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Friday, 23 July 2010

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.

4 comments:

  1. Martyn Cornell23 July 2010 at 11:09

    Any difference in their water treatment, or does that excitement come later, you tease …

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ron Pattinson23 July 2010 at 12:07

    Martyn, yes. Just keep reading. Loads of big fat juicy close up water treatments to come.

    Just joking. Lees logs have no water treatment details, I'm afraid.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mike23 July 2010 at 12:55

    Manchester water was (is) very soft. I used to add the Burton's salts from the HBS when brewing bitter but for mild it was straight from the tap.
    Lee's probably didn't log water treatment because they didn't treat it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oblivious26 July 2010 at 00:27

    "Both breweries mashed their Bitter and their Mild exactly the same way. Which was pretty normal"

    I wonder does this quash the idea that is circulated that mild's where mashed hotter to provide dextrans to refresh factory workers?

    ReplyDelete