1885 Thomas Usher Ex PA

Now here’s a treat for you. A recipe that isn’t from William Younger. It is Scottish, though.

I know hoppy beers are popular nowadays. No idea why, give me a Dark Mild of a Milk Stout any day of the week.

Usher was another brewery with a huge range of beers. At least in the 19th century. They trimmed it down a lot in the 20th. They had four Pale Ales in total: PA, PA 60/-, IP and this beer, Ex PA. Which I assume stands for Export PA. It’s the strongest and the most heavily hopped of the set.

Based on the level of hopping – double that of their other Pale Ales –I’ll go out on a limb and say that this was a Stock Pale Ale. Meaning that it would have been aged before sale. Probably at least 3 to 6 months. Usher don’t specify dry hopping in their logs, but there’s no way a beer like this wouldn’t have been dry hopped. Half an ounce is the minimum it would have contained. It could well have been as much as an ounce.

I’ve concentrated on the hopping because there’s really nothing to say about the grist. It’s just pale malt. Can’t get simpler than that.

The FG when sold would have been lower. After a few months maturing, it would be down at least 4-5 points. Though the rate of attenuation is already higher than for their other beers. Their Shilling Ales and Mild Ales were only a little over 60%.

1885 Thomas Usher Ex PA
pale malt	14.00 lb	100.00%
Strisselspalt 90 min	3.00 oz
Strisselspalt 60 min	3.00 oz
Hallertau 30 min	3.00 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.50 oz
OG	1060
FG	1015
ABV	5.95
Apparent attenuation	75.00%
IBU	95
SRM	5
Mash at	155º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	150 minutes
pitching temp	57.5º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale