Let’s Brew - 1880 Barclay Perkins XX

This will be exciting for you. An old Mild recipe with more than just mild malt and Goldings. Yes, a truly thrilling change of pace.

The OG is the same as in the 1860’s, but there have been changes elsewhere. There’s sugar in addition to malt and American hops as well as English ones. Despite the use of higher alpha hops, the calculated IBUs are down. So quite a different beer.

I’m not sure exactly when the 1880 Free Mash Tun Act came into effect, but I suspect it was later than March, which is when this beer was brewed. Which would explain the absence of unmalted grain. Sugar, remember, had been allowed since 1847.

Talking of sugar, No. 1 invert is a guess. The only description of it in the log simply says: “Scotch”. Feel free to use any type you fancy. It could have been just straight sucrose, for all we know.

The hops are described as MK and American. I think my choice of varieties is about right. Though you could substitute Goldings for the Fuggles.

1880 Barclay Perkins XX Ale
pale malt	14.00 lb	86.15%
No. 1 invert sugar	2.25 lb	13.85%
Cluster 90 min	4.00 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	2.25 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	2.25 oz
OG	1079.5
FG	1027.7
ABV	6.85
Apparent attenuation	65.16%
IBU	106
SRM	9
Mash at	160º F
Sparge at	170º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale