Let's Brew Wednesday - 1952 Strong SSB

I suppose I may as well finish off the full Strong range now I’ve started. For want of a better idea.

Kristen still seems too busy to bother with recipes so you’ll have to put up with me again. I hope you’re not too disappointed.

This is one of the Strong beers which appeared in both bottled and draught form. Was it available on draught all year? I ask the question because it looks quite like draught Old Ales some Southern brewers had (and still do) as Winter specials.

Here are some examples I remember from my younger drinking days:

Draught Southern Old Ales in 1981
Brewer	Beer	OG
Brakspear	Old or XXXX	1043
Burt	4X	1040
Gale	XXXXX (Winter Brew)	1045
Harvey	XXXX	1043
Hook Norton	Old Hookey	1049
King & Barnes	XXXX	1047.5
Palmer	Tally Ho	1047
Tolly Cobbold	Old Strong	1047
Source:
1982 Good Beer Guide

You can see that SSB fits in nicely with this bunch.

In many cases – I’m thinking Harveys – these beers look like a stronger version of the brewery’s Dark Mild. And I’m sure many were parti-gyled with Mild. There was no parti-gyling in this case, but the recipes for XXX Mild and SSB are pretty similar. The only significant differences being that SSB contained a little crystal malt and was dry hopped. And was darker, too. XXX wasn’t all that dark Just about dark enough to count as Dark Mild. Maybe.

As with all Strong’s beers other than the posher Pale Ales, most of the base was mild malt. Though all their beers contained some PA (Pale Ale) malt. There’s a whole load of sugar, too, over 20% of the grist.

I’ve gone with a Fuggles and Golding combination for the hops. As a relatively expensive beer, I’d expect it to be finished with good quality hops. But that’s just a guess. The brewing Just specifies Kent and Worcester. I do know that a majority of the hops grown in Worcestershire were Fuggles so my guess isn’t totally random.

Don’t think I’ve anything else to say. Other than we’ve still PA and SPA to come.

1952 Strong SSB
mild malt	4.25 lb	47.22%
PA malt	2.50 lb	27.78%
crystal malt 60L	0.25 lb	2.78%
no. 3 sugar	0.50 lb	5.56%
table sugar	0.75 lb	8.33%
candy sugar	0.375 lb	4.17%
malt extract	0.375 lb	4.17%
Fuggles 90 min	0.75 oz
Fuggles 60 min	0.75 oz
Goldings 30 min	0.75 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1045.4
FG	1014
ABV	4.15
Apparent attenuation	69.16%
IBU	30
SRM	19
Mash at	151º F
Sparge at	160º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	WLP007 Dry English Ale