Let's Brew - 1928 Barclay Perkins KKKK

At some point in the late 1920s, KKK seems to have become KKKK. Not sure the reasoning behind the name change. Perhaps it was intended to distract from the fall in gravity. It had been more than 50 years – since 1871 – that Barclay Perkins had brewed a KKKK.

I know for certain that KKKK was a winter-only beer. If adverts are to be trusted, it looks like it was served from a pin on the bar counter. It was also aged – this version was brewed in May. Which would have made it around 6 months old when served.

The name may have changed, but the recipe is mostly unchanged. The balance between SA (for which I’ve substituted mild) and pale malt has shifted a little in the latter’s favour. Everything else is about the same. Except No.3 invert has replaced No. 2.

A combination of Mid-Kent Goldings from the 1927 crop and Mid-Kent Tutshams from 1926 make up the copper hops. While the dry hops are East Kent Goldings from 1927. All the hops were cold stored.

1928 Barclay Perkins KKKK
pale malt	4.75 lb	28.57%
mild malt	8.75 lb	52.63%
crystal malt 60 L	1.25 lb	7.52%
No. 3 invert sugar	1.75 lb	10.53%
caramel 1000 SRM	0.125 lb	0.75%
Goldings 150 mins	2.50 oz
Goldings 60 mins	2.50 oz
Goldings 30 mins	2.50 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.50 oz
OG	1079
FG	1027
ABV	6.88
Apparent attenuation	65.82%
IBU	85
SRM	23
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	164º F
Boil time	150 minutes
pitching temp	58º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1099 Whitbread Ale

This recipe is in my two new books, Strong! vols. 1 & 2 and Strong! vol.2.

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1944 Barclay Perkins KK (bottling)

The bottled version of KK was one of the strongest beers in London in 1944. When it retailed at 13d for a half-pint. Though it probably wasn’t that easy to find.

Marketed at No. 1 Southwarke Ale, it had been a mighty 1069º before the war. But by 1944 the war had pushed it to below the pre-war strength (1056º) of the draught version of KK. London wouldn’t be seeing draught beers that strong for quite a while.

Surprisingly, the grist is quite different from draught KK. For a start, the base is a 50-50 split between SA and PA malt. And there’s no amber malt or flaked barley. Looking more closely, draught KK has a grist that’s quite similar to their Milds. Which makes sense, as some of Barclay’s London rivals – Courage and Fullers, for example – parti-gyled their Mild and Burton Ales. The presence of PA malt and the lack of adjuncts betray that this was a high-class beer.

On the other hand, the sugar content is much higher here. Almost 20% of the total opposed to around 8% in the draught version.

The hopping is also quite different: all Goldings. Another sign this was a classy beer. The hops in draught KK cost 387/- and 336/- per cwt. While for the bottling version they were 417/-, 424/-, 432/- and 435/- per cwt. Most were from East Kent, but there were also some Worcesters. All were from either the 1943 or 1944 harvest.

1944 Barclay Perkins KK (bottling)
pale malt	4.00 lb	36.78%
mild malt	4.00 lb	36.78%
crystal malt 60 L	0.75 lb	6.90%
No. 3 invert sugar	2.00 lb	18.39%
caramel 1000 SRM	0.125 lb	1.15%
Goldings 90 mins	1.00 oz
Goldings 60 mins	1.00 oz
Goldings 30 mins	1.00 oz
Goldings dry hops	1.00 oz
OG	1053.5
FG	1022
ABV	4.17
Apparent attenuation	58.88%
IBU	38
SRM	20
Mash at	150º F
After underlet	154º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	Wyeast 1099 Whitbread ale

Barclay perkins 1933 KKKK update

I must apologise. I forgot to include some information about Barclay Perkins KKKK. Martyn will like this.

The information comes from a wonderful little scrapbook of circular letter. Mostly covering WW II. They are copies of the letter and leaflets sent out to publicans. And price lists. Sure enough KKKK is on them. I'm surprised they still brewed it during the war.

Here's one of the price lists.

KKKK wasn't a cheap beer. Double the price of Bitter . But see what it was called. Old Burton. Just like the Fullers OBE.

But what about their bottled beers? OK, let's see those, too:

While we're on the topic of K's, No. 1 Southwarke Ale had the brew-house designation KKK (bottling). It was also called Old Ale. So here are those K's all nicely in a row

KK: Burton
KKK: Old Ale
KKKK: Old Burton

Isn't that nice and simple?