Lees and Whitbread mashing schemes in 1950

I did warn you. Even more ridiculous details from the Lees brewing records.And Whitbread's. As threatened, it's their mashing schemes that are under the microscope today.

Let's start with the Bitters:

Whitbread 1950 PA mashing scheme
	qtrs malt	barrels water	barrels per qtr	Strike heat	mashed (mins)	time stood (mins)	Tap heat
mash	98	220	2.24	150º	15	30
underlet		32	0.33	180º		90	144º
sparge		260		165º
sparge		174		160º			150º
Source:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives

Lees 1950 Bitter mashing scheme
	qtrs malt	barrels water	barrels per qtr	Strike heat	mash heat	time stood (mins)	Tap heat
mash	15.5	37	2.39	155º	148º	20
underlet		4	0.26	170º	150º	100	150º
sparge				170º
sparge				160º
Source:
JW Lees brewing records

Now the Milds:

Whitbread 1950 Best Ale mashing scheme
	qtrs malt	barrels water	barrels per qtr	Strike heat	mashed (mins)	time stood (mins)	Tap heat
mash	90	202	2.24	150º	10	30
underlet		30	0.33	180º		90	146º
sparge		210		168º
sparge		233		160-165º			153º
Source:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives

Lees 1950 K mashing scheme
	qtrs malt	barrels water	barrels per qtr	Strike heat	mash heat	time stood (mins)	Tap heat
mash	12.375	29	2.34	155º	148º
underlet		4	0.32	170º	150º	120	150º
sparge				170º
sparge				160º
Source:
JW Lees brewing records

What does that tell us? That Lees mashed at a slightly higher temperature than Whitbread. And sparged with very slightly hotter water. The water to grain ratio of the mash is very similar: 2.35 for Lees, 2.24 for Whitbread. The amount underlet is identical: a third of a barrel per quarter of malt. The standing time was the same at 2 hours.

Both breweries mashed their Bitter and their Mild exactly the same way. Which was pretty normal. Breweries didn't usually mess around with a different mashing scheme for each individual beer. I don't blame them. Especially in the days before computer control.

Fun, fun, fun. We'll be having it all summer long. Perhaps not always quite as much as today.