I’ve written about Benskins legendary Colne Spring Ale several times before. I’m saddened that I never got to taste it. But I was heartened to spot it in a Benskins advert from 1890. But looking a little more closely, it told me something very surprising.
What style was Colne Spring Ale? Barley Wine? Old Ale? No. According to Benskins, it was a Mild Ale.
Leighton Buzzard Observer and Linslade Gazette - Tuesday 28 January 1890, page 1.
I’m glad of two things: that they numbered their beers and that they grouped them by style. The numbering means that I can be sure that XXXXA Ale and Colne Spring Ale are the same thing. Who would have thought Colne Spring Ale was a type of Mild?
The price list also tells me something I’d long suspected: that Cooper was just the name for bottled Porter. Nice to have that confirmed.
Here’s my guess at the OGs, based around 1055º being the gravity of a beer costing 36s per barrel.
| beer | price per barrel | est. OG |
| No. 1 Indian Pale Ale | 54 | 1082.5 |
| No. 2 Guinea Ale | 42 | 1064.2 |
| No. 3 Pale Ale | 36 | 1055.0 |
| No. 4 XXXXA Ale | 72 | 1110.0 |
| No. 4 XXXX Ale | 60 | 1091.7 |
| No. 5 XXX Ale | 54 | 1082.5 |
| No. 6 XX Ale | 36 | 1055.0 |
| No. 7 Double Stout | 54 | 1082.5 |
| No. 8 Single Stout | 42 | 1064.2 |
| No. 9 Porter | 36 | 1055.0 |
The gravity is too high for the Indian Pale Ale. You had to pay a premium for IPA. My guess would be that the OG was really around 1065º.
Hi Ron - have a word with the guys from Popes Yard at Carnivale Brettanomyces. They've done a huge amount of research into Colne Spring Ale and are looking to recreate it at some stage I think.
ReplyDeleteNeat. I just brewed the 1832 Mild Ale recipe from your book. Maybe I'll bottle it with some Brett.
ReplyDeleteI remember drinking Clone Spring in the late 60s. It was I recall sold as a barley wine and was a rich brown Ruby red beer in the glass. It was sweet and fruity. I have not drunk anything like it since. I have an empty nip bottle and Benskins describe it as specially strong.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly how I remember it
DeleteI loved colne spring ale used to drink it by the pint ,lots of places would not serve more than a pint .Happy days
ReplyDeleteI used to take a few to the Varsity Match at Twickenham Also drank Benskins bItter at the Antelope in Eaton Terrace
ReplyDeletetoo many decades ago! Wonderful ale.
Patrick O'Brien,
ReplyDeleteI'd so loved to have drunk Colne Spring Ale. You jammy bastard.
I have a small 6 1/2 fl oz bottle of Benskins Colne Spring ale, although it's contents seem to have shrunk slightly. I'm guessing it wouldn't be at it's best?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteif it's a version with Brettanomyces, it might be surprisingly drinkable.
Ron Pattinson.Your a braver man than me. But I also have a Courage Barclay and Simmonds Bristol stout which looks in better condition (as in there isn'ta high tide mark on the inside neck of the bottle)Which given it's approximately the same age as me I won't be sampling.
ReplyDeleteColin Ryall
ReplyDeleteI have a bottle of Benskins Colne Spring...it's old...is it still drinkable
ReplyDeleteGary,
ReplyDeleteit depends what you mean by drinkable. And how old it is. If it's old enough to have Brettanomyces in it it, it might be surprisingly drinkable. As it's a very strong beer it's likely to have held up better. Whatever, it's not going to kill you.