Let's Brew Wednesday - 1933 William Younger Export

Finally, an Eighty Shilling that really is related to modern Scottish Export. Though it wasn’t actually called 80/- by the brewery. It was, at least, called Export.

The gravity clearly plonks it firmly in the 80/- category. With an OG of 1054º, it’s clearly in the 8d per pint class. Which is where 80/- gets its name. 6d per pint beers were called 60/-, 7d beers 70/- and 8d beers 80/-. Simple, isn’t it?

There’s a shitload of grits again. Along with three types of pale malt. All very simple, if not particularly awe-inspiring. There was almost certainly caramel added at racking for colour correction. And, knowing Scotland, it probably came in a few different shades. With some being surprisingly dark.

The hopping is heavier than in the 1913 Shilling Ale type of 80/-. Though it’s still a little under 5 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt. Quite low for a Pale Ale of this strength. Though it still comes out over 50 IBU.

Two types of hops: Pacific from the 1930 harvest and Kent from 1932. 

1933 William Younger Export
pale malt	7.25 lb	58.00%
grits	5.25 lb	42.00%
Cluster 90 min	2.00 oz
Fuggles 30 min	2.00 oz
Goldings dry hops	1.00 oz
OG	1054
FG	1016
ABV	5.03
Apparent attenuation	70.37%
IBU	53
SRM	4
Mash at	156º F
Sparge at	160º F
Boil time	165 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

This is a YouTube video about this recipe: 

 

And here's a short YouTube video I made about Eighty Shilling.

  

Let's Brew - 1913 William Younger 80/-

Yet another Eighty Shilling which isn’t what we now think of the style. But of the older type of Scottish beer that I call Shilling Ales.

The gravity has fallen again. But the FG has remained the same, making it even less well attenuated than the 1885 version. Barely over 50%. Which must have made for a very sweet and sticky beer.  Especially as the hopping rate has fallen again. Dropping from 5 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) in 1885 to just 3.5 Lbs in 1913.

Lots of changes in terms of the recipe. From no adjuncts in 1885 to over 40% grits. That’s quite a change. There’s barely any more base malt. It doesn’t sound like a great recipe with all that maize. I have tried a recreation of one Younger’s beer with a similar proportion of grits and it was much better than I expected.

Sugar has also appeared. Glucose is my guess. The brewing record just says “syrup”. I’ve guessed glucose, but it could also have been a type of invert. In addition, there’s caramel for colour correction. Which leaves this version looking like a dark Mild.

Three types of hops were used: Kent from the 1912 harvest and Pacific from 1910 and 1912. 

1913 William Younger 80/-
pale malt	6.50 lb	51.42%
grits	5.25 lb	41.53%
glucose	0.75 lb	5.93%
caramel 2000 SRM	0.14 lb	1.11%
Cluster 135 min	0.75 oz
Cluster 60 min	0.50 oz
Fuggles 30 min	0.25 oz
OG	1056
FG	1027
ABV	3.84
Apparent attenuation	51.79%
IBU	30
SRM	20
Mash at	151º F
Sparge at	160º F
Boil time	135 minutes
pitching temp	59.5º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

Here's a short YouTube video I made about Eighty Shilling.

 

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1885 William Younger 80/-

Another Eighty Shilling that isn’t like the modern version. Instead, it’s of the Shilling Ales type. That is, sort of a bit like an English Mild Ale.

If you can remember the 80/- from 1851, that was a much stronger beer, with an OG about 20º higher. And a ABV pushing 7%. It doesn’t help that the rate of attenuation is even worse here. This brew was a parti-gyle with 60/-.

The recipe remains pretty simple. With a 100% malt grist, consisting of three types of pale malt, one Scottish and two foreign. There’s no sugar, even though it was present in some of Younger’s other beers.

The hopping rate is a good bit lower than in 1851: 5 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt, as opposed to 7 lbs.  This is reflected in the somewhat lower (calculated) IBUs.

There were five types of hops, all from the 1884 season: two Kent, Californian, Spalt and American.

1885 William Younger 80/-
pale malt	14.75 lb	100.00%
Cluster 90 min	1.25 oz
Spalt 60 min	1.25 oz
Fuggles 30 min	0.50 oz
OG	1064
FG	1027
ABV	4.89
Apparent attenuation	57.81%
IBU	45
SRM	5
Mash at	154º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	58º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

Here's a short YouTube video I made about Eighty Shilling.

 

 

Let's Brew - 1851 William Younger 80/-

Just for demonstration purposes, here’s a recipe of a Shilling Ale 80/-. Which, as you must be bored of hearing by now, has no connection with modern 80/-. Other than the name, obviously.

It has a pretty decent gravity of 1085º, though a poor rate of attenuation leaves it under 7% ABV. Which is pretty typical of Shilling Ales. They mostly have quite high finishing gravities.

Like the 60/- from the same year, the recipe is very simple. Though the two beers weren’t parti-gyled together, the recipes are pretty much the same. Two types of pale malt, one of which was Scottish. And that’s it for the grist.

There were three types of English hops: Kent, East Kent and Farnham. Pretty classy ones. With latter two generally being the most expensive types of hops. There’s no indication of the vintage of any of the hops. 

1851 William Younger 80/-
pale malt	26.25 lb	100.00%
Goldings 90 min	2.50 oz
Goldings 60 min	2.00 oz
Goldings 30 min	2.00 oz
OG	1085
FG	1034
ABV	6.75
Apparent attenuation	60.00%
IBU	72
SRM	8
Mash at	154º F
Sparge at	184º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	56º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

Here's a short YouTube video I made about Eighty Shilling.

 

And here's a video about this specific recipe: 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1851 William Younger 60/-

Another in my series of Sixty Shilling recipes. This time in the form of a mid-19th-century Shilling Ale.

It’s a good bit stronger than the Thomas Usher 60/- from 1885. That was only 1041.5º and 3.5% ABV. Whereas this is considerably higher in OG, though less highly-attenuated.

As is usual for recipes from the earlier decades of the 19th century, the recipe is very simple. Just two types of base malt, one of which was Scottish. Though sugar was already allowed at this point, it wasn’t much used. Especially in Scotland.

The hopping is pretty light for the period. Made up of a couple of different types of Kent and Farnham hops. The combination of light hopping and high FG must have left the finished beer rather sweet and full-bodied. 

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..

 

This is Eighty Shilling part two

 I explain the recipe of 1913 William Younger 80/-. Yum. All those grits!

 

Let's Brew - 1885 Thomas Usher 60/- B

If you’ve looked at my YouTube video on Sixty Shilling, you’ll know that this beer has no relationship with the modern type. This being a Shilling Ale. The older type of Scottish Ale that was roughly equivalent to an English Mild. While modern 60/- is a type of Pale Ale.

The recipe is pretty simple: just base malt and sugar. With not the slightest indication of what that type of sugar might be. I’ve gone for cane sugar. It could also have been some sort of invert. There really was just a single type of base malt. What’s more surprising is that it was Scottish.

At just 5 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt, the hopping rate is pretty low. A lot lower than Usher’s Pale ales, which received 9 lbs per quarter. There were two types of hops: Californian from  the1883 harvest and Alsace from 1884. 

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/-.

 

Scottish Shilling Ales

Back from my hols, so time to make some more short videos. This time, I discuss Scottish Shilling Ales, the indigenous style of Scotland.

 

Let's Brew - 1905 Binnie 100/- Ale

What style would I call this? Shilling Ale, I guess. As it doesn’t really fit in with any modern style.  And, unlike 80/-, there isn’t a modern beer with the same name. Which, I suppose, at least removes any risk of confusion.

Compared to 80/-, it has an extremely complicated grist. With all of three different ingredients. Two of which are sugar. The brewing record lists one as “sugar” and the other “Sacc.” The latter being an abbreviation of saccharum, another word for sugar. I’ve assumed than Sacc is invert sugar and the other raw cane sugar. Only one type of pale malt this time, though.

Only two types of hops this time. Well, three if you count the spent hops, which make up almost a third of the total. The rest are Kent and Bavarian, with far more of the latter.

