I know for certain that KKKK was a winter-only beer. If adverts are to be trusted, it looks like it was served from a pin on the bar counter. It was also aged – this version was brewed in May. Which would have made it around 6 months old when served.
The name may have changed, but the recipe is mostly unchanged. The balance between SA (for which I’ve substituted mild) and pale malt has shifted a little in the latter’s favour. Everything else is about the same. Except No.3 invert has replaced No. 2.
A combination of Mid-Kent Goldings from the 1927 crop and Mid-Kent Tutshams from 1926 make up the copper hops. While the dry hops are East Kent Goldings from 1927. All the hops were cold stored.
| 1928 Barclay Perkins KKKK | ||
| pale malt | 4.75 lb | 28.57% |
| mild malt | 8.75 lb | 52.63% |
| crystal malt 60 L | 1.25 lb | 7.52% |
| No. 3 invert sugar | 1.75 lb | 10.53% |
| caramel 1000 SRM | 0.125 lb | 0.75% |
| Goldings 150 mins | 2.50 oz | |
| Goldings 60 mins | 2.50 oz | |
| Goldings 30 mins | 2.50 oz | |
| Goldings dry hops | 0.50 oz | |
| OG | 1079 | |
| FG | 1027 | |
| ABV | 6.88 | |
| Apparent attenuation | 65.82% | |
| IBU | 85 | |
| SRM | 23 | |
| Mash at | 150º F | |
| Sparge at | 164º F | |
| Boil time | 150 minutes | |
| pitching temp | 58º F | |
| Yeast | Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale | |
Pretty sure the growth of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 20s precipitated the name change--it was big enough that surely its spread would've hit the British press.
ReplyDeleteMichael Foster,
ReplyDeleteI don't think that's the reason. KKK was still being used in the 1950s in London.
In that advertisement is the phrase "For the Christmas puddings" meant literally -- was Strong Ale and Olde Ale added to the batter? Or was it a more metaphorical sense? I've seen some present day recipes that call for moistening Christmas pudding with Stout, but I don't know if they would think it ridiculous at the time to waste the good stuff on a pudding.
ReplyDeleteHi Ron! What's your all time favorite British ale yeast?
ReplyDeleteRon,
ReplyDeletedo you think that this would have been a proper 6 month secondary with Brettanomyces? Any details on this one? Looking at the grist a bit of Brett flavour might not hurt.
I know that, although the flavour for aged beers was not for the mass market anymore, secondary (including Brett) was still common in some breweries in the UK - not sure about Barclay at this point though.
Cheers Peter
Raoul Duke,
ReplyDeletebase on when it was brewed - in 1933, February to May - I'd say yes, it was aged for at least 6 months.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI don't really have a favourite.