Let's Brew - 1973 Whitbread Mackeson Stout

Still not wrung the last drop from Milk Stout. Yet another Mackeson recipe. But quite a sad one, in a way. Because it’s the last one I have from Chiswell Street.

The recipe is very different from the last one I published from 1943. Though a lot of the differences – in particular all the oats – were the result of enforced changes due to wartime restrictions, rather than voluntary.

The pale, brown and chocolate combination used here was more typical of Whitbread’s 20th-century recipes. Not sure what the tiny amount of crystal malt contributes. Looks like a bit of a waste of time to me with all that roasted malt. And what about the torrefied barley? Is that there for head retention or as a cheap bulker-out?

There’s no mention of lactose in the original log, as Whitbread only added it at racking time. I’ve no analyses of Mackeson from this period so I’ve just had to guess. As brewed, the OG was 1039º and FG 1015

The hops in the original were all Worcester. Apart from the hop extract. I guess you probably won’t be using that, so I’ve just bumped up the hops. As no variety was specified for the hops, you can you use any English hops you fancy. I’ve just gone with Fuggles as a conservative choice.

1973 Whitbread Mackeson Stout
pale malt	6.25 lb	64.10%
brown malt	0.50 lb	5.13%
choc. Malt	0.75 lb	7.69%
crystal malt 60L	0.25 lb	2.56%
torrefied barley	1.00 lb	10.26%
lactose	0.75 lb	7.69%
No. 3 invert sugar	0.25 lb	2.56%
Fuggles 60 min	0.50 oz
Fuggles 40 min	0.50 oz
Fuggles 20 min	0.50 oz
OG	1044
FG	1015
ABV	3.84
Apparent attenuation	65.91%
IBU	16
SRM	25
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	170º F
Boil time	60 minutes
pitching temp	64º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1099 Whitbread ale