I imagine that the FG would have fallen a bit before consumption. Though not enough to stop it being very sweet. Full of malty goodness, I suppose. The hopping is far too low for any ageing longer than a couple of weeks.

1905 Binnie 100/- Ale
pale malt	12.75 lb	87.93%
No. 2 invert sugar	0.875 lb	6.03%
raw cane sugar	0.875 lb	6.03%
Hallertau 90 min	0.67 oz
Hallertau 60 min	0.67 oz
Fuggles 30 min	0.67 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1068
FG	1034
ABV	4.50
Apparent attenuation	50.00%
IBU	21
SRM	7
Mash at	154º F
Sparge at	180º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	61º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1903 Binnie 80/- Ale

We're back with Binnie again. As I try to process the results of my Glasgow archive run into recipes for my next book. This is recipe number 366, in case you're interested.

I’ll make this clear from the start: this beer has no connection with modern 80/-. This is a Shilling Ale, the original type of Scottish Ale, more akin to an English Mild. While modern 80/- is a type of Pale Ale.

No complication in the grist, which is just 100% pale malt. Though there are two types of pale malt, 3.5 quarters from Scottish barley, 2 quarters from foreign. Which was a fairly typical mix. As the UK couldn’t grow enough malting barley to meet the needs of the brewing industry.

It was a similar story with hops, where imports were needed to match demand. That’s reflected in the hops used, where two-thirds are imported. There are equal quantities of Kent, Bavarian and Californian. Along with a quantity of spent hops. Even with those, the hopping rate is still a feeble 3 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt. Which is mot much more than half of what you’d find in a London Mild Ale of the period.

No way this would have undergone any ageing. It’s far too lightly hopped. 

1903 Binnie 80/- Ale
pale malt	13.75 lb	100.00%
Cluster 90 min	0.50 oz
Hallertau 60 min	0.50 oz
Fuggles 30 min	0.50 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1059
FG	1020
ABV	5.16
Apparent attenuation	66.10%
IBU	20
SRM	5
Mash at	154º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	62º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1903 Binnie 140/- Ale

Strongest of Binnie’s beers was 140/-. Which, although it’s a good bit weaker than William Younger 140/-, I suppose still counts as a Strong/Scotch Ale.

They brewed a surprising amount of 140/-. About as much as they did of any beer.

There’s nothing fancy about the grist. Just base malt. And quite a lot of it. As there’s nothing else to provide fermentable material. And nothing else much to talk about.

Three types of hops of unknown vintage: Kent, American and Bavarian.

Was this aged? Very difficult to say. Maybe. For six months or so. That might explain the high FG.

1903 Binnie 140/- Ale
pale malt	19.25 lb	100.00%
Cluster 90 min	1.50 oz
Hallertau 60 min	1.50 oz
Fuggles 30 min	1.50 oz
Goldings dry hops	1.00 oz
OG	1083
FG	1038
ABV	5.95
Apparent attenuation	54.22%
IBU	51
SRM	6.5
Mash at	154º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	61º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

Let's Brew - 1885 Thomas Usher 100/-

The strongest of Usher’s range of Shilling Ales was 100/-. A beer which very much looks like a strong Scotch Ale.

This particular example was a member of the parti-gyle which included the 80/- above. Not much to discuss about the recipe, them. Other than to remark that the black malt was added in the copper rather than the mash tun. Which is interesting. Barclay Perkins would add some of the black malt used in their Stouts to the copper, but not all of it.

Despite the strength, I don’t think that this was aged at all. Mostly based on the low level of hopping, which isn’t enough to form protection during ageing. 

1885 Thomas Usher 100/-
pale malt	15.25 lb	89.44%
black malt	0.30 lb	1.76%
No. 2 invert sugar	1.50 lb	8.80%
Cluster 120 min	1.50 oz
Strisselspalt 30 min	1.50 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1078
FG	1032
ABV	6.09
Apparent attenuation	58.97%
IBU	25
SRM	17
Mash at	151º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

 

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1885 Thomas Usher 80/-

More confusion with these Shilling Ales, with an 80/- which is lower in gravity than 54/- M. Note also that this beer has no relationship with modern 80/-, which is a type of Pale Ale. Don’t ask me why this beer, unlike the weaker Shilling Ales, has no suffix, such as “B” or “N”.

