Let's Brew Wednesday - 1917 Drybrough PI

WW I was a weird time for brewing. In the first 3 years, other than output being limited and some imported ingredients becoming scarce, nothing much happened.

Gravities had fallen a point or two, but not a great deal. Drybrough PI, for example, 1044º in 1914, had an OG of 1041º in January 1917.

The real turmoil began in July 1917, when the first restrictions on beer gravity were introduced. Half of the beer a brewery produced had to have an OG under 1036º. So it’s no surprise that when this beer was brewed on August 14th 1917, it’s gravity had been cut to 1035º. PI was one Drybrough’s biggest sellers. It would have been very difficult for them to leave it over 1036º.

In terms of the grist, the only changes from 1914 were a reduction in the percentage of flaked maize and the introduction of caramel. The former change was almost certainly caused by the wartime situation. Not sure of the reason behind the second.

1917 Drybrough PI
pale malt	6.50 lb	85.02%
flaked maize	0.50 lb	6.54%
no. 1 sugar	0.125 lb	1.64%
no. 2 sugar	0.50 lb	6.54%
caramel	0.02 lb	0.26%
Strisselspalt 120 min	0.25 oz
Fuggles 60 min	0.50 oz
Fuggles 30 min	0.25 oz
Goldings dry hop	0.50 oz
OG	1035
FG	1010
ABV	3.31
Apparent attenuation	71.43%
IBU	14
SRM	5
Mash at	148º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

The above is an excerpt from my excellent book on Scottish brewing:

Which is also available in Kindle form:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q8XHBL2