Let's Brew - 1880 Strangman Single Stout

This beer I can understand better. Called “Single” in the brewing record, it’s obviously a Single Stout, which is Ireland really means Porter.

The recipe is generally the same as for Beer. That is, a combination of pale and black malt. The big difference is that there’s more than double the quantity of black malt. Which leaves this beer with a proper Porter-like colour.

Only two types of hops this time, English from the 1880 crop and Oregon Bavarian from 1879.

Was this beer aged? Probably not. Though There may have been a portion of aged beer blended in at racking time. 

1880 Strangman Single Stout
pale malt	13.23 lb	94.63%
black malt	0.75 lb	5.37%
Fuggles 90 mins	2.50 oz
Hallertau 30 mins	2.50 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.50 oz
OG	1059
FG	1014
ABV	5.95
Apparent attenuation	76.27%
IBU	54
SRM	25
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

Let's Brew - 1906 Murphy XX Stout

We’re now getting to a proper strength Stout. One which have counted as a Stout in London.

The excitement comes from a grist that’s different. There’s another element to the grist, other than just pale and black malt. And that element is amber malt. How exciting. Amber malt is something which turns up in stronger London Stouts. So it’s not such a surprise to see it here.

There are also changes with the hopping. For a start, the rate is far heavier at 14 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt. Compared to just 5 lbs per quarter for Porter.

The types of hops are slightly different, too. There were two types of English hops, without any vintage listed. Along with Oregon hops from the 1904 and 1905 seasons.

With the high rate of hopping, my guess is that his was aged for a while. Probably at least six to twelve months.

1906 Murphy XX Stout
pale malt	15.00 lb	88.24%
black malt	1.00 lb	5.88%
amber malt	1.00 lb	5.88%
Cluster 90 mins	3.00 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	3.00 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	3.00 oz
Fuggles dry hops	1.25 oz
OG	1072
FG	1018
ABV	7.14
Apparent attenuation	75.00%
IBU	101
SRM	30
Mash at	153º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	58º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1906 Murphy X Stout

Another Irish recipe for you lucky devils. This time, a  Stout.

Now I’m not really sure that this was marketed as a Stout. But I’m guessing that it was. I’d plump for it being sold as Single Stout. Despite only having a gravity about the same as a London Porter.

The grist is the same as that of their Porter. That is, 92% pale malt and 8% black malt. Which is pretty stripped down compared to the Stouts brewed in London. Where, in addition, brown malt, flaked maize and a couple of types of sugar were pretty standard.

There is a slightly higher rate of hopping than in Porter: 6 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) compared to 5 lbs. The hops themselves were, but no all, English. Two from the 1904 season and one undated. There was a single type of Oregon hops, also from 1904.

Was this aged at all before sale? I doubt it. Though there may have been some aged beer blended with it at racking time. Some Kraeusen, too, possibly.

1906 Murphy X Stout
pale malt	11.50 lb	92.00%
black malt	1.00 lb	8.00%
Fuggles 100 mins	0.875 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	0.875 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	0.875 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1053
FG	1012
ABV	5.42
Apparent attenuation	77.36%
IBU	27
SRM	29
Mash at	149º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	100 minutes
pitching temp	57º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew - 1906 Murphy Porter

Someone asked for more Irish recipes. Here you go.

Almost thirty years on and there have been a few changes to Murphy Porter. Most notably, the gravity is 6.5º lower.

There have also been changes to the grist. Where sugar has been dropped and the simplest grist imaginable adopted: just pale and black malt. Though there were five different types of the former. Some of which were definitely Irish.

The hopping rate has been halved, from 10 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt to 5 lbs. Which is a pretty massive change. One reflected in the much lower (calculated) bitterness level of just 25 IBU.

Four types of copper hops were used. English from the 1904 and 1905 harvests; and Oregon, also from 1904 and 1905. Several types of English hops were used as dry hops.

1906 Murphy Porter
pale malt	10.00 lb	91.95%
black malt	0.875 lb	8.05%
Fuggles 100 mins	0.75 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	0.75 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	0.75 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1046
FG	1010.5
ABV	4.70
Apparent attenuation	77.17%
IBU	25
SRM	27
Mash at	149º F
Sparge at	176º F
Boil time	100 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1878 Murphy Porter

Here we have the first result of my visit to the archives in Cork last year. It's taken a while. But, hopefully, it'll be worth it.

Murphy’s records are so much fun. Because they’re split across brewing books and fermentation books. With the former not even including the OG. Matching up entries from the two books is a royal pain in the arse.

The vast majority of the beer Murphy brewed was Porter. And it looks very much like a London Porter, in terms of gravity. Though not in terms of grist. As, unlike London brewers, Murphy didn’t use any brown malt. Instead, going for simple pale and black malt. Along with some sugar.

Talking of the sugar, I’ve no idea of the type. I’m also not totally sure of the quantity. I’ve assumed that it’s given in hundredweights. Bu, given malt is listed in barrels rather than quarters, I’m not totally sure.

I’m equally vague about the hops. All I know for certain is that here were two types. Only the growers name is given. My guess is that they were all English.

1878 Murphy Porter
pale malt	7.75 lb	72.63%
black malt	0.67 lb	6.28%
No. 3 invert sugar	2.25 lb	21.09%
Fuggles 100 mins	2.00 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	2.00 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	2.00 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1052.5
FG	1010.5
ABV	5.56
Apparent attenuation	80.00%
IBU	63
SRM	28.5
Mash at	152º F
Sparge at	176º F
Boil time	100 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

An Irish tied house

What a real treat - a post that isn't about Scotland. True, I did find it when looking for stuff on Scotland, but it's most definitely about Ireland.

Court cases and tied houses. Two topics dear to my heart.

"EIRE HIGH COURT.

Cork Brewery Appeal.—Trading Agreement in Question. In the High Court of Eire last month an important case was heard before the Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Fitzgibbon, and Mr. Justice Murnaghan. An appeal was made on behalf of Andrew O'Donovan, publican. 22 George's Quay, Cork, from a judgment of the High Court, dismissing his appeal from a decision of Circuit Judge O'Donnell at Cork, granting an injunction in favour of James J. Murphy and Co., Ltd., brewers, Cork, restraining Mr. O'Donovan from selling on his licensed premises stout or porter other than the products of Messrs. Murphy and Co., Ltd.

The case for Messrs. Murphy and Co., Ltd., was based on a trading agreement of May 23rd, 1935, in respect of the licensed premises, of which originally they were lessors by a lease of December, 1893, which provided that Mr. O'Donovan should deal exclusively with them for porter and stout. The parties to the agreement were Messrs. Murphy and Co., Ltd., Mr. O'Donovan, and a former licensee who had transferred his interest in the premises to Mr. O'Donovan.

It was submitted on behalf of the appellant that the agreement was illegal and void, as being in unreasonable restraint of trade ; and that it was void in so far as it provided that the licence should be in the custody of Messrs. Murphy and Co., Ltd., and sought to create in them an interest in the licence.

The Court, without calling on counsel for the respondents (Messrs. James J. Murphy and Co., Ltd.), unanimously dismissed, with costs, the appeal.
"The Brewers' Journal 1938", June 15th 1938, page 303.

Unreasonable restraint of trade? Sounds like a perfect description of the tied house system. That's the whole point of it, keeping your competitors' beer out of pubs. I'm not surprised that the court ruled in favour of Murphy.

It's a peculiarity of Irish brewing that only in Cork did breweries - Murphy and Beamish & Crawford - build up estates of tied houses. I've seen it argued that the Cork brewers owed their survival to this. Elsewhere Guinness bought or bullied their way into pubs driving out competitors. Not sure if it's true, but it is striking that the only decent-sized Porter breweries to survive (other than Guinness, obviously) were in Cork.

Note that the tie agreement is only for Porter and Stout. There's a reason for that. It's all Murphy brewed. Though by the time of this dispute their Porter was all but dead.