Saturday, 23 November 2024

Let's Brew - 1880 Chapman XXX

At first, this beer confused the hell out of me. Why the hell was XXX weaker than XX? It made no sense. Then I looked at the brewing record more closely.

The hopping rate tipped me off first. At over 10 lbs per quarter (336 lbs of malt) it’s much higher than the 7lbs of XX. And almost as high as for PA. This line made it pretty obvious what this beer really was:

        “Ran into No. 4 vat.”

This is clearly a Stock Ale. One which is vatted. In relatively small vats, as 47.5 barrels were split over two vats.

The recipe is similar to X and XX, consisting of just pale malt and fructose. Though the proportions are quite different. There’s only 21% sugar as opposed to 33% in the weaker beers. I’m sure this is because XXX was intended to be matured for a long period.

The hops were the same as in XXX: Sussex from the 1880 crop, and two types of Mid-Kent from 1878.

How long did it stay in the vats? I’m guessing at least a year. Possibly even more. 

1880 Chapman XXX
pale malt 8.25 lb 66.00%
No. 1 invert sugar 4.25 lb 34.00%
Fuggles 90 mins 3.25 oz
Fuggles 30 mins 3.25 oz
Goldings dry hops 2.25 oz
OG 1067
FG 1012.5
ABV 7.21
Apparent attenuation 81.34%
IBU 65
SRM 8
Mash at 147º F
Sparge at 172º F
Boil time 90 minutes
pitching temp 57º F
Yeast WLP023 Burton Ale

 

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