Let's Brew - 1942 Drybrough 54/-

On the face of it, not much has happened to 54 bob since 1941. But on digging deeper, there’s one big change.

Like most UK breweries, Drybrough used some flaked maize pre-war. It was the favourite adjunct. As all maize had to be imported, its use became problematic once the conflict kicked off. Most breweries initially substituted flaked rice for maize, then went over to flaked barley.

Drybrough was a little different. Yes, like everyone else they dropped maize soon after the start of the war. But, after briefly flirting with flaked rice in the summer of 1940, they went over to just malt and sugar. Until early in 1942. When flaked barley was added to their grists.

One thing hadn’t changed. 54/- remained as watery as fuck. Though an increase in the percentage of chocolate malt meant it was darker, as brewed. A little. Though who knows what colour it was when it hit your glass.

1942 Drybrough 54/-
pale malt	5.00 lb	80.06%
enzymic malt	0.125 lb	2.00%
chocolate malt	0.05 lb	0.80%
flaked barley	0.50 lb	8.01%
malt extract	0.07 lb	1.12%
No. 2 invert sugar	0.50 lb	8.01%
Fuggles 135 mins	0.50 oz
Fuggles 90 mins	0.25 oz
Goldings 30 mins	0.25 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1028
FG	1012.5
ABV	2.05
Apparent attenuation	55.36%
IBU	15
SRM	6.5
Mash at	151º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	135 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale