Sunday 31 July 2016

Northern and Scottish Mild Ale 1950 – 1954

We’re moving further north for our next peek at Mild Ale from the early 1950’s.

I wish I had more analyses. Especially for northern breweries. As that would enable me to spot patterns much better. Though I suspect it might be confusing. Because, unlike London where all Mild was dark, northern breweries had a habit of brewing two Milds, one pale and one dark. At least ones in Yorkshire and Lancashire did.

You can see the practice a little in the table. Through Lees. They had a pale Ordinary Mild and a dark Best Mild. Which in itself is a bit unusual. They were usually the other way around, the stronger Mild being the paler one. No idea why that was different at Lees.

It’s a shame that I don’t have the FG for most examples. Because for those where I do, it’s exceptionally high, leaving a couple of beer over 4% ABV. I’m looking at Vaux in particular. Speaking of Vaux, I can remember their Mild. It was a pretty rare beer in its final days, the Northeast not being a great mild-drinking area. And, unlike the one in the table, was very dark as I recall.

Mild wasn’t very common by this period in Scotland. My suspicion is that these samples were taken south of the border. Probably in London, as they were performed by Truman. Younger had pubs selling their beer in the capital, both free houses and tied houses. These would have needed to have a Mild Ale to satisfy the demands of English drinkers. Which would explain why all the samples are dark in colour.

Northern and Scottish Mild Ale 1950 - 1954
Year Brewer Beer Price per pint d Acidity OG FG ABV App. Atten-uation colour
1950 Lees K 1031.0
1950 Lees Best Mild 1035.0
1951 Groves & Whitnall Mild Ale 14 0.04 1030.6 1004.1 3.45 86.60% 50
1951 Lees K 1031.0 28
1951 Mitchell Mild Ale 15 0.05 1037.2 1004.8 4.22 87.10% 60
1951 Vaux Mild Ale 15 0.04 1035.6 1002.9 4.27 91.85% 24.5
1951 Wilsons Mild Ale 14 0.06 1034.8 1005.3 3.84 84.77% 50
1952 Hull Brewery Mild Ale 16 0.05 1032.1 1005.6 3.44 82.55% 85
1952 Lees Bot. B 1035.0 35
1952 Lees K 1031.0 34
1952 Lees Best Mild 1034.0 100
1952 Tetley X 13 1031.3 58
1953 Lees Mild 1030.0
1953 Lees Bot. B 1035.0
1953 Lees Best Mild 1033.0 100
1953 Tetley X 13 1031.4 58
1954 Lees Bot. B 1035.0 35
1954 Lees K 1031.0 35
1954 Lees Best Mild 1035.0 100
Average 14.3 0.05 1033.1 1004.5 3.8 86.6% 56.8
1951 Wm. Younger X 13 1030.0 72
1952 Wm. Younger X 14 1031.2 80
1952 Wm. Younger X 14 1033.5 92
1953 Wm. Younger X 14 1033.3 82
Average 13.8 1032.0 81.5
Sources:
Lees brewing records held at the brewery.
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/002.
Truman Gravity Book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number B/THB/C/252


Where next? The southeast, I think.

2 comments:

Lady Luck Brewing said...

What is Bottom B?

Ron Pattinson said...

Lady Luck,

bottling Mild.