Monday 28 November 2011

Scottish Stout 1947 - 2004

We're finally there. At the last part of my look at Scottish Stout. Through numbers. What better way is there to look at beer?

There are so many beers in this table - no surprise as it runs from WW II to the present - I've used a little spreadsheet maths to help me out. These are the averages it spat out:

OG 1017.3, FG 1040.9, ABV 3.06%, apparent attenuation 57.00%.

Of  the 85 beers in the table (there are actually 86 beers in the table, but I have no FG for one), 27 had less than 50% attenuation. Here are the figures in more detail:


attenuation no. of beers %
30 - 39% 6 7.06%
40 - 49% 21 24.71%
50 - 59% 24 28.24%
60 - 69% 21 24.71%
70 - 79% 11 12.94%
80 - 89% 1 1.18%
90 - 99% 1 1.18%
total 85 100.00%

Only 13 beers had attenuation of over 70%, which is about the level I would call normal. That's just 15% of the total.

In terms of OG, the results are even more conclusive. More than 90% of the beers are below 1050º. 60% are below 1040º. Here's it all in convenient table form:


OG no. of beers %
<1030º 1 1.18%
1030-1039º 50 58.82%
1040-1049º 26 30.59%
1050-1059º 2 2.35%
1060-1069º 5 5.88%
1070-1079º 1 1.18%
total 85 100.00%

The stronger Stouts are so few in number as to be insignificant.

The numbers for ABV are just as convincing. Over 80% of the beers were less than 4% ABV. That's not so surprising. For much of the period covered by the table the average OG of beer brewed in Britain was a rock-solid 1037, or about 3.7% ABV. It's the proportion below 3% ABV that's more significant: exactly 60%. Here are the full numbers:


ABV no. of beers %
<2% 11 12.94%
2-2.9% 40 47.06%
3-3.9% 20 23.53%
4-4.9% 9 10.59%
5-5.9% 2 2.35%
6-6.9% 2 2.35%
7-7.9% 0 0.00%
8-8.9% 0 0.00%
>9% 1 1.18%
total 85 100.00%


Weird, isn't it, how a beer style whose name means "strong" should have become so weak as to not really be an intoxicating drink.

Which confirms what I've been saying about 20th century Scottish Stout: it was relatively low gravity, poorly-attenuated and effing sweet. No surprise, I know. But the confirmation of numbers is reassuring. There were still odd beers that didn't fit into the Sweet Stout style, but these were a small minority.

Here's the full table. Feel free to make your own analysis of it. I'm off to lie down. All these numbers are  making my head hurt.






