Where Marcin explains the history of brewing in Grodzisk and the local style Grodziskie.
Where Marcin explains the history of brewing in Grodzisk and the local style Grodziskie.
| 1851 William Younger 60/- | ||
| pale malt | 16.25 lb | 100.00% |
| Goldings 105 min | 1.00 oz | |
| Goldings 60 min | 1.00 oz | |
| Goldings 30 min | 1.00 oz | |
| OG | 1072 | |
| FG | 1030 | |
| ABV | 5.56 | |
| Apparent attenuation | 58.33% | |
| IBU | 36 | |
| SRM | 7 | |
| Mash at | 151º F | |
| Sparge at | 184º F | |
| Boil time | 105 minutes | |
| pitching temp | 56º F | |
| Yeast | WLP028 Edinburgh Ale | |
This is my short YouTube video about Sixty Shilling..
Youngs liked combining a couple of types of base malts in their beers. As with pale malt and PA malt in the Pale Ales. Or mild and pale malt in Mild Ales. Only the Black Beers and Burtons (Strong Ales) always have a single type of base malt. X Ale only when it was parti-gyled with a Burton.
| Youngs malts in 1940 | |||||||||
| Beer | Style | pale malt | mild malt | PA malt | enzymic malt | black malt | amber malt | crystal malt | total malt |
| A | Mild | 13.06% | 68.57% | 9.80% | 91.43% | ||||
| X | Mild | 82.68% | 9.45% | 92.13% | |||||
| PAB | Pale Ale | 33.80% | 51.76% | 3.17% | 88.73% | ||||
| PA | Pale Ale | 33.80% | 51.76% | 3.17% | 88.73% | ||||
| P | Porter | 60.00% | 7.50% | 10.00% | 7.50% | 85.00% | |||
| S | Stout | 60.00% | 7.50% | 10.00% | 7.50% | 85.00% | |||
| XXX | Strong Ale | 82.68% | 9.45% | 92.13% | |||||
| XXXX | Strong Ale | 82.68% | 9.45% | 92.13% | |||||
| Average | 89.41% | ||||||||
| Source: | |||||||||
| Young's brewing record held at Battersea Library, document number YO/RE/1/9. | |||||||||
I explain the recipe of 1913 William Younger 80/-. Yum. All those grits!
| Largest Lager breweries year ending April 30, 1890 | ||
| brewery | location | hl |
| Anheuser-Busch | St. Louis | 746,552 |
| Pabst Brewing Company | Milwaukee | 725,255 |
| Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company | Milwaukee | 499,418 |
| George Ehret | New York | 363,237 |
| Spatenbrauerei | Munich | 466,752 |
| Lowen | Munich | 430,288 |
| Anton Dreher | Vienna | 417,918 |
| St. Marx Brauerei | Vienna | 275,974 |
| Source: | ||
| The Abbeville press and banner, (Abbeville, S.C.), 19 Nov. 1890. | ||
| Largest breweries in the UK in 1884 | ||
| brewery | location | hl |
| Guinness | Dublin | 2,127,570 |
| Bass | Burton | 1,636,592 |
| Allsopp | Burton | 1,391,104 |
| Barclay | London | 900,126 |
| Watney | London | 736,467 |
| Truman | London | 736,467 |
| Source: | ||
| Document ACC/2305/8/246 part of the Courage archive held at the London Metropolitan Archive. | ||
I've been rather busy and haven't done much in the way of research about what we're going to do when we're there. I say I've been busy. That's true. But I've also been a lazy git.
Any pubs and brewpubs you could recommend would be most appreciated. This is our schedule so you'll know where we'll be:
15th-18th July Toronto
19th-20th July Ottawa
21st-24th July Montreal
25th-27th July Quebec City
I've only been to Toronto before so I'm totally clueless about the other three cities.
If you fancy meeting up and buying me some beer, get in touch. I',m a sociable fellow and always enjoy meeting new people.
Hopefully, it's not going to be too warm in Canada. Andrew really doesn't cope with heat well. When we were in Japan a few years back, several times I thought he was going to drop dead.
As a follow-up to What is Eighty Shilling, I explain a recipe for 1851 William Younger 80/-. A Shilling Ale version of 80/-.
| 1885 Thomas Usher 60/- B | ||
| pale malt | 8.00 lb | 88.89% |
| cane sugar | 1.00 lb | 11.11% |
| Cluster 90 min | 0.75 oz | |
| Cluster 60 min | 0.75 oz | |
| Strisselspalt 30 min | 0.50 oz | |
| OG | 1041.5 | |
| FG | 1015 | |
| ABV | 3.51 | |
| Apparent attenuation | 63.86% | |
| IBU | 39 | |
| SRM | 4 | |
| Mash at | 155º F | |
| Sparge at | 175º F | |
| Boil time | 120 minutes | |
| pitching temp | 59º F | |
| Yeast | WLP028 Edinburgh Ale | |
For those who missed it, this is my short video on 60/-.
Another of my little videos. This time looking at the third and strongest of the classic Scottish Pale Ales, Eighty Shilling.
| Youngs beers in 1940 | |||||||
| Beer | Style | OG | FG | ABV | App. Atten-uation | lbs hops/ qtr | hops lb/brl |
| A | Mild | 1029 | 1005.5 | 3.10 | 80.90% | 6.14 | 0.71 |
| X | Mild | 1034 | 1005 | 3.84 | 85.34% | 5.60 | 0.81 |
| PAB | Pale Ale | 1039 | 1008.3 | 4.06 | 78.69% | 7.00 | 1.07 |
| PA | Pale Ale | 1047 | 1012.7 | 4.53 | 72.89% | 7.00 | 1.29 |
| P | Porter | 1034 | 1008.3 | 3.40 | 75.56% | 7.00 | 0.99 |
| S | Stout | 1052 | 1016.6 | 4.68 | 68.04% | 7.00 | 1.52 |
| XXX | Strong Ale | 1055 | 1017.2 | 5.00 | 68.77% | 5.60 | 1.31 |
| XXXX | Strong Ale | 1081 | 1036 | 5.95 | 55.54% | 6.09 | 2.00 |
| Source: | |||||||
| Young's brewing record held at Battersea Library, document number YO/RE/1/9. | |||||||
OBITUARY
Mr. John Cornish
Mr. John Cornish. the veteran head horsekeeper at the Ram Brewery, Wandsworth High-street, died on Wednesday last week in St. Stephen's Hospital, Fulham-road. Chelsea, aged 84. For more than 67 years he had been in the service of Messrs. Young and Co.
His only surviving daughter, Miss Cornish, told a “South Western Star” reporter that on the preceding Sunday, when he was showing some visitors over the stable, a rupture from which be suffered gave way. He was immediately taken to hospital. While showing the visitors round the stable Mr. Cornish was carrying an enlarged framed photograph of himself, demonstrating how to handle two shire horses. The photograph was presented to him in February to mark his 67th anniversary as horsekeeper. Wherever the horses were exhibited they won prizes, including prizes at the principal shows at Islington. Regent's Park. Richmond, Maidenhead, and also in local parades, etc The late Mr. Cornish was a native of Thame, Oxfordshire, and was brought to London by his parents when he was nine months old.
South Western Star - Friday 17 April 1942, page 6.
I'm getting the impression that he quite liked his job. As surely he could have retired, had he wanted.
The article has some nice details about Mr. Cornish's work at the brewery:
RECORD OF SERVICE
Messrs. Young and Co.s Brewery, Ltd, Wandsworth. formed the subject of an article in “Live Stock Journal" of February 5. 1926, from which we make the following interesting attracts, viz.:—
The company has a stud of 27 splendid draughters of shire type, and puts on the road every day 10 or 11 pairs. A pair in the course of a day travels about 20 miles. On the outward journey they draw a load of anything up to 2.5 tons, exclusive of the dray weighing over 1 ton lO cwt., two men, and fittings. The dray brings back a load of empties, which works out at about two-thirds the weight of the full vessels. On an average day a total weight of 50 tons of beer is moved by the company’s horses.
To fill the requirements of such a trade for the seven or eight years which comprise the average life of the company's draughters, a horse must, in the first place, be of a type to stand hard wear, and, secondly, must receive the beet of care and treatment. As a matter of fact the company’s horses often last much longer than eight years under the care of John Cornish, who controls the stable.
We count ourselves fortunate in making the acquaintance of Cornish, for he has what must be nearly a record of service among horses, having been with the company for 51 years. His stock of horse lore is therefore something more than mere knowledge — it approaches instinct. Such men are not too numerous in this mechanical age. Many fine animals have passed through Cornish’s hands, and he is justly proud of the conduct of one of the best stables we have ever seen.
South Western Star - Friday 17 April 1942, page 6.
HORSE-DRAWN DRAY AS HEARSE
The hymns sung were "Ye servants of the Lord" and "Abide with me."
The coffin rested in the private mortuary chapel of Messrs. Evershed Bros, funeral establishment, 84 Wandsworth High-street. The cortege started from the brewery. The coffin was borne on a dray drawn by two pure bred shire geldings. "Surprise," a winner of many prizes in pre-war days, and “Burton," recently purchased from a south country breeder. Mr. O. Odell drove the dray and pair to All Saints’ Parish Church, where the service Was held. Immediately after the dray came the directors of Messrs. Young and Co., the staff, foreman. and employees, who acted as pall bearers. Many old employees of the firm also attended the service. The coffin was conveyed from the church to the cemetery by a motor hearse. The directors. staff, and foreman attended the cremation at Putney Vale Cemetery, where the Rev. G. Freeman Irwin also officiated.
The Immediate mourners were Miss Cornish and relatives.
There were, in addition to floral tributes from Miss Cornish and relatives, beautiful emblems from the directors of Messrs. Young and Co., staff, foreman, all departments at the brewery, and local tradesmen.
South Western Star - Friday 17 April 1942, page 6.
This also demonstrates the paternalistic nature of many famliy breweries. Where the directors had respect for their employees. I can't imagine many of my former employers would have turned up to my funeral. But that's another story.
Another little video. This time about Seventy Shilling, or Heavy, one of the classic Scottish Pale Ales.
| 1928 Thomas Usher PA 70/- | ||
| pale malt | 8.00 lb | 78.05% |
| flaked maize | 1.25 lb | 12.20% |
| No. 2 invert sugar | 1.00 lb | 9.76% |
| Goldings 105 min | 1.00 oz | |
| Goldings 60 min | 1.00 oz | |
| Goldings 30 min | 0.75 oz | |
| Goldings dry hops | 0.25 oz | |
| OG | 1048 | |
| FG | 1014.5 | |
| ABV | 4.43 | |
| Apparent attenuation | 69.79% | |
| IBU | 37 | |
| SRM | 7 | |
| Mash at | 150º F | |
| Sparge at | 170º F | |
| Boil time | 105 minutes | |
| pitching temp | 60.5º F | |
| Yeast | WLP028 Edinburgh Ale | |
Here's a short video about the Seventy Shilling style:
I'm just back from a brief weekend trip to London with my son Andrew. The reason: the 70th birthday of Pete, one of my university friends.
But I'm not going to tell you anything about that because it's private. And it's not really beer-related. There was one beery activity: meeting up with Tweedy Pubs for a few pints. I really like his pub videos as they're so well researched. He's also a very amiable chap.
We met in the Queen's Larder. A new pub to me. It's odd I've never been in, as it's close to where I usually stay in London. A rather nice pub, too. With decent cask beer. I really enjoyed the Tim Taylor's Landlord. A beer which sometimes isn't looked after that well in London.
I had planned to take Andrew to the Blind Beggar. But we got stuck in 'Spoons. As you do. Andrew has a very soft spot for 'Spoons. Probably because I took him and his brother Alexei into them so often when they were younger.
The UK is still a nightmare if you have kids. You've no idea from the outside whether they're allowed in a pub. That's why Wetherspoon's pubs are a godsend. They always let children in. I also knew that I can afford to buy all three of us meals and get a pint for me. And a couple of double whiskies. I needed to calm my nerves when out and about with the kids.
Shakespeare's Head is a pretty typical Spoons.Other than that the toilets are easily accessible. Not hidden away in some far corner, up a couple of flights of stairs and along a 50-metre corridor. I sweat it took me 10 minutes to walk to the bogs in the one in Dublin city centre.
We ate in "Spoons a couple of times. Because it was cheap and easy. The fish and chips I had were pretty decent. And very well-priced for the centre of London. The mnushy peas were way better than some I've had in chip shops recently. Like the otherwise wonderful A 1 Fish Bar back home.
Though it was much more expensive than the branches outside London. My pints of Abbot were a bit over a fiver. Last autumn in Folkestone 'Spoons it was about three quid cheaper.
Our flight back was pretty late. Landing around 23:30. Later than I like, really. It was a little after midnight when we tumbled through our front door. No Dolores. She was already in bed. No tea, either.
Almost forgot. I had a fried breakfast both mornings. Bacon, egg, tomato. The perfect start to the day. I thought you'd like to know that. Here's a photo:
The Queens Larder
1 Queen Square,
London WC1N 3AR.
https://queenslarder.co.uk/
Shakespeare's Head
Africa House,
64-68 Kingsway,
London WC2B 6BG.
https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/pubs/shakespeares-head-holborn/
XXPS Btg
also brewed at Fountain.
Holyrood brews kegged at Park Stores. Fountain brews kegged at Tyne.
Holyrood and Fountain beer specifications held at the Scottish Brewing Archive, document number WY/6/1/8/1.
Originally a William Younger beer, hence being brewed at Holyrood. That it was also brewed at Fountain, the NcEwan brewery is interesting. As is the fact that those brews were kegged miles away in Newcastle. Parhaps because it was intended for the English market.
Now the delicious Sweet Stout with all that lovely ullage.
Sweet Stout
Brewing- - Mashed alone or with D.B.S. Export. Processed at HMV Room.
Distribution - In tanker ex HMV room to
Fountain - Supplied bowser filtered for bottling and canning
Glasgow - Supplied bowser filtered for bottling
London (Bates) - Supplied bowser filtered for bottling
Holyrood and Fountain beer specifications held at the Scottish Brewing Archive, document number WY/6/1/8/1.
Interesting that it was only canned at the Fountain brewery and elsewhere only bottled. Note that it was parti-gyled with the stronger DBS Export aka Milk Stout.
We finish with the strong Brown Ale.
Double Century Ale
Brewing- - Mashed alone as Double Century Ale
Processed at Park Stores. Bottled at Park Stores (LS 1/2 pints) for all branches in Scotland. Supplied also to export market mainly America and Canada.
Distribution - In road tanker ex IIMV room to
Kendal - Supplied sheet filtered for bottling
London (Bates) - Supplied sheet filtered for bottling.
Holyrood and Fountain beer specifications held at the Scottish Brewing Archive, document number WY/6/1/8/1.
So Double Century Ale was sold in Scotland, perhaps not as late as 1996, but at least reasonably recently. Though it looks like a lot was exported.
McEwans Pale Ale
Holyrood brews kegged at Park Stores.
Distribution: In road tankers ex IIMV room to Contract Bottlers
Tyne - Bowser filtered for kegging.
Holyrood and Fountain beer specifications held at the Scottish Brewing Archive, document number WY/6/1/8/1.
Nothing very interesting there.
Next is another watery Pale Ale of just 3% ABV.
Youngers Pale Ale
Holyrood brews kegged at Park Stores. Fountain brews kegged at Tyne.
Distribution - In road tanker ex HMV room to Contract Bottlers:
Belfast - Supplied rough. Processed at Belfast and bottled as Wee Willie Pale (1/2 pints) or Holyrood Ale (pints) - coloured to 36º.
Kendal - Supplied sheet filtered (colour 24º) for bottling.
London (Bates) - Supplied sheet filtered for bottling.
Holyrood and Fountain beer specifications held at the Scottish Brewing Archive, document number WY/6/1/8/1.
Technically, Belfast is overseas from Scotland. Interesting that the pints and half-pints were sold under different names in Belfast. And that the beer was coloured darker. It was 24º, as brewed.
Finally, we have Brown Ale.
Brown Ale
Processed at Park Stores.
Distribution - In tanker ex HMV to Contract Bottlers:
Kendal - Supplied sheet filtered for bottling (LS 1/2 pints) as.
London (Bates) - Supplied sheet filtered for bottling (LS 1/2 pints) as.
Belfast - Supplied rough where it is processed and bottled in in pint crowns as Nut Brown Ale or S.D.A. or in 1/2 pint dumps as Wee Willie Brown.
Holyrood and Fountain beer specifications held at the Scottish Brewing Archive, document number WY/6/1/8/1.
It's fascinating that they were still using third-party bottlers. At least, that's what I assume contract bottlers were. As S & N didn't have any breweries south of Newcastle, they also had limited numbers of sites to bottle. Economically, it makes far more sense to ship beer by tanker, then bottle, rather than moving bottled beer around the country.
Again, the pints and half-pints got different names in Northern Ireland. I'm guessing that S.D.A. stands for "Special Dark Ale". Which, if they mean specially weak, is an appropriate name.
The two mashing temperatures are before and after an underlet.
There were three types of English hops, no vintage specified.
| 1951 Maclay PA 6d | ||
| pale malt | 5.50 lb | 85.21% |
| flaked rice | 0.33 lb | 5.11% |
| No. 1 invert sugar | 0.50 lb | 7.75% |
| No. 3 invert sugar | 0.125 lb | 1.94% |
| Fuggles 90 min | 0.50 oz | |
| Fuggles 60 min | 0.50 oz | |
| Goldings 30 min | 0.50 oz | |
| Goldings dry hops | 0.25 oz | |
| OG | 1030 | |
| FG | 1012 | |
| ABV | 2.38 | |
| Apparent attenuation | 60.00% | |
| IBU | 21 | |
| SRM | 4 | |
| Mash at | 148/157º F | |
| Sparge at | 165º F | |
| Boil time | 90 minutes | |
| pitching temp | 61º F | |
| Yeast | WLP028 Edinburgh Ale | |
This is my recent video on the 60/- style:
| UK pseudo-Lager in 1978 | ||||||
| Brewer | Beer | Price per pint (p) | OG | FG | ABV | App. Atten-uation |
| Cameron | Icegold | 33 | 1038.4 | 1005 | 4.35 | 86.98% |
| Federation | Ace of Clubs | 27 | 1034.9 | 1007.2 | 3.60 | 79.37% |
| Hull | Top Score | 38 | 1037.9 | 1005 | 4.29 | 86.81% |
| Vaux | Norseman | 34 | 1038.7 | 1005.9 | 4.27 | 84.75% |
| Greenall Whitley | Grunhalle | 33 | 1036.7 | 1005.4 | 4.08 | 85.29% |
| Hydes | Amboss | 35 | 1034.7 | 1008.55 | 3.39 | 75.36% |
| Lees | Gold Medal | 36 | 1033.7 | 1002.7 | 4.04 | 91.99% |
| Matthew Brown | Slalom | 30 | 1037.2 | 1004.75 | 4.23 | 87.23% |
| Oldham Brewery | Rheingold | 30 | 1035 | 1007 | 3.64 | 80.00% |
| Robinson | Einhorn | 34 | 1035.9 | 1004.1 | 4.14 | 88.58% |
| Thwaites | Stein | 37 | 1034.6 | 1007.8 | 3.48 | 77.46% |
| Hall & Woodhouse | Brock | 36 | 1032.4 | 1005.5 | 3.50 | 83.02% |
| Palmer | Shilthorn | 40 | 1041.4 | 1004.7 | 4.79 | 88.65% |
| Average | 34.1 | 1036.3 | 1005.7 | 3.98 | 84.27% | |
| Source: | ||||||
| Sunday Mirror - Sunday 08 October 1978, page 4. | ||||||
My video on pseudo-Lager:
Buy a signed paperback edition of the Homebrewer's Guide to Vintage Beer. For locations inside Europe.
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Make your birthday special - by brewing a beer originally made on that date.
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