Let's Brew Wednesday - 1881 Whitbread KKK

One step up from the standard Stock Ale, KK, was its big brother KKK. Though not as popular, it still merited its own single-gyle brews of 300 barrels or so. In 1881, the total quantity brewed was 6,743 barrels.  Not too bad for a beer of 9% ABV.

KKK was the second strongest beer in Whitbread’s portfolio, only surpassed – a little – by SSS, their top-level Stout.

Despite the absence of parti-gyling – at least at this point – the grist was the same as KK. 85% malt and 15% sugar. Note that the sugar percentage was higher than in Whitbread’s Mild Ales, where it was under 10%. Sugar may now be regarded as a cheap substitute for malt. Not so in the 19th century, where it was the more expensive beers which tended to contain more.

The many hops were split between “American” from the 1881 season and English from 1880 and 1881.

Before sale, KKK would have been aged for probably at least a year, giving Brettanomyces plenty of time to work its magic.

1881 Whitbread KKK
mild malt	15.75 lb	86.30%
No. 2 invert sugar	2.50 lb	13.70%
Cluster 105 mins	1.00 oz
Fuggles 105 mins	3.00 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	4.00 oz
Goldings 30 mins	4.00 oz
Goldings dry hops	1.00 oz
OG	1089
FG	1022
ABV	8.86
Apparent attenuation	75.28%
IBU	117
SRM	12
Mash at	151º F
Sparge at	160º F
Boil time	105 minutes
pitching temp	56º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale