00%
6th Aug	1941	1030.0				6.04	0.76	112.5	86	14.25		60º	1.00		90.91%	1.82%	2.42%	4.85%	0.00%	0.00%
29th Oct	1941	1030.0				5.89	0.74	113	84	14.25		60º	0.99		90.91%	1.82%	2.42%	4.85%	0.00%	0.00%
22nd Apr	1942	1028.0				5.85	0.66	114.5	76	13		60º	0.98		86.00%	2.00%	2.67%	5.33%	4.00%	0.00%
4th May	1942	1028.0				5.85	0.66	115	76	13		60º	0.97		86.00%	2.00%	2.67%	5.33%	4.00%	0.00%
31st Jul	1942	1028.0				5.85	0.66	114.5	76	13		60º	0.98		90.00%	2.00%	2.67%	5.33%	0.00%	0.00%
21st Sep	1942	1028.0				5.85	0.68	112	76	13		60º	1.00		90.00%	2.00%	2.67%	5.33%	0.00%	0.00%
15th Feb	1943	1028.0				5.85	0.66	116	76	13		60º	0.97		86.00%	2.00%	2.67%	5.33%	4.00%	0.00%
30th Apr	1943	1028.0				5.85	0.67	113.25	76	13		60º	0.99		78.00%	2.00%	2.67%	5.33%	12.00%	0.00%
19th Aug	1943	1028.0				5.66	0.68	110.8	75	13.25	2	º	1.01		74.51%	1.96%	2.61%	5.23%	0.00%	15.69%
25th Aug	1943	1028.0				5.66	0.68	110.2	75	13.25	2	º	1.02		74.51%	1.96%	2.61%	5.23%	0.00%	15.69%
14th Feb	1944	1028.0				6.42	0.73	116.4	85	13.25	1.75	º	0.96		74.51%	1.96%	2.61%	5.23%	15.69%	0.00%
29th Jun	1944	1028.0				5.66	0.65	115.3	75	13.25	1.75	º	0.97		74.51%	1.96%	2.61%	5.23%	15.69%	0.00%
14th Mar	1945	1028.0				5.66	0.67	111.6	75	13.25	1.75	º	1.00		74.51%	1.96%	5.23%	2.61%	15.69%	0.00%
16th Mar	1945	1028.0				5.66	0.66	113.4	75	13.25	1.75	º	0.99		74.51%	1.96%	5.23%	2.61%	15.69%	0.00%
7th May	1945	1028.0				5.45	0.66	114.3	75	13.75	1.75	º	0.98		85.71%	2.26%	6.02%	6.02%	0.00%	0.00%
Source:
JW Lees brewing records

And here's Whitbread X/XX:

Whitbread Mild 1939 - 1945
Date	Year	OG	FG	ABV	App. Attenuation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	barrels	lbs hops	qtrs malt	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	colour	pale malt	black malt	crystal malt	MA malt	PA malt	no. 3 sugar	other sugar	wheat malt	flaked barley	barley meal	flaked rye	flaked oat
25th Sep	1939	1033.6	1010.0	3.12	70.24%	8.27	1.10	790	897	108.5	1.25	1	65º	17 + 40	75.73%	0.00%	13.59%	0.00%	0.00%	9.06%	1.62%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
23rd Apr	1940	1033.6	1009.0	3.25	73.21%	8.12	1.14	790	897	110.5	1.25	1.25	65º	16 + 40	24.30%	0.00%	13.08%	54.21%	0.00%	4.98%	1.56%	1.87%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
31st Jul	1940	1031.5	1008.5	3.04	73.02%	8.42	1.09	823	897	106.5	1.25	1	65º	16 + 40	77.54%	0.00%	13.57%	1.94%	0.00%	5.17%	1.78%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
20th Nov	1940	1031.1	1010.0	2.79	67.85%	8.42	1.07	574	897	106.5	1.17	0.75	66º	16 + 40	81.42%	0.00%	11.63%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	6.95%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
31st Jan	1941	1030.0	1009.0	2.78	70.00%	8.10	1.00	575	830	102.5	2.17	1.5	65º	16 + 40	21.74%	0.00%	13.04%	63.04%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	2.17%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
10th Oct	1941	1031.2	1009.0	2.94	71.15%	6.38	0.76	1717	1308	205	1.25	1.25	65º	14 + 40	65.39%	0.00%	11.98%	4.99%	4.99%	0.00%	5.66%	2.00%	4.99%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
30th Jan	1942	1029.1	1007.5	2.86	74.23%	5.84	0.75	1604	1200	205.5	1	1	65º	18 + 40	0.00%	0.00%	12.02%	68.11%	0.00%	4.01%	1.84%	2.00%	12.02%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
30th May	1942	1028.4	1007.0	2.83	75.35%	6.19	0.75	811	610	98.5	1	1	65º	16 + 40	46.32%	0.00%	12.63%	16.84%	0.00%	5.61%	1.75%	2.11%	8.42%	1.05%	5.26%	0.00%
5th Apr	1943	1027.8	1008.0	2.62	71.22%	6.07	0.76	1605	1220	201	1	1.25	65º	15 + 40	9.28%	0.00%	10.31%	55.67%	0.00%	5.50%	1.72%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	17.53%
2nd Sep	1943	1028.2	1008.0	2.67	71.63%	6.07	0.73	834	610	100.5	1	0.83	65º	14 + 40	46.39%	0.00%	10.31%	18.56%	0.00%	5.50%	1.72%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	17.53%
7th Apr	1944	1028.3	1007.5	2.75	73.50%	5.79	0.69	823	570	98.5	1	0.75	65º	14 + 40	0.00%	0.00%	10.45%	71.08%	0.00%	4.18%	1.74%	0.00%	12.54%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
11th Dec	1944	1028.4	1008.5	2.63	70.07%	5.91	0.72	788	570	96.5	1	1	65º	14 + 40	0.00%	0.00%	7.42%	73.14%	0.00%	2.83%	1.77%	0.00%	14.84%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
5th Apr	1945	1028.4	1008.5	2.63	70.07%	5.67	0.71	808	570	100.5	1	0.75	65º	15 + 40	0.00%	0.00%	7.39%	62.32%	0.00%	9.86%	3.52%	0.00%	16.90%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
24th Aug	1945	1028.1	1010.0	2.39	64.41%	5.67	0.71	804	570	100.5	1	0.75	65º	13 + 40	36.97%	0.00%	7.39%	25.35%	0.00%	9.86%	3.52%	0.00%	16.90%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Source:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives

As you can see, the gravities are very similar, starting in the low 1030's before the war and dropping to 1028 after 1942. Whitbread's Mild was tiny bit more heavily hopped, but scarcely enough to be significant.

The grists are quite different. Lees was much simpler: just pale malt, a touch of black malt, glucose and invert sugar. Until flaked barley and flaked oats appear in the later war years. Whitberad used more different types of malt, in particular crystal and MA malt. But the biggest differnce is the colour. Whitbread Mild was around 90 EBC, Lees just 29. So despite being broadly similar in terms of strength, thse two beers must have tasted and looked pretty different.