Saturday 31 July 2010

Adulterated Lager Beer

Time for a random quote from a random publication. Why? I don't need a reason. This is my blog and I'll do what I damn well like. I suppose it fits somewhere in my occasional series on British Lager. If you want to go all anal.

"ADULTERATED LAGER BEER
Vendors of lager beer should beware to secure themselves against dangers like the following:—At Barton Police-court, on the 2nd inst., William H. Ravenscroft, commercial traveller, and John Fearn, were charged with selling lager beer which was not of the quality demanded by the purchaser, and which contained salicylic acid, injurious to health. Mr. W. A. Willcock, of Wolverhampton, prosecuted ; and Mr. Stone (Derby) represented Mr. Ravenscroft. Mr. Jones, County Analyst, showed that the acid was injurious to health when taken with food, because it impeded the process of digestion. Ravenscroft was fined 20s. and 11s. costs in each of two cases, and £5 and costs in a third case. It was thought that Mr. Fearn was a victim, and he was ordered to pay the costs, 11s. 6d.

We have repeatedly pointed out how objectionable the admixture of powerful drugs, such as salicylic acid is in articles of food or drink. In this instance the percentage was enormous, being no less, we understand than 14 grains per gallon. Publicans who unwittingly or otherwise sell lager beer so heavily dosed with dangerous drugs, as appears to be the case in the present instance, run grave risks, and they would do well to obtain a warrant for the lager beers they use that they are free from preservatives. So far as we are aware, this is the first case in which a prosecution has been successfully sustained for the admixture of preservatives to food stuffs. The question cf the repression of this practice is one, however, that has for a considerable time engaged the attention of the medical profession and those concerned with the enforcement of the Food and Drugs Acts, and now that a conviction has been obtained, and magistrates hold the admixture of these powerful drugs to be adulteration, publicans should take care that they are not made the victims of the brewers and dealers using such chemicals."
"Food & Sanitation, Volume 4", 1894, page 43.

Food and Sanitation. It sounds like one of the magazines they include for a laugh in Have I Got News for You. Actually, it's much scarier. It's enough to put you off ever shopping in the 19th century again. Those rascally shopkeepers and publicans. And all the muck they put into food and drink. Almost enough to scare you off the beer. Almost.

Friday 30 July 2010

Coming to the USA

You might remember me mentioning a forthcoming trip to the USA. If you can't: I'll be going to the USA soon. There. Now you know.

I'll be in Philadelphia, Washington and New York. I have a couple of dates, if anyone feels like buying me beer or giving me money.

10th August: a booze up somewhere in Philadelphia. Possibly Monks Café. Not really decided that bit yet. I'm open to suggestions.

12th August: Churchkey, Washington DC. I think I'll be saying a few words about De Molen SSS and Porter. That's the plan, at least. Early, like at about opening time.

It's your chance - if you live cliose to Philadelphia or Washington - to find out if I'm as obnoxious and opinionated in person. And remember: bring plenty of money to buy me beer.

Gose recipe

These old German recipes are so much fun, I'm posting another today. For one of my old favourites: Gose.

OK, I realise it isn't technically an extinct style. But it fits in nicely with the Kotbusser and Broyhan, so here it is.


"Brewing Gose according to Hermbstädt

This is what they call a Weißbier similar to Broyhahn, which is particularly well-brewed in Goslar and which gets its name from a river of the same name, from whose water Gose is brewed in Goslar.

For a brew of 2000 Berlin quarts [2,290 litres] is required:

1) 12 Berlin bushels (960 pounds) [480 kg] pale wheat malt.

2) 10 Berlin bushels (600 pounds) [300 kg] pale barley malt.

3) 5 pounds [2.5 kg] of the best hops.

The grist is doughed in with 2400 Berlin quarts [2,748 litres] of water at 36° R. [45º C], well worked out and then left to rest for an hour in a covered vessel. The second infusion takes place with the same amount of boiling hot water, being well mashed for 1 hour before the mash is to rest for one hour in a covered vessel. The wort is gently boiled until it has reduced to 2000 Quarts [2,290 litres], strained through straw, mixed with the hop extract and cooled in the coolship down to 14° R. [17.5º C].

The cooled, hopped wort is put into the fermentation vessel with 10 quarts [11.5 litres] of yeast, and when finally the resulting head of yeast has collapsed, the yeast on the top is removed, the fermented wort drawn into the storage barrels in the cellar, and like Broyhahn allowed to ferment out, during which the barrels must be well bunged. The hops are infused twice, the first time with 50 quarts [57 litres], the second time with 40 quarts [46 litres] of water, and finally squeezed. To use the spent grains for Kovent, they are immersed 1000 quarts of boiling hot water, the wort so obtained is boiled for half an hour with the pressed hops and finally pitched with 4 quarts of yeast.
"Grundsaetze der Bierbrauerei nach den neuesten technisch-chemischen
Entdeckungen" by Christian Heinrich Schmidt, 1853, pages 447-448.

I make that about a third of a pound of hops per imperial barrel. So pretty lightly hopped. No surprise there. Though they do seem to have forgotten about the salt and coriander. Bit odd, that.

Thursday 29 July 2010

Lees Mild in WW II

A quick treat today. A comparison of Whitbread and Lees Mild diuring WW II.

Here's Lees Mild, or K as it was known within the brewery:


Lees Mild 1939 - 1945
Date
Year
OG
FG
ABV
App. Attenuation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl
barrels
lbs hops
qtrs malt
boil time (hours)
Pitch temp
dry hops (oz / barrel)
colour
pale malt
black malt
glucose
other sugar
flaked barley
flaked oat
21st Feb
1939
1035.0
1005.0
3.97
85.71%
6.87
1.04
111
115
16.75

60º
2.02
29
85.71%
1.59%
6.35%
6.35%
0.00%
0.00%
2nd Jan
1940
1034.0



7.10
0.94
116.5
110
15.5

59.5º
2.20

91.67%
1.67%
4.44%
2.22%
0.00%
0.00%
20th Jan
1941
1033.0



6.67
0.87
115.25
100
15

60º
0.97

91.38%
1.72%
4.60%
2.30%
0.00%
0.00%
7th Apr
1941
1032.0



6.90
0.89
112.75
100
14.5

60º
0.99

91.07%
1.79%
4.76%
2.38%
0.00%
0.00%
6th Aug
1941
1030.0



6.04
0.76
112.5
86
14.25

60º
1.00

90.91%
1.82%
2.42%
4.85%
0.00%
0.00%
29th Oct
1941
1030.0



5.89
0.74
113
84
14.25

60º
0.99

90.91%
1.82%
2.42%
4.85%
0.00%
0.00%
22nd Apr
1942
1028.0



5.85
0.66
114.5
76
13

60º
0.98

86.00%
2.00%
2.67%
5.33%
4.00%
0.00%
4th May
1942
1028.0



5.85
0.66
115
76
13

60º
0.97

86.00%
2.00%
2.67%
5.33%
4.00%
0.00%
31st Jul
1942
1028.0



5.85
0.66
114.5
76
13

60º
0.98

90.00%
2.00%
2.67%
5.33%
0.00%
0.00%
21st Sep
1942
1028.0



5.85
0.68
112
76
13

60º
1.00

90.00%
2.00%
2.67%
5.33%
0.00%
0.00%
15th Feb
1943
1028.0



5.85
0.66
116
76
13

60º
0.97

86.00%
2.00%
2.67%
5.33%
4.00%
0.00%
30th Apr
1943
1028.0



5.85
0.67
113.25
76
13

60º
0.99

78.00%
2.00%
2.67%
5.33%
12.00%
0.00%
19th Aug
1943
1028.0



5.66
0.68
110.8
75
13.25
2
º
1.01

74.51%
1.96%
2.61%
5.23%
0.00%
15.69%
25th Aug
1943
1028.0



5.66
0.68
110.2
75
13.25
2
º
1.02

74.51%
1.96%
2.61%
5.23%
0.00%
15.69%
14th Feb
1944
1028.0



6.42
0.73
116.4
85
13.25
1.75
º
0.96

74.51%
1.96%
2.61%
5.23%
15.69%
0.00%
29th Jun
1944
1028.0



5.66
0.65
115.3
75
13.25
1.75
º
0.97

74.51%
1.96%
2.61%
5.23%
15.69%
0.00%
14th Mar
1945
1028.0



5.66
0.67
111.6
75
13.25
1.75
º
1.00

74.51%
1.96%
5.23%
2.61%
15.69%
0.00%
16th Mar
1945
1028.0



5.66
0.66
113.4
75
13.25
1.75
º
0.99

74.51%
1.96%
5.23%
2.61%
15.69%
0.00%
7th May
1945
1028.0



5.45
0.66
114.3
75
13.75
1.75
º
0.98

85.71%
2.26%
6.02%
6.02%
0.00%
0.00%
Source:
JW Lees brewing records


And here's Whitbread X/XX:


