Shut up about Barclay Perkins: Mackeson

What was I thinking? Posting about Mackeson but forgetting to include any tables. Lovely tables of numbers, still piping hot from the oven.

Can you remember the gist of my last Mackeson post? No. OK, I'll repeat it. The lactose additions don't feature at all in the brewing records. So the OG in the logs doesn't match that found by analysis of the finished beer.

Here's what the Gravity Books, Whitbread and Truman have to say:

Mackeson 1933 -1966
Year	Beer	Price	size	package	Acidity	FG	OG	Colour	ABV	atten-uation
1933	Mackeson Stout	9d	pint	bottled			1052.2
1933	Mackeson Stout	8d	pint	bottled			1053.7
1938	Mackeson Stout	10d	pint	bottled			1057.7
1943	Mackeson Milk Stout		pint	bottled	0.04	1020.7	1045.7	! + 28	3.22	54.70%
1947	Mackeson Milk Stout	1/6d	pint	bottled	0.06	1017.4	1040.3	1 + 14	2.95	56.82%
1951	Mackeson Stout	1/3.5d	half pint	bottled			1047.2
1954	Mackeson Stout	1/3.5d	half pint	bottled	0.04	1019.5	1046.6	1 + 20	3.49	58.15%
1957	Mackeson Stout	1/4d	half pint	bottled	0.06	1015.9	1046.3	250	3.93	65.66%
1959	Mackeson Stout (Chiswell Street gyle 248)	1/4d	half pint	bottled		1020.8	1046.2	250	3.27	54.98%
1959	Mackeson Stout (Stockport gyle 289)	1/4d	half pint	bottled		1019.7	1046.7	275	3.48	57.82%
1959	Mackeson Stout (Kirkstall gyle 117)	1/4d	half pint	bottled		1020.4	1046.5	350	3.36	56.13%
1959	Mackeson Stout (Hythe gyle 168)	1/4d	half pint	bottled		1017.8	1046	400	3.64	61.30%
1960	Mackeson Stout	1/4d	half pint	bottled		1019	1045	250	3.35	57.78%
1960	Mackeson Stout	1/4d	half pint	bottled	0.05	1019.2	1046.4	300	3.51	58.62%
1961	Mackeson Stout	1/4d	half pint	bottled		1019	1046	250	3.48	58.70%
1963	Mackeson Stout	1/5.5d	half pint	bottled		1019	1045	250	3.35	57.78%
1966	Mackeson	1/7.5d	half pint	bottled			1044
Sources: Truman Gravity Book Whitbread Gravity Book

This is what the brewing records say:

