Saturday 24 August 2024

Let's Brew - 1923 Cairnes Strong Ale

Apologies about the interruption to my usual recipe posting regime. Blame all the travelling I've been doing recently. And all the travel posts I've been boring you with.

Yesterday I returned to going through the Cairnes brewing records. I'd forgotten just how much fun it is. (None at all. Other than satisfaction when it's finished.) I've now got to 1943. Lots more Cairnes recipes to come.

Parti-gyled with Bitter Ale was this beer. Which is what I’m calling it. It’s in the IP column, though on some pages it’s been scribbled out and replaced by an “S” or “No. 1”. Given that it’s parti-gyled with Bitter Ale, it is, effectively, a strong Pale Ale.

At 1055º, it looks very much like a London 8d per pint Bitter. One of the strongest draught beers in the capital.  I’m not sure it which format this beer was sold. It may have been either draught, bottled or both.

Not much new to say about the recipe, obviously. As it’s the same as the Bitter recipe. With just more of everything.

The hopping is pretty heavy, at 10 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt. Leaving the (calculated) bitterness at an impressive 47 IBU. 

1923 Cairnes Strong Ale
pale malt 10.50 lb 86.35%
flaked maize 0.825 lb 6.78%
No. 2 invert sugar 0.825 lb 6.78%
caramel 1000 SRM 0.01 lb 0.08%
Fuggles 120 mins 1.50 oz
Fuggles 60 mins 1.25 oz
Goldings 30 mins 1.25 oz
Goldings dry hops 0.50 oz
OG 1055
FG 1014
ABV 5.42
Apparent attenuation 74.55%
IBU 47
SRM 7.5
Mash at 147.5º F
After underlet 156º F
Sparge at 168º F
Boil time 120 minutes
pitching temp 59.000º F
Yeast Wyeast 1084 Irish ale


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm a bit surprised it's as strong as it is,1943 was a pretty grim time, although I guess grain supplies from the US and Canada were on the upswing.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous this recipe is from 1923, Ron meant he has up to 1943 processed for the Cairnes records.
Oscar

Anonymous said...

Looks rather modern, from hopping rates to ABV, could easily be a Special bitter from today.
Oscar