Sunday, 25 January 2026

Adnams malts in 1913

An Adnams Extra Stout label featuring a bloke holding a couple of sticks.
And what went into these beers? Let’s take a look. Starting with the malts.

There are four of them in total. Which is more than you see at many breweries. There are two base malts: pale malt for the Pale Ales and Tally Ho; medium malt for the Mild Ales and Stouts. Not sure what medium malt was. I’m guessing it was something like mild malt, based on which beers it was used in.

You may have noticed that crystal malt doesn’t show up very often in the recipes in this book. It really wasn’t very common before WW I. Occasionally turning up in Mild Ales and Stouts. At Adnams, it was used in the stronger Mild and Tally Ho. An interesting choice there. 

The final type is black malt. Which, unsurprisingly, is found in the two Stouts. Which have the simplest of Stout grists, consisting of just base malt and black malt. Unlike London, where Stout grists always included brown as well as black malt. 

Adnams malts in 1913
Beer Style pale malt medium malt black malt crystal malt total malt
X Mild Ale   83.17%     83.17%
XX Mild Ale   68.56%   6.53% 75.09%
BLB Pale Ale 78.00%       78.00%
PA Pale Ale 83.72%       83.72%
BS Stout   69.03% 7.96%   76.99%
DS Stout   68.85% 7.38%   76.23%
Tally Ho Old Ale 27.95% 46.58%   4.66% 79.18%
Source:
Adnams brewing record Book 1 held at the brewery.

 

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