Pre-WW II London Stout malts

There’s a big variation in the types of malt used by the four breweries, with only one omnipresent: brown malt. Not such a surprise that, given London brewers’ unflinchingly loyalty to this ingredient.

Most chose pale malt as base, Barclay Perkins being the exception in using mild malt. Though Whitbread did have some mild malt in the base mix. Barclay Perkins also stood out in throwing in some amber malt. An ingredient which was common in classier Stouts in the 19th century, but which had generally been dropped in the 20th.

Crystal malt was pretty popular. Which shouldn’t be a surprise, as Black Beers, along with Mild Ales, were the types of beers the malt had been designed for.

With regard to the principal colouring grain, there’s quite a bit of diversity. Only courage employed black malt, while Whitbread went for chocolate malt and Barclay Perkins and Truman both plumped for roast barley.

The malted oats in Courage Stout were presumably there because some was sold as Oatmeal Stout.

Pre-WW II London Stout malts
Year	Brewer	Beer	pale malt	brown malt	black malt	amber malt	choc. Malt	crystal malt	mild malt	malted oats
1937	Courage	Stout	58.00%	18.00%	10.00%					4.00%
1936	Barclay Perkins	BS		5.43%		10.87%		6.52%	48.91%
1937	Whitbread	LS	53.33%	7.84%			7.84%		18.04%
1931	Truman	BS	76.63%	4.70%				4.70%
1931	Truman	St	76.63%	4.70%				4.70%
Sources:
Courage brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number ACC/2305/08/263.
Barclay Perkins brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number ACC/2305/01/621.
Whitbread brewing record held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/09/125.
Truman gyle book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number B/THB/C/114.