Mackeson Stout 1936 - 1963
Date	Year	Beer	OG	FG	ABV	App. Attenu-ation	lbs hops/ qtr	hops lb/brl	barrels	lbs hops	qtrs malt	boil time (hours)	boil time (hours)	Pitch temp	colour
26th Oct	1936	Mackeson Stout	1051.1	1017.0	4.51	66.73%	6.95	1.47	639	938	135	1.33	1.25	62º	18.5 brown 1 red
31st May	1937	Mackeson Stout	1051.4	1016.5	4.62	67.90%	6.95	1.48	317	469	67.5	1.25	1.00	62º	18.5 brown 1 red
1st Jun	1937	Mackeson Stout	1051.3	1016.0	4.67	68.81%	6.94	1.45	255	938	135.25	1.25	1.00	62º	17.5 brown 1 red
7th Jun	1937	Mackeson Stout	1050.8	1016.5	4.54	67.52%	6.94	1.45	647	941	135.5	1.25	1.50	62º	19 brown 1 red
19th Apr	1938	Mackeson Stout	1051.7	1016.5	4.66	68.09%	6.94	1.50	621	930	134	1.25	1.42	62º	19 brown 1 red
20th Apr	1938	Mackeson Stout	1051.5	1016.0	4.70	68.93%	6.94	1.46	105	930	134	1.25	1.08	62º	17 brown 1 red
9th Aug	1939	Mackeson Stout	1051.0	1015.5	4.70	69.61%	6.94	1.41	290	930	134	1.25	1.42	62º	19 brown 1 red
10th Aug	1939	Mackeson Stout	1051.2	1017.5	4.46	65.82%	6.89	1.43	380	937	136	1.25	1.42	62º	19 brown 1 red
14th Aug	1939	Mackeson Stout	1050.9	1015.5	4.68	69.55%	6.93	1.44	325	468	67.5	1.25	1.25	62º	20 brown 1 red
10th Oct	1939	Mackeson Stout	1050.9	1017.0	4.48	66.60%	7.40	1.59	469	984	133	1.25	1.50	62º	17 brown 1 red
22nd Aug	1939	Mackeson Stout	1051.8	1017.5	4.54	66.22%	7.40	1.59	469	984	133	1.25	1.50	62º	18 brown 1 red
10th Jan	1939	Mackeson Stout	1051.1	1017.0	4.51	66.73%	6.94	1.47	320	930	134	1.25	1.08	62º	18 brown 1 red
16th Jan	1939	Mackeson Stout	1051.7	1016.0	4.72	69.05%	6.94	1.50	621	930	134	1.25	1.08	62º	18 brown 1 red
23rd Nov	1939	Mackeson Stout	1051.4	1015.0	4.82	70.82%	6.89	1.46	90	937	136	1.25	1.42	62º	17 brown 1 red
27th Nov	1939	Mackeson Stout	1051.1	1016.5	4.58	67.71%	6.94	1.46	636	930	134	1.25	1.50	62º	17 brown 1 red
1st Apr	1940	Mackeson Stout	1051.5	1013.5	5.03	73.79%	6.93	1.50	611	915	132	1.25	1.50	62º	17.5 brown 1 red
3rd Apr	1940	Mackeson Stout	1051.6	1017.5	4.51	66.09%	6.93	1.50	608	915	132	1.25	1.17	62º	18.5 brown 1 red
9th Sep	1940	Mackeson Stout	1051.3	1016.0	4.67	68.81%	6.90	1.50	310	873	126.5	1.42	7:40 pm to 6:15 am	62º	19 brown 1 red
28th Sep	1940	Mackeson Stout	1051.1	1018.0	4.38	64.77%	6.92	1.49	603	896	129.5	1.25	1.5	62º	17 brown 1 red
6th Mar	1941	Mackeson Stout	1049.5	1016.5	4.37	66.67%	6.46	1.38	607	836	129.5	1.25	1.42	62º	18.5 brown 1 red
8th May	1941	Mackeson Stout	1047.5	1015.0	4.30	68.42%	5.90	1.18	647	764	129.5	1.25	1	62º	17 brown 1 red