Scottish Stout 1947 - 2004
Year Brewer Beer Style Price size package Acidity FG OG colour ABV App. Atten-uation Flavour
1947 Campbell, Hope & King Draught Stout Stout 12d pint draught 1010.5 1032.5 2.85 67.69%
1947 Jeffrey & Co Double Stout Stout pint bottled 1004.5 1076.5 9.53 94.12% Very sour.
1947 Jeffrey & Co XXX Stout Stout pint bottled 1014.5 1064.5 6.52 77.52% Very sour.
1947 McEwan Stout Stout 14d pint draught 1006 1030.5 3.18 80.33%
1947 Tennent Stout Stout 1/1d pint bottled 0.06 1018.18 1030.7 1 + 11.5 1.61 40.78%
1947 Younger, Robert Stout Stout 14d pint draught 1007.5 1028 2.66 73.21%
1948 Ballingall & Son Angus Stout Stout bottled 0.10 1011.09 1037.6 1 + 19 3.43 70.51%
1948 Belhaven No. 1 Stout Stout pint bottled 1011 1035 3.11 68.57% Sweet, thin, lightish in colour.
1948 Calder Alloa Stout Stout pint bottled 1015 1039.5 3.16 62.03% Sweet, slightly tart, lightish in colour.
1948 Maclachlan Stout Stout pint bottled 1009.5 1032 2.91 70.31%
1948 McEwan Imperial Stout Stout pint bottled 1018.5 1047 3.68 60.64%
1948 Tennent Stout Stout pint bottled 1015.5 1030 1.86 48.33% Sweet lightish in colour, resembles brown ale more than stout.
1948 Younger, Geo Extra Stout Stout pint bottled 1017.5 1036.5 2.44 52.05% Sweet dark colour looks more like stout.
1949 Aitken Stout Stout pint bottled 1020 1038.5 2.38 48.05%
1949 Belhaven No. 1 Stout Stout pint bottled 1015.5 1035.5 2.58 56.34%
1949 Bernard Export Stout Stout pint bottled 1010 1040 3.89 75.00%
1949 Blair Invalid Stout Stout pint bottled 1016 1035 2.45 54.29%
1949 Calder Alloa Stout Stout pint bottled 1013 1038.5 3.30 66.23%
1949 McEwan Imperial Stout Stout pint bottled 1017 1039.5 2.90 56.96%
1949 McEwan & Co. Imperial Stout Stout half bottled 0.06 1014.4 1046.4 1 + 15 4.14 68.97%
1949 McEwan & Co. Manx Oyster Stout Stout 1/2d half bottled 0.06 1014.3 1046.4 1 + 14.5 4.16 69.18%
1949 McEwan & Co. Manx Oyster Stout Stout pint bottled 1014 1040.5 3.43 65.43%
1949 Tennent Stout Stout 1/3d half bottled 0.05 1018.3 1034.9 1 + 12 2.13 47.56%
1949 Tennent Stout Stout pint bottled 1017.5 1032 1.86 45.31%
1950 Calder Alloa Milk Stout Stout bottled 0.07 1029.7 1069.3 1 + 14 B 5.10 57.14%
1950 Bernard Stout (Export) Stout 1/1d half bottled 0.11 1014.1 1045.5 1 + 10 4.07 69.01%
1950 McEwan Imperial Stout Stout 1/1.5d half bottled 0.06 1014.4 1043 22 B 3.70 66.51%
1950 Tennent Milk Stout (Export) Stout half bottled 0.16 1020 1063.2 1 + 17 5.60 68.35%
1951 Younger, Wm. Sweet Stout Stout 1/2d half bottled 0.06 1019.5 1035.7 1 + 10 2.08 45.38%
1953 Dudgeon & Co Bellhaven Heavy Stout Stout 1/3d nip bottled 0.05 1029.6 1059 1 + 16 3.77 49.83%
1953 Steel Coulson Sweet Stout Stout 14d half bottled 1032
1953 Younger, Robert  Sweet Stout Stout 1/2.5d half bottled 0.05 1017.2 1035.7 1 + 12 2.38 51.82%
1954 Aitken A Stout Stout 1/2d half bottled 0.04 1021.2 1041.4 1 + 20 2.59 48.79%
1954 Bernard Export Stout Stout 1/2d half bottled 0.04 1013.3 1043.9 1 + 14 3.96 69.70%
1954 Calder Scotch Stout Stout 1/2d half bottled 0.04 1015.9 1040.9 1 + 14 3.23 61.12%
1954 Jeffrey & Co Nourishing Stout Stout 1/2d half bottled 0.05 1019.3 1036.1 1 + 14 2.16 46.54%
1954 McEwan Sweet Stout Stout 1/2d half bottled 0.05 1019.3 1036.1 1 + 19 2.16 46.54%
1954 McLennan & Urquhart Dalkeith Stout Stout bottled 0.06 1019.7 1037.1 450 2.23 46.90%
1954 Steel Coulson Elephant Stout Stout 1/2.5d half bottled 0.04 1017.5 1038.9 1 + 17 2.76 55.01%
1954 Steel Coulson Elephant Sweet Stout Stout 1/2.5- half bottled 0.07 1014.1 1041.7 350 3.57 66.19%
1954 Younger, Geo. Extra Stout Stout 1/2d half bottled 0.05 1018 1037.5 1 + 30 2.51 52.00%
1954 Younger, Wm. Nourishing Stout Stout 1/2d half bottled 0.05 1021.6 1046.3 1 + 16 3.18 53.35%
1954 Younger, Wm. Capital Stout (Lactose present) Stout 1/4d half bottled 0.04 1019.7 1046.5 250 3.45 57.63%
1955 Blair & Co Sweet Stout Stout 1/3d half bottled 0.05 1010.9 1033.1 300 2.87 67.07%
1955 Fowler Stout Stout 1/3d half bottled 0.04 1018.6 1038 400 2.49 51.05%
1955 J & J Morison Sweet Stout Stout 9d nip bottled 0.04 1012.3 1035.7 325 3.02 65.55%
1955 J Aitken Stout Stout 1/3d half bottled 0.05 1019.5 1040.3 325 2.67 51.61%
1955 Maclachlan Extra Sweet Stout Stout 1/3d half bottled 0.05 1014.8 1035.8 225 2.71 58.66%