This was part of big parti-gyle of Shilling Ales, consisting of 100/-, 54/- M, 80/-, 60/- B and 40/- B. Though for this beer I’ve used a different brew from the preceding Shilling Ales. Just to demonstrate variations in the basic recipe.

This time, instead of a large quantity of high-dried malt providing the colour, it’s a small amount of black malt. Which makes the colour rather darker. And must have resulted in a rather different flavour, with some background roastiness.

The hops were Californian from the 1883 harvest and Alsace from 1884. A low hopping rate leaves the beer with a fairly modest bitterness level of under 30 IBU (calculated). 

1885 Thomas Usher 80/-
pale malt	11.25 lb	89.11%
black malt	0.25 lb	1.98%
No. 2 invert sugar	1.125 lb	8.91%
Cluster 120 min	1.00 oz
Strisselspalt 30 min	1.00 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1058
FG	1025
ABV	4.37
Apparent attenuation	56.90%
IBU	28
SRM	15
Mash at	151º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1885 Thomas Usher 60/- B

Strongest of Usher’s trio of B suffix Shilling Ales was, logically enough, 60/-. Which is the only one clawing its way above 3% ABV.

This and the above 50/- were members of a five-way parti-gyle. Along with and 80/-, 100/- and 54/- M. Quite an interesting mix.

Not much more I can say about this beer. Other than that it looks like another beer for sharing with the kiddies while eating your tea.

All three of these beers are very weak for the late 19th century. You only really see beers of this strength in Scotland and more rural parts of England. 

1885 Thomas Usher 60/- B
pale malt	2.75 lb	33.33%
Munich malt	4.50 lb	54.55%
No. 2 invert sugar	1.00 lb	12.12%
Cluster 120 min	1.25 oz
Strisselspalt 30 min	0.75 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1040
FG	1015
ABV	3.31
Apparent attenuation	62.50%
IBU	35
SRM	8.5
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1885 Thomas Usher 50/- B

Slightly stronger, but still pretty watery, was 50/- B. Wondering what the B stands for? So am I. My best guess would be “Bottling”.

It’s another simple, low-gravity beer. Which I’m guessing was intended for consumption at home.

The grist is slightly more complicated than for 40/- B, as there are two types of malt: pale and high-dried. I’ve substituted Munich malt for it. Though Simpson’s Imperial is probably the closest modern equivalent to high-dried malt.

The hops are just the same as 40/- B: Californian from the 1884 harvest and Alsace from 1883. 

1885 Thomas Usher 50/- B
pale malt	2.25 lb	31.03%
Munich malt	4.00 lb	55.17%
No. 2 invert sugar	1.00 lb	13.79%
Cluster 120 min	1.00 oz
Strisselspalt 30 min	0.67 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1035
FG	1013
ABV	2.91
Apparent attenuation	62.86%
IBU	30
SRM	8
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale

Let's Brew - 1885 Thomas Usher 40/- B

Let’s kick off Usher’s beers with the surprisingly watery Forty Bob. Looking like a 1918 beer at a gravity of just 1030º. And not even 3% ABV. Though the real FG might have been lower.

This could easily have been called as Table Beer. And might well have been a couple of decades before. But, along with the tax category, the term itself had become obsolete. How was this drunk? Probably with food. At home.

It’s a very simple recipe of just pale malt and sugar. An undefined type of sugar. No. 2 invert is just my conservative guess.

Most off the hops are Californian. With 20% from Alsace. From the 1883 and 1884 harvests, respectively. The dry hops are my guess.

1885 Thomas Usher 40/- B
pale malt	5.75 lb	88.46%
No. 2 invert sugar	0.75 lb	11.54%
Cluster 120 min	0.75 oz
Cluster 30 min	0.25 oz
Strisselspalt 30 min	0.25 oz
Goldings dry hops	0.25 oz
OG	1030
FG	1011
ABV	2.51
Apparent attenuation	63.33%
IBU	25
SRM	5
Mash at	148º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	120 minutes
pitching temp	57.5º F
Yeast	WLP028 Edinburgh Ale