27th Sep	1941	Mackeson Stout	1045.7	1014.0	4.19	69.37%	5.17	0.99	1361	1344	260	1.25	1	62º	15 brown 1 red
16th Oct	1941	Mackeson Stout	1046.1	1013.5	4.31	70.72%	5.17	1.02	1320	1344	260	1.25	1	62º	16 brown 1 red
6th Aug	1942	Mackeson Stout	1042.3	1014.5	3.68	65.72%	6.64	1.21	70	860	129.5	1	1.25	62º	18 brown 1 red
7th Aug	1942	Mackeson Stout	1041.5	1015.0	3.51	63.86%	5.10	0.93	712	660	129.5	1	1.25	62º	19 brown 1 red
28th Feb	1942	Mackeson Stout	1043.1	1013.0	3.98	69.84%	5.34	1.03	682	700	131	1	0.75	62º	14 brown 1 red
11th Sep	1942	Mackeson Stout	1042.0	1013.5	3.77	67.86%	5.14	0.92	716	660	128.5	1	0.75	62º	18 brown 1 red
9th Dec	1942	Mackeson Stout	1042.2	1016.0	3.47	62.09%	5.00	0.93	713	660	132	1	0.75	64º	17 brown 1 red
4th Feb	1943	Mackeson Stout	1042.5	1014.0	3.77	67.06%	5.00	0.93	712	660	132	1	1.25	64º	19 brown 1 red
26th May	1943	Mackeson Stout	1042.2	1014.0	3.73	66.82%	4.81	0.93	707	660	137.14	1	1	64º	17 brown 1 red
27th May	1943	Mackeson Stout	1042.3	1015.0	3.61	64.54%	6.29	1.16	80	860	136.7	1	0.75	64º	16.5 brown 1 red
28th May	1943	Mackeson Stout	1041.9	1014.5	3.62	65.39%	4.82	0.88	751	660	136.99	1	0.75	64º	17 brown 1 red
21st Jan	1943	Mackeson Stout	1042.6	1012.5	3.98	70.66%	5.00	0.93	706	660	132	1	0.75	64º	17 brown 1 red
14th Dec	1944	Mackeson Stout	1042.7	1011.0	4.19	74.24%	6.48	1.17	374	836	129	1	0.75	64º	14 brown 1 red
22nd Sep	1944	Mackeson Stout	1042.8	1014.0	3.81	67.29%	6.55	1.23	268	836	127.69	1	0.75	64º	15 brown 1 red
1st Jan	1945	Mackeson Stout	1042.5	1013.5	3.84	68.24%	4.87	0.87	723	630	129.32	1	1	64º	14 brown 1 red
29th Jan	1952	Mackeson Stout	1042.3	1010.0	4.27	76.36%	6.84	1.17	734	858	125.5	1	0.75	64º	13 brown 1 red
30th Jan	1952	Mackeson Stout	1042.5	1010.5	4.23	75.29%	6.84	1.19	404	858	125.5	1	0.75	64º	15 brown 1 red
7th Jul	1958	Mackeson Stout	1042.6	1013.0	3.92	69.48%	5.68	1.00	714	714	125.75	1	0.75	64º	250
10th Jul	1958	Mackeson Stout	1042.8	1013.0	3.94	69.63%	5.68	0.98	433	714	125.75	1	0.75	64º	275
13th Aug	1962	Mackeson Stout	1041.2	1013.8	3.62	66.50%	5.77	0.97	734	714	123.75	1	0.75	64º	250
24th Aug	1962	Mackeson Stout	1041.3				5.77	1.00	713	714	123.75	1	1	64º	250
22nd Aug	1962	Mackeson Stout	1041.0	1013.6	3.62	66.83%	5.77	0.97	251	714	123.75	1	1	64º	250
27th Sep	1962	Mackeson Stout	1041.6	1012.8	3.81	69.23%	5.91	1.00	1441	1440	243.75	1	1	64º	250
11th Feb	1963	Mackeson Stout	1041.3	1011.3	3.97	72.64%	5.93	1.03	699	720	121.5	1	1	64º	250
28th Aug	1963	Mackeson Stout	1042.7	1012.0	4.06	71.90%	5.58	0.96	578	678	121.5	1	0.75	64º	250
Source: Whitbread brewing records

