Friday 16 August 2019

London Brown Ale after WW II

Before the war, most London Brown Ales were in the low-1040ºs, or around average gravity. After the war, most were only around 1030º, which was 4 points or below average OG. Though there were examples around 1034º and, of course, the outlier that was Whitbread Double Brown, a beer far stronger than its local rivals.

There was quite a lot of variation in rates of attenuation – from 60% to 85% – but most Brown Ales were in the range 65% to 70%. That’s on the low side compared to most draught beers, but is probably a result of the way Brown Ale was brewed. Most were Mild Ale recipes which were primed and then bottled. Unlike in cask Mild, there was no chance for the primings to ferment out before sale as the yeast was removed and the beer stabilised either by chilling or pasteurisation.

Much like London Milds, Brown Ales brewed in the capital tended to be at the darker end of the spectrum, averaging over 90. Around 80 would have been typical for examples brewed in the English provinces.


London Brown Ale after WW II
Date Year Beer Price per pint (d) OG FG ABV App. Atten-uation colour
1946 Barclay Perkins Doctor Brown Ale 13.5 1034.1 1011.3 2.95 66.86% 105
1947 Barclay Perkins Doctor Brown Ale 14 1034.2 1007.4 3.48 78.36% 120
1946 Beasley Dark Brown 12 1029.5 1009.5 2.59 67.80% 90
1947 Beasley Brown Ale 12 1030 1007.7 2.89 74.33% 82
1947 Charrington Brown Ale 12 1028.9 1011 2.31 61.94% 90
1947 Hammerton Nut Brown Ale 12.5 1027.6 1003.9 3.08 85.87% 80
1947 Mann Crossman Brown Ale 14 1035.3 1011.4 3.09 67.71% 82
1946 Taylor Walker Nut Brown Ale 17 1030.1 1007.6 2.92 74.75% 82
1947 Taylor Walker Brown Ale 13 1030.3 1007.3 2.98 75.91% 85
1946 Truman Trubrown 14 1035.1 1014.2 2.70 59.54% 115
1947 Truman Trubrown 14 1033.5 1012.6 2.70 62.39% 105
1946 Watney Brown Ale 13 1031.2 1011.4 2.56 63.46% 110
1947 Watney Brown Ale 13 1029.8 1009.7 2.60 67.45% 82
1947 Whitbread Forest Brown 12 1029.3 1009.1 2.61 68.94% 85
1947 Whitbread Double Brown 17 1043 1010.1 4.27 76.51% 100
Average 13.5 1032.1 1009.6 2.91 70.12% 94.2
Sources:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/001.

1 comment:

Matt said...

As Andrew Campbell said in his 1956 Book of Beer, "London milds are dark in colour".