Let's Brew Wednesday - 1917 Fullers AK

Bored of the fascinating Light Bitter called AK?  Well I fucking am't. Here's yet another recipe for one.

Dropping neatly between too posts on Fullers AK during WW I, here's a recipe part war through the gravity collapse.

In the middle of 1917 Fuller’s beers became ludicrously simple, pared back to pure malt or near as dammit pure malt. Like their AK.

There’s a tiny amount of caramel colouring, but otherwise the grist is 100% pale malt. As an enthusiastic user of both sugar and flaked maize for decades, I can’t imagine this was a voluntary decision of Fuller’s part. It does make for some interesting beers, though.

The hops, just like in their X Ale, were all English. In fact they were exactly the same hops. All their beers at this point contained the same three types: Cobbs (1915, 1916) and Mid-Kent (1916).

The real mashing scheme was mash of an hour with an initial heat of 148º F, raised to 151º F after 25 minutes by an underlet. Left to stand for a further 1 hour and 35 minutes.

1917 Fullers AK
pale malt	8.25 lb	99.95%
caramel 500 SRM	0.004 lb	0.05%
Fuggles 90 mins	0.75 oz
Goldings 60 mins	1.00 oz
Goldings 30 mins	1.00 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1035
FG	1006
ABV	3.84
Apparent attenuation	82.86%
IBU	37
SRM	4
Mash at	151º F
Sparge at	168º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1968 London ESB

Let me know if you're bored with all this Light Bitter shit. It won't stop me. Once I get a a grillox in my teeth i rarely let go. But if complaining makes you feel better, that's fine by me. I just love futile actions. That's why I'm a CAMRA life member and a Newcastle supporter.

The above is an excerpt from Armistice,  my wonderful book on brewing in WW I.