Tuesday 26 January 2021

Barclay Perkins Lagers before WW II

Details of one brewery’s pre-WW II Lagers, my favourite Barclay Perkins.


Barclay Perkins Lagers in 1938
Beer Style OG FG ABV App. Atten-uation lbs hops/ qtr hops lb/brl Pitch temp colour
Dark Dunkles 1057.5 1017.1 5.34 70.26% 4.68 1.09 48.5º 80
Export Export 1049.5 1008.5 5.42 82.83% 6.00 1.13 46º 13.5
Draught Lager 1043.5 1008.9 4.58 79.54% 5.47 0.93 48º 13.5
Source:
Barclay Perkins brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number ACC/2305/1/642.


Nice that they brewed more than one type of Lager. Especially that one was dark.

Even the weakest, Draught, is slightly above average OG. Export looks like has a continental-like strength. While Dark has a very reasonable gravity in the high 1050ºs.

Hopping, as you might expect, was on the low side compared to Barclay Perkins Ales. Still heavier than most Scottish Pale Ales.

Pretty simple recipes for all three.

Barclay Perkins Lager malts in 1938
Beer Style lager malt crystal malt grits roast barley
Dark Dunkles 61.76% 14.71%   1.47%
Export Export 85.29%   26.47%  
Draught Lager 100.00%      
Source:
Barclay Perkins brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number ACC/2305/1/642.


Hops now. Which are even less interesting.

Barclay Perkins Lager hops in 1938
Beer Style hop 1 hop 2
Dark Dunkles Saaz 1937 Saaz 1937
Export Export Saaz 1937 Saaz 1937
Draught Lager Saaz 1937 Saaz 1937
Source:
Barclay Perkins brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number ACC/2305/1/642.


All Saaz, all from the most recent season. Can’t get simpler than that. Except that there were two types of them. One costing 237/- per hundredweight, the other 315/-.

5 comments:

Tandleman said...

But what did they taste like? Any info on that?

Mike in NSW said...

How would the draught have been served? Hand pump or did they have Continental style top-pressure CO2 equipment in their pubs for the lager?

Ron Pattinson said...

Mike in NSW,

it was served on CO2 pressure. I know that for sure because CO2 cylinders appear on Barclay Perkins' price list next to the draught Lager. It didn't come in normal casks, either, but ones of 5.5 and 11 gallons. Or 25 and 50 litres.

Ron Pattinson said...

Tandleman,

no, I'm afraid not.

Ray said...

From The Anchor magazine, April 1930: “This small barrel -- the size of a pin -- contains icebox and coil and takes the place of the ordinary standard for serving draught lager from the counter. The customer has the pleasing notion of being served from the barrel.”

Scan here: https://twitter.com/BoakandBailey/status/1342044286901231616