Let's Brew Wednesday - 1913 Boddington BB

Now this is where things start to get dead confusing. If you remember, a decade or so earlier BB was the name of Boddington’s Strong Ale. Now it’s being used for a standard-strength Mild. It’s all a bit strange.

In terms of strength, it’s exactly halfway between the X and XX of 1901. But that still doesn’t explain the designation BB. I suppose B and BB used together make some sort of sense. But why no BBB, but instead keeping XXX. I struggle to see any logic.

The recipe is similar, but not identical, to that of B. Here there’s a smaller percentage of flaked maize and a greater one of the sugar. There’s also no caramel.

Of course, there are loads of different hops. In the copper: English from the 1909, 1911, and 1912 harvests; Californian from 1911. As dry hops: English from the 1911 and 1912 seasons; Californian from 1911.

1913 Boddington BB
pale malt	8.25 lb	80.49%
flaked maize	1.00 lb	9.76%
No. 3 invert sugar	1.00 lb	9.76%
Cluster 135 mins	0.50 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	0.50 oz
Goldings 30 mins	0.50 oz
Cluster dry hops	0.125 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1048
FG	1016
ABV	4.23
Apparent attenuation	66.67%
IBU	22
SRM	9
Mash at	152º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	135 minutes
pitching temp	61.5º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1318 London ale III (Boddingtons)