Whitbread Mild 1939 - 1945
Date
Year
OG
FG
ABV
App. Attenuation
lbs hops/ qtr
hops lb/brl
barrels
lbs hops
qtrs malt
boil time (hours)
boil time (hours)
Pitch temp
colour
pale malt
black malt
crystal malt
MA malt
PA malt
no. 3 sugar
other sugar
wheat malt
flaked barley
barley meal
flaked rye
flaked oat
25th Sep
1939
1033.6
1010.0
3.12
70.24%
8.27
1.10
790
897
108.5
1.25
1
65º
17 + 40
75.73%
0.00%
13.59%
0.00%
0.00%
9.06%
1.62%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
23rd Apr
1940
1033.6
1009.0
3.25
73.21%
8.12
1.14
790
897
110.5
1.25
1.25
65º
16 + 40
24.30%
0.00%
13.08%
54.21%
0.00%
4.98%
1.56%
1.87%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
31st Jul
1940
1031.5
1008.5
3.04
73.02%
8.42
1.09
823
897
106.5
1.25
1
65º
16 + 40
77.54%
0.00%
13.57%
1.94%
0.00%
5.17%
1.78%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
20th Nov
1940
1031.1
1010.0
2.79
67.85%
8.42
1.07
574
897
106.5
1.17
0.75
66º
16 + 40
81.42%
0.00%
11.63%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
6.95%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
31st Jan
1941
1030.0
1009.0
2.78
70.00%
8.10
1.00
575
830
102.5
2.17
1.5
65º
16 + 40
21.74%
0.00%
13.04%
63.04%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
2.17%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
10th Oct
1941
1031.2
1009.0
2.94
71.15%
6.38
0.76
1717
1308
205
1.25
1.25
65º
14 + 40
65.39%
0.00%
11.98%
4.99%
4.99%
0.00%
5.66%
2.00%
4.99%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
30th Jan
1942
1029.1
1007.5
2.86
74.23%
5.84
0.75
1604
1200
205.5
1
1
65º
18 + 40
0.00%
0.00%
12.02%
68.11%
0.00%
4.01%
1.84%
2.00%
12.02%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
30th May
1942
1028.4
1007.0
2.83
75.35%
6.19
0.75
811
610
98.5
1
1
65º
16 + 40
46.32%
0.00%
12.63%
16.84%
0.00%
5.61%
1.75%
2.11%
8.42%
1.05%
5.26%
0.00%
5th Apr
1943
1027.8
1008.0
2.62
71.22%
6.07
0.76
1605
1220
201
1
1.25
65º
15 + 40
9.28%
0.00%
10.31%
55.67%
0.00%
5.50%
1.72%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
17.53%
2nd Sep
1943
1028.2
1008.0
2.67
71.63%
6.07
0.73
834
610
100.5
1
0.83
65º
14 + 40
46.39%
0.00%
10.31%
18.56%
0.00%
5.50%
1.72%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
17.53%
7th Apr
1944
1028.3
1007.5
2.75
73.50%
5.79
0.69
823
570
98.5
1
0.75
65º
14 + 40
0.00%
0.00%
10.45%
71.08%
0.00%
4.18%
1.74%
0.00%
12.54%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
11th Dec
1944
1028.4
1008.5
2.63
70.07%
5.91
0.72
788
570
96.5
1
1
65º
14 + 40
0.00%
0.00%
7.42%
73.14%
0.00%
2.83%
1.77%
0.00%
14.84%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
5th Apr
1945
1028.4
1008.5
2.63
70.07%
5.67
0.71
808
570
100.5
1
0.75
65º
15 + 40
0.00%
0.00%
7.39%
62.32%
0.00%
9.86%
3.52%
0.00%
16.90%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
24th Aug
1945
1028.1
1010.0
2.39
64.41%
5.67
0.71
804
570
100.5
1
0.75
65º
13 + 40
36.97%
0.00%
7.39%
25.35%
0.00%
9.86%
3.52%
0.00%
16.90%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
Source:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metropolitan Archives

As you can see, the gravities are very similar, starting in the low 1030's before the war and dropping to 1028 after 1942. Whitbread's Mild was tiny bit more heavily hopped, but scarcely enough to be significant.

The grists are quite different. Lees was much simpler: just pale malt, a touch of black malt, glucose and invert sugar. Until flaked barley and flaked oats appear in the later war years. Whitberad used more different types of malt, in particular crystal and MA malt. But the biggest differnce is the colour. Whitbread Mild was around 90 EBC, Lees just 29. So despite being broadly similar in terms of strength, thse two beers must have tasted and looked pretty different.