I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did. No, more than I did. To be honest, it wasn't the most fascinating five minutes of my life. Not even the most fascinating of the last 10 minutes.

12 comments:

Craig16 September 2010 at 10:13
Hey Ron,

Speaking of stouts, have you ever come across any "Dublin Stout" recipes or even logs, brewed by other breweries than our friend with the harp above it's name? What made them stand out above the rest?

By the way I'm still working on the New World, Dutch brewing stuff.
Ron Pattinson16 September 2010 at 11:52
I've not seen any Irish brewing records.

I have seen information that others have gleaned from the records of Guinness. That shows differences it grists and brewing practices from London brewers.

Guinness went very quickly to a grist of just pale and black malt, while London brewers continued to use brown malt, too. And Guinness continued to vat some Stout and blend it into their standard Stout long after London brewers had abandonned the practice.
Craig16 September 2010 at 12:57
Quite helpful, the folks at Guinness are, I take it.

I guess my question stems from the notion (or myth) that Irish brewers didn't use hops until well after most other brewers had used them. I know MJ has made mention of a late arrival of hops to the island, but how late is late? Was there unhopped, 19th-century Irish beer?
Ron Pattinson16 September 2010 at 12:59
Craig, I'd be very surprised if there was unhopped beer in Ireland in the 19th century.
Craig16 September 2010 at 19:50
Okay, last thing and I won't bug you anymore. I've noticed on a number of charts, listing both Black and Roasted malt. My assumption is the Roasted is more in line with a Chocolate Malt and Black is Black Patent. Am I off base?

By the way, I was lying about the bugging you thing.
Ron Pattinson17 September 2010 at 01:15
Craig, black malt and roasted malt are two names for the same thing.

Barclay Perkins usually called it roasted malt, Whitbread black malt. Annoyingly, in the 20th century Barclay Perkins used both roasted malt and roasted barley, but often only put "Rd." in the log. You can only guess which one they mean.
Thomas Barnes18 September 2010 at 00:48
@Ron: Interesting but subtle change in historical terminology there, which you might need to make clearer.

These days, at least in U.S. brewing practice, "roast malt" is often taken to refer to things like chocolate, dark crystal or other highly-kilned malts, while the term black malt always refers to patent malt.
Ron Pattinson18 September 2010 at 02:41
In the old British records, roasted malt is the same as black malt.
johnk18 September 2010 at 16:07
Ron, I have a recipe for 1936 Mackeson at 51 gravity which I believe was taken from the original brewing record. I have brewed it a couple of times and it is a superb beer, nothing like the present day version. However I thought there might be a mistake in the amount of flaked oats that are listed, it seems too small an amount (less than 0.3%), I would appreciate it if you would have a look at your records and provide an update if you can help. The recipe by weight percentage is:
81.2% Pale Malt
7% Brown Malt
7.6% Black Malt
0.29% Flaked Oats
3.4% Lactose
Ron Pattinson19 September 2010 at 00:16
johnk, I can see without even checking the records that that recipe isn't correct. By the 1930's Whitbread had abandonned the use of black malt. And all their beers contained sugar.

This is the grist of a brew of Mackeson mademsde on 26th October 1936.

pale malt 53.40%
brown malt 7.85%
choc. Malt 7.85%
MA malt 18.06%
no. 3 sugar 8.38%
Duttson sugar 3.66%
oats 0.79%

Obviously this excludes the lactose, which should add another 7 gravity points.

Why is there such a small amount of oats in the grist? Simple. Whitbread party-gyled their Stouts and Porter. These included an Oat Stout. So that wouldn't be breaking the law, a minimal amount of Oats went into all their Stouts.

Even though this particular brew wasn't party-gyles, it still has an indentical grist to all their other Stouts.
johnk19 September 2010 at 13:25
Ron, thanks for answering my query. It’s surprising to see that at the time Whitbread parti-gyled their stouts and porters, I would not have expected Mackeson and oatmeal stouts to be derived from the same grists used for normal stouts and porters. The quantity of oats is so small that it effectively makes no difference to the beers produced, as you say only being included to meet the legal requirements of an oatmeal stout. In present times, I believe the general thinking is that oatmeal stouts should have a smooth, silky, mouthfeel derived from the oats, but at least for these beers in 1936, that’s just not the case. The unfermentable lactose leaves a limited sweetness which would at least give some difference between the beers and in the same way, different gravities derived by how the parti-gyle was blended would change the profile.

They included “Duttson sugar” as well as No 3 invert. I know Duttson was a manufacturers name, however do you or anybody else know what type of sugar this was. It’s only a small part of the recipe, but if it was a highly flavoured ingredient such as molasses or caramel, it might have a significant flavour effect.

One final point, you include a lot of tables in you writings, sometimes you include the grist details, but frustratingly you often don’t. There are a lot of brewers who follow your blog and I am sure that they would all appreciate it if you could try to include the grist make up when you can.

Thanks and keep up the good work.
Kristen England20 September 2010 at 13:51
Johnk,

I'm working this one up currently so you'll have the whole recipe at hand here in a few.

Kristen

Shut up about Barclay Perkins

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Thursday, 16 September 2010

Mackeson - the details

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