The strongest X and K Ales, XXXX and KKKK had both disappeared by 1900. In London, at least.
Though between the wars Barclay Perkins brewed one. It was a winter seasonal and, if the adverts are to be believed, was dispensed from a pin on the bar. Something you still saw in the 1970’s. Marston’s Old Ale was usually served that way. I wonder if anywhere still does that?
KKKK is, as you would expect, an absolute monster of a beer. Over 11% ABV and more than 100 calculated IBUs. The perfect beer for a lunchtime session.
As with all Stock Ales, this would have been aged. In the case of a beer this strong, probably at least 12 months.
| 1853 Reid KKKK | ||
| pale malt | 26.25 lb | 100.00% |
| Goldings 120 mins | 5.00 oz | |
| Goldings 60 mins | 5.00 oz | |
| Goldings 30 mins | 5.00 oz | |
| Goldings dry hops | 1.50 oz | |
| OG | 1116 | |
| FG | 1032 | |
| ABV | 11.11 | |
| Apparent attenuation | 72.41% | |
| IBU | 128 | |
| SRM | 10 | |
| Mash at | 148º F | |
| Sparge at | 165º F | |
| Boil time | 120 minutes | |
| pitching temp | 56º F | |
| Yeast | Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale | |
The above is one of the many recipes in my book Let's Brew!
And I've recently created a Kindle version of the book.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08348M2D7
Hi Ron - quite a few Robinsons pubs still have a pin of Old Tom on the bar in the run up to Christmas.
ReplyDeleteHi Ron, I have a question. We seem to know that during a good chunk of history at least in beers that were aged like stock ales & imperial stouts that brettanomyces clausenii was probably in most of these beers that was aged & was part of their taste profile. I'm wondering when this went from common (1700s & much of the 1800s?) to being more rare in these aged beers. Any help you could give would be really helpful. Thank you!
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