Let's Brew - 1869 Barclay Perkins KK

In the middle of the 18th century, London Stock Ales were monsters of beers. High gravity and ridiculously heavily hopped.

Of course, they need all those hops to keep them healthy between primary fermentation and sale. Because they would have been aged for a long period – probably at least 12 months. Though, unlike Porter and Stout, which were aged in vats, Stock Ales were aged in trade casks, most likely hogsheads.

There’s nothing much to the recipe. Just one type of pale malt and two types of hops. East Kent and Mid-Kent from the 1867 harvest, to be specific. The hops, I mean.

The FG is just a guess. It could well have been considerably lower as there would have been a secondary Brettanomyces fermentation during the ageing process.

Barclay Perkins also brewed a Mild version, XX. It had the same OG as KK, but was hopped at around two-thirds the rate.

1869 Barclay Perkins KK
Mild malt	19.50 lb	100.00%
Goldings 90 min	4.50 oz
Goldings 60 min	4.50 oz
Goldings 30 min	4.50 oz
Goldings dry hops	1.50 oz
OG	1085.5
FG	1020
ABV	8.67
Apparent attenuation	76.61%
IBU	148
SRM	8
Mash at	155º F
Sparge at	190º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	58º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale