Let's Brew - 1887 Fullers Brown Stout

Fullers other black beer was called BS in the brewhouse, which presumably stands for Brown Stout. That was, after all, the original name for Stout. A strong beer brewed from brown malt.

In terms of gravity, it’s pretty typical of a standard London Stout of the 1880s. A beer which would principally have been sold on draught. Though there would also have been a bottled version, unlike with Porter.

Confusingly, a price list from 1893 has two draught Stouts, Double Stout and Single Stout. Based on the price – 54 shillings and 44 shillings per barrel, respectively – Double Stout was this beer. My guess is that Single Stout was a blend of BS and Porter. To make things even more complicated, BS in its bottled form was called Extra Stout.  And Single Stout simply Stout.

For a discussion of the recipe, consult the Porter recipe. As you’ve probably already guessed, the two were parti-gyled together. There is one difference: only the Stout was dry-hopped.

1887 Fullers Brown Stout
pale malt	7.25 lb	50.88%
brown malt	3.00 lb	21.05%
black malt	1.00 lb	7.02%
No. 2 invert	3.00 lb	21.05%
Fuggles 90 mins	1.50 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	1.50 oz
Goldings 30 mins	1.50 oz
Goldings dry hops	1.00 oz
OG	1068
FG	1027
ABV	5.42
Apparent attenuation	60.29%
IBU	47
SRM	39
Mash at	156º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	57º F
Yeast	WLP002 English Ale