1955 McEwan Sweet Stout Stout 1/3d half bottled 0.04 1018.6 1038.4 375 2.55 51.56%
1955 Murray W Export Stout Stout 1/3d nip bottled 0.05 1015.8 1064.6 350 6.36 75.54%
1955 Tennent Stout Stout 1/3d half bottled 0.05 1019.3 1034.7 325 1.98 44.38%
1955 Younger, Geo. Extra Stout Stout 15d half bottled 0.05 1015.8 1038.5 575 2.93 58.96%
1955 Younger, Geo. Sweetheart Stout Stout 26d 16 oz can 0.04 1024.5 1036.4 225 1.52 32.69%
1955 Younger, Wm. Sweet Stout Stout 15d half bottled 0.05 1017.5 1034.9 200 2.24 49.86%
1956 Deuchar R Edinburgh Sweet Stout Stout 1/3d half bottled 0.04 1016.8 1042.9 300 3.37 60.84%
1956 Younger, Geo Sweetheart Stout Stout 1/3d half bottled 0.04 1024.6 1037.6 225 1.66 34.57%
1957 Tennent ???? Brand Stout Stout half bottled 0.06 1020.8 1059.4 300 4.99 64.98%
1958 Bernard Export Stout Stout 26d 16 oz can 0.05 1014.7 1046.4 225 3.96 68.32%
1959 Aitchison & Co Dalkeith Sweet Stout Stout 15d half bottled 1021.3 1037.3 600 2.05 42.90%
1959 Aitken Stout Stout 14d half bottled 1022.3 1039.4 250 2.19 43.40%
1959 Calders Scotch Stout Stout 14d half bottled 1021.5 1042.2 300 2.66 49.05%
1959 Deuchar, R Edinburgh Sweet Stout Stout 14d half bottled 1019.7 1043.5 275 3.06 54.71%
1959 Murray, Wm Extra Sweet Stout Stout 14d half bottled 1018.3 1039.6 175 2.74 53.79%
1959 Younger, Geo. Sweetheart Stout Stout 14d half bottled 1024.4 1036.4 275 1.53 32.97%
1959 Younger, R Sweet Stout Stout 14d half bottled 1018.3 1035.5 250 2.21 48.45%
1959 Younger, Wm. Capital Stout Stout 15d half bottled 1021.6 1043.7 376 2.84 50.57%
1959 Younger, Wm. Sweet Stout Stout 14d half bottled 1013.1 1033.3 300 2.61 60.66%
1960 Younger, Wm. Sweet Stout (lactose present) Stout 12d half bottled 0.03 1016.9 1034.8 250 2.24 51.44%
1961 Aitken Stout (no lactose) Stout 15d half bottled 0.04 1022 1038.9 275 2.11 43.44%
1961 Calders Stout (no lactose) Stout 16d half bottled 0.06 1019.8 1041.3 250 2.69 52.06%
1961 Dudgeon & Co. Milk Stout (lactose) Stout bottled 0.04 1025 1048.4 374 2.93 48.35%
1961 Mackays Stout (no lactose) Stout 14.5d half bottled 0.06 1016.2 1037.9 250 2.71 57.26%
1961 Tennent Stout (no lactose) Stout 13d half bottled 0.04 1019 1033.6 300 1.82 43.45%
1964 Tennent Milk Stout Stout bottled 0.05 1023 1061.8 250 4.85 62.78%
1964 Tennent Sweet Stout Stout 16d half bottled 0.04 1019.9 1032.7 425 1.60 39.14%
1966 Belhaven Dunbar Sweet Stout Stout bottled 0.04 1018.9 1038.2 280 2.41 50.52%
1966 Tennent Sweet Stout Stout 18.5d half bottled 0.04 1016.9 1034 300 2.14 50.29%
1967 Campbell, Hope & King Sweet Stout Stout 19d half bottled pH 4.5 1023 1036 250 1.63 36.11%
1967 Tennent Sweet Stout Stout 19d half bottled pH 4.4 1017.1 1033.2 280 2.01 48.49%
1967 Tennent Sweetheart Stout Stout 19d half bottled pH 4.29 1024 1035.7 280 1.46 32.77%
1967 Younger, Wm. Sweet Stout Stout 19d half bottled pH 4.26 1015.3 1034 300 2.34 55.00%
1993 Broughton Oatmeal Stout Stout draught 1010.7 1040 130 3.8 73.25%
2004 Bridge of Allan Bannockburn Ale Stout draught 1011.7 1044 4.2 73.41%
2004 Bridge of Allan Glencoe Wild Oat Stout Stout draught 1013.3 1048 4.5 72.29%
2004 Broughton Scottish Oatmeal Stout Stout draught 1012.6 1045 4.2 72.00%
2004 Fyne Vital Spark Stout draught 1008.7 1042.5 4.4 79.53%
Sources:
Thomas Usher Gravity Book document TU/6/11 held at the Scottish Brewing Archive
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002
1993 Real Ale Drinker's Almanac
Good Beer Guide 2005
Document from the Steel Coulson archive held at the Scottish Brewing Archives

1 comment:

Gary Gillman said...

The stouts seem to cluster between 40 and 69% on attenuation, or a rough average of 55%, i.e., excluding the "non-standard" lows and highs which seem atypical in this (or any) period.

What is the reason for this sinking attenuation? Did the beers need to have more body to "compensate" for average lower alcohol?

I noticed a similar correlation between average lower attenuation and lower ABV in one of the recent Scotch pale ale tables.

You can have e.g. a dry pale ale that is weak, lots of English bottled light ales in the 70's and 80's were, for example.

Why did the beers become sweeter especially when they would have been cheaper to make (I assume) if you kept the attenuation at 70%?

Gary

Gary