Let's Brew - 1947 Barclay Perkins Victory Stout

1947 wasn’t a great year for British brewing. Gravities were still falling, despite the war being over.

Which explains why Barclay Perkins had a Stout that was under 3% ABV. How ironic that such a feeble beer was called Victory Stout. Though the primings would have raised the effective OG to 1037º

Though, with all dark malts it probably drank heavier than it really was. The grist is anything but simple, with five different grains. I’m slightly disturbed by the low percentage of base malt, not much more than a third of the grist. In the original, it’s three-quarters SA malt, a quarter mild malt. As I doubt you’ll be able to buy SA malt, I’ve specified all mild malt. It’s probably about the closest equivalent.

The hops were all from Kent, Mid-Kent Fuggles (1946), East Kent Tolhursts (1946), Mid-Kent BG (1946) and Kent Fuggles (1945). All pretty fresh then, leaving quite a bitter beer. All that roast barley would have made it taste even more bitter.

I’m really intrigued as to how this beer would taste. Loads of dark malt, quite heavily hopped, but with quite a lot of residual sugar, too. Weak and bitter. Probably how a lot of Britons were feeling in 1947.

1947 Barclay Perkins Victory Stout
mild malt	2.75 lb	37.52%
brown malt	0.75 lb	10.23%
amber malt	0.50 lb	6.82%
crystal malt 60 L	0.50 lb	6.82%
roast barley	1.00 lb	13.64%
No. 3 invert sugar	1.50 lb	20.46%
caramel 1000 SRM	0.33 lb	4.50%
Fuggles 90 min	1.00 oz
Fuggles 60 min	1.00 oz
Goldings 30 min	1.00 oz
OG	1034
FG	1014
ABV	2.65
Apparent attenuation	58.82%
IBU	43
SRM	39
Mash at	147º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	61º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale