Beer, ale and Malt Liquor
old British beer styles
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Preamble
Hole's Castle Brewery, Newark on Trent A Beginning
First, I'll you how it all started. With McMullen's AK. A mild.

I grew up in the brewing town of Newark-on-Trent. Between school and university, I had a summer job in the last remaining brewery, formerly James Hole & Co., but then romantically called John Smith's (Newark). Already a real ale drinker, the prospect of working in a keg-only plant didn't excite me much.

Filling kegs - I didn't dare tell any CAMRA friends about my traiterous occupation. All I day I squirted bright beer into oversized tin cans. Sometimes it was Old Tom; others it was IPA or lager. But the overwhelming majority was Hole's AK. Their standard bitter.
Devon Brewery Baldertongate Newark Hole's AK Bitter Beer
The story I had always been told, was this: AK stood for Arthur King, former head brewer at Hole's and father of the beer. It seemed logical enough. Later, I discovered this explanation demonstrated the brevity of popular memory.

So if Hole's AK was named after a former head brewer, why would Mc Mullens have a beer with the same name? A beer which, even more confusingly, was a light mild. Was it just coincidence? Or were the two in some obscure way connected? What did AK really mean?

Any answers?
These are the questions that prompted my initial interest in beer names and their history. What follows are the answers. And the answers to a load of other questions I thought up on the way.

AK is an obsession for me. Not just for beer reasons. AK were also my father's initials. As a beer, it had represented the pinnacle of Newark's brewing tradition. It's unsurprising that those two letters had such a particular resonnace for me.

Have I learned AK's real meaning? Read the rest and find out. You don't want me to spoil the ending, do you?


Introduction
Understanding old brewing texts
Warwick and Richardson's price list ca 1930'sThere are two main obstacles to understanding brewing in the past: changes in the langauge and changes in the methods of classification. To help us around them, I will explain how British beers were classified by brewers, governors and drinkers in centuries past. I will also provide precise definitions of the words they used. I will consider here only the 18th and 19th centuries.

The past is not only a a foreign country, but one where a foreign language is spoken. Without a good understanding of the language used and the specific meaning of certain important words, especially where these differ subtly from modern usage, it's impossible to make any useful analysis of original sources. 18th century English must be treated as a foreign language. And one for which dictionaries are not readily available.

Considering the length of time they survived with essentially the same meaning, it's surprising how much confusion the general classifications of British beeer have caused. We like to think of the modern world as a much more orderly place than that the 18th century. It would be expected that, in the scientific times of today, classifications were more consistent, definitions more precise. In the case of British beer the opposite is true. The looseness of current terminology forms a veil of imprecision through which it is difficult to interpret old texts without the utmost care.

Why it's so important
Not yet convinced? Here are e a couple of examples to illustrate my point. These are the texts of two old advertisements from the Tennant Brothers Brewery in Sheffield.

The first reads "Brewers and Bottlers of fine Ales & Stout since 1840". What does "fine Ales" mean exactly? I must have seen this expression thousands of times on old brewery mirrors and windows, yet, like everyone else, I totally misunderstood its meaning. Fine is not used as a synonym for good; it means clear. The word, as both an adjective and noun, was used very specifically by the brewing industry in realtion to the clarification of beer. That's why finings are so called.

My second example is "Tennant Brothers, Ale, Porter and Bitter Beer Brewers". A modern drinker is likely to interpret "Porter" and "Bitter Beer" as referring to specific products. What the brewer is really trying to tell us is that he makes beers of all the three general types (or families of styles) current at the time. It's more than likely that there was no product called "Bitter". I will explain this system of classification in more detail below.


18th Century Classifications
Beer
heavily-hopped. The two main subtypes were:
  • Keeping Beer - strong and inteded to be kept for long periods (9-12 months). Different types of keeping beer were:
    • March Beer - a beer brewed at the end of the best brewing season
    • October Beer - a beer brewed at the beginning of the best brewing season
    • Amber Keeping Beer - brewed from amber malt
    • Butt Beer - beer aged in large barrels or butts. Porter and stout were brown butt beers.
  • Small Beer - a low-alcohol drink for immediate consumption

Ale
lightly-hopped. It varied in strength, but was always weaker than the strongest Keeping Beers. Ales were usually drunk as soon as they had cleared, after about 3 or 4 weeks in the cask. The main subdivision was on the colour of the malt used:
  • Brown Ale - brown malt
  • Amber Ale - amber malt
  • Pale Ale - pale malt

Malt Liqour the generic term, encompassing both beer and ale. (Malt Drink was also used.)
(Source: "London & Country Brewer", 1736 p.38-43)

Beer type Bushels malt min Bushels malt max Malt yield/bushel lbs/barrel min OG min lbs/barrel max OG max Average OG FG Calc. ABV
Intire small beer Brown malt 1.33 1.6 6.3 8.4 1023.26 10.08 1027.91 1025.58 1004 2.8
Amber Malt 1.33 1.6 7.62 10.16 1028.13 12.19 1033.76 1030.95 1004 3.51
Pale malt 1.33 1.6 8.13 10.83 1030.01 13 1036.01 1033.01 1004 3.78
Common Brown Ale 4.57 5.33 6.3 24.21 1067.06 28.25 1078.24 1072.65 1030 5.5
Strong Brown Ale (Stitch) 6.4   6.3 33.89 1093.89     1093.89 1052 5.35
Amber Ale 6.4   7.62 41 1113.57     1113.57 1052 7.95
Pale Ale 6.4   8.13 43.74 1121.15     1121.15 1052 8.96
October strong beer Pale malt 8 8.89 8.13 54.67 1151.43 60.74 1168.26 1159.85 1055 13.86
Stout Butt Beer Brown malt 8 8.89 6.3 42.37 1117.36 47.08 1130.4 1123.88 1055 8.92
Source:
“London And Country Brewer” 1736, page 42, recommended quantites malt for 1 barrel (36 gallons) of beer

Notes:
Yield per bushel my estimate.
Assumes making Small Beer wiyh the third mash.
Final gravities based on Richardson's readings.


Theses are the strengths of ales and beers brewed from brown malt in the 1730's:

Type lb/barrel sg Gallon Quart (in pub)
Stout Butt-Beer 36 1100 10d - 13.3d 3.75d - 5d
Stitch 32 1089   8d
Starting Butt-Beer 29 1080 7d 2.75d
Common Brown Ale 21-27 1058-1075 5.625d 2.1d
Intire Small Beer 9.5 1026 2.66d 1d
Source:
"London & Country Brewer", 1736

Notes:
Calculated from the brew lengths (number of barrels per quarter of malt).
These figures are based on:
  • brewing with brown malt 55 lb extract per qtr. malt;
  • brewing 2 barrels small beer per qtr at 9.5 lb/barrel (1026) from the same mash.


You will note that the differentiation between beer and ale had remained unchanged since the introduction of hops in the 16th century. Whilst ales had also adopted the use of hops, the quantity used was so much smaller as to make them readily distiguishable from heavily-hopped beers. In general, beers were hopped at about 4 times the rate of the corresponding ale:

Beer type lbs hops per hogshead lbs per 36 gallons
Strong Brown Ale 1 (48 gallons) 0.75
Pale Ale 1.25 (48 gallons) 0.94
October or March Brown Beer 3 (54 gallons) 2
October or March Pale Beer 6 (54 gallons) 4
Source:
"London & Country Brewer", 1736, p.73:

Notes:
It's clear that the Pale Ale described here has little in Common with that of the 19th century. The description of brewing "Stock Beer" in "The Brewer" (p.37) is very similar to that of October or March Pale Beer in "London & Country Brewer".


There is another important fact to consider: the distinction between beer and ale was to some extent defined in law. Before the 1819 Weights and Measures Act when a standard barrel size was introduced, in London a barrel of beer was 36 gallons, but a barrel of ale only 32. (Outside London both, ale and beer had been in barrels of 34 gallon until 1819.)

As a modern person, accustomed to modern usage, I've found it surprisingly hard whilst writing this piece not to lapse into using the term beer generically. It's indicative of the difficulty of removing ourselves from our contemporary context.

You will have noticed that there is no mention of Porter in the above. That's because the source used is describing the situation at about precisely the time Porter suddenly appeared. Information dating from the end of the century, indicates that, at least from a Weights & Measures point of view, Porter was a beer. It was filled into 36 gallon barrels.

Here are some ale and beer strengths from around 1760:

Beer type Bushels malt min Bushels malt max Malt yield/bushel lbs/barrel min OG min lbs/barrel max OG max Average OG FG Calc. ABV
Keeping small beer 1.4 1.6 8.63 12.08 1033.45 13.8 1038.23 1035.84 1004 4.15
Common small beer 1.5 1.7 8.63 12.94 1035.84 14.66 1040.62 1038.23 1004 4.47
Porter 2.9 3.5 6.88 19.94 1055.23 24.06 1066.65 1060.94 1016.62 5.76
Strong Brown ale 2.9 3.5 6.88 19.94 1055.23 24.06 1066.65 1060.94 1022.16 5.01
Amber Ale* 4.5 5.3 8.25 37.13 1102.84 43.73 1121.12 1111.98 1050.32 7.97
Amber Ale


31.22 1086.49 36.78 1101.87 1094.18 1034.75 7.71
Small Beer (half barrel)


11.8 1032.69 13.9 1038.5 1035.6 1004 4.12
Pale Ale* 4.5 5.3 8.63 38.81 1107.51 45.71 1126.62 1117.07 1054.77 8.04
Pale Ale


32.64 1090.42 38.45 1106.5 1098.46 1038.5 7.77
Small Beer (half barrel)


12.34 1034.18 14.53 1040.25 1037.21 1004 4.33
Burton strong ale* 7.1 8 6.88 48.81 1135.21 55 1152.35 1143.78 1051.52 12.12
Strong Ale


41.05 1113.72 46.26 1128.14 1120.93 1051.52 9
Small Beer (half barrel)


15.52 1042.98 17.48 1048.43 1045.71 1004 5.46
Source:
Combrune "Theory and Practice of Brewing" 1762, his recommended quantites malt for 1 barrel (36 gallons) of beer .

Notes:
* For the Amber Ale, Pale Ale and Burton Strong Ale, the first row shows the whole mash being used. The 2nd and 3rd rows show the more likely situation in practice, where a barrel of small beer is also made from the mash.

I have calculated pounds per barrel, OG and ABV based on the amount of malt specified by Combrune.

Obadiah Poundage's letter of 1760 gives dome fascinating insights into the development of Porter. Just a shame it's mostly been so badly interpreted.

Technological advances

There were some major technological advances in 18th century British brewing:
  • the thermometer (1760)
  • the hydrometer (1770)
  • the atemperator (1780)
These are the results of some of Richardson's early trials with the hydrometer in the 1770's:

Beer SG FG attenuation ABV
Strong ale 1110 1052 58 7.2%
Common ale 1075 1025 50 6.3%
Porter 1071 1018 53 6.6%
Table beer 1040 1004 26 3.4%
Source:
“A History of Beer and Brewing” Ian S. Hornsey, 2003 p.436.

Notes:
ABV my calculation from the gravity drop.

Industrialistion

In the second half of the 18th century brewing began to be operated on an industrial scale in London. Before the development of railways, this was only possible in a city of London's size.

The largest brewery already produced a very respectable 91,000 hectolitres in 1748. Thirty years later, there were 6 breweries each pumping out more than 100,000 hl.annually. By the end of the century, Whitbread had taken the lead and broken the 300,000 hl barrier. To put this into context, in the 1790's the largest Mumich brewery maanged less than 4,000 hl.

These are more detailed figures the big London breweries:

Output in hectolitres
1748 1758 1776 1782 1787 1792 1797 1799
Barcaly Perkins (Thrale) 58,262 53,352 123,397 140,253 172,821 195,569 231,737 223,063
Whitbread - 105,722 167,093 199,824 239,429 291,308 314,220 332,549
Truman, Hanbury 64,480 90,829 135,834 151,218 155,964 159,565 191,805 191,150
Sir W. Calvert Felix Calvert 91,156 90,011 137,635 149,909 149,909 113,577 114,723 114,723
John Calvert 87,720 101,139 165,456 180,185 214,389 204,734 166,602 159,074
Meux, Reid (Reid and Co) - - 35,677 70,372 81,337 128,470 156,128 279,361
Hammond-Gyfford-Shum-Coombe -Delafield - - 132,561 135,507 148,763 173,803 196,060 192,459
Parsons-Goodwyn-Hoare 63,826 51,879 - 76,427 108,668 95,739 151,873 133,380
Total for largest breweries 365,444 492,932 897,653 1,103,696 1,271,280 1,362,764 1,523,146 1,625,759
Source:
"The Brewing Industry in England 1700-1830" by Peter Mathias, 1959, page 551

(I have more complete figures in this spreadsheet.)


19th Century Classifications
19th Century Brewing
English breweries were modern, well-organised and technically proficient by the middle 1800's. William Loftus describes how they brewed in the 1860's in some detail.

There were three families of styles:
I'll try to explain them, as best I can, in what follows. I make no pretence of understanding exactly what all the letters - X, A, K, etc - used to denote different types of beer meant. But there are definite patterns. Ones which I think help us understand modern British beer styles and, more importantly, the relationships between them.
Bitter Beers
heavily-hopped. As the century progressed, IPA spawned numerous variations. By 1900, most breweries had at least two or three "Bitters" in their range. Beers generally assigned to this family are

Name Description Designation
Stock Beer strong and inteded to be kept for long periods (9-12 months) KK, KKK, KKKK
Pale Ale a confusing designation used for a pale, highly-attenuated beer. Though these were called Pale Ale within the brewery, by the late 19th century drinkers usually referred to such beers as "bitter". PA, IPA, EIPA
Light Bitter light (or "mild") bitter beers. Often callen "Luncheon" or "Dinner" Ales, or simply "Bitter Ale" or "Bitter Beer". AK, BB, BA, LBA, AKA

English beer names taken from old advertisements

Pale Ales
This is how IPA was brewed in the 1860's.

At the start of its rise to fame, IPA was one or two price classes (2d or 4d a gallon) higher Porters or Ales of the same gravity. The premium price is a sure sign of its renown. As other styles gradually weakened, a trend which hardly touched IPA and EIPA, the price differential was eroded to nearly nothing.

PA, the son still living at home with his parents, was less immune to the pressure of higher taxation. Its strength was whittled down from 1066º in 1860 to 1048º in 1914. Then things got serious. Strategies designed to conserve raw materials during WW I and WW II, encouraged brewers to slash the gravities of popular beers the most. By the 1950's most Pale Ales (Young's, for example) had become the standard Bitters of 1036º we know today.

AK
The weakest members of this family, AK and BB, for example, were amongst the lightest Victorian beers. Even the basic X Ale was stronger. The gravity of AK dropped more than any other style in the 1800's, with the possible exception of Porter. At least some of this was accountable to a change in public taste away from heavy beers.

Stock Beer
Stock Beer was a strong Beer which was matured for many months or years and then blended with young beers or ales to give them the aged flavour. It was called Stock because a stock of it was kept in the brewery. It was rarely sold just by itself (I've only found a product called Stock Ale or Beer a couple of times in old brewery price lists).

The "aged" taste, as was discoverd when it was isolated in 1903 by the Dane Niels Hjelte Claussen (who worked at the Carlsberg brewery in Copenhagen), came from the action of Brettanomyces. Experiments in Britain the early 1900's showed that when a finished pasteurised beer was innoculated with Brettanomyces it acquired the typical aged taste within 10 to 14 days. The application of this technique would have made the production of Stock Beers much quicker and more reliable. Except that the demand for such beers had all but evaporated by the start of the 20th century.

This is a paper presented to the Institute of Brewing in 1904 by Claussen explaining the role of Brettanomyces in the production of Stock Beers (reproduced with permission from the Journal of the Institute of Brewing).

Pure Yeast Cultures
In "Brewing Science and Practice: Volume II Brewing Processes" (H. Lloyd Hind, London, 1940, pages 800-802) there's another interesting passage about Hansens work with single-cell yeast strains. It discusses experiments at the Worthington brewery in Burton in the 1880's brewing beer with pure strains. The conclusion was that pure strains did not produce better than mixed strains and ib fact had some disadvanatges during secondary fermentation, such as conditioning more slowly in the cask and producing beers which did not age well. It was not recommened for use in beers that were to be kept more than 6 weeks after racking. It says that at the time (1940) only a handful of British brewers used pure strains.

India Ales
When brewed Package Export/Home Price/hogshead
(in shillings)
Price/gallon
(in pence)
OG FG lbs/barrel Proof
spirit %
ABV
1844 Bottle Home 60 13.33 1044.69 1005 16.13 8.82 5.04
Not known. Bottle Export, India 60 13.33 1054.18 1013 19.56 9.15 5.23
Not known. Bottle Home 60 13.33 1047.18 1006 17.03 9.15 5.23
April 1845 Bottle Export 60 13.33 1048.35 1004.25 17.45 9.8 5.6
1845 Cask Export 60 13.33 1048.35 1004.25 17.45 9.8 5.6
Not known. Bottle Home 60 13.33 1049.93 1004.25 18.02 10.15 5.8
1844 Bottle Export, India 60 13.33 1053.75 1006.5 19.4 10.5 6
1844 Bottle Export, India 60 13.33 1053.82 1005 19.43 10.85 6.2
1845 Cask Export 63 14 1049.6 1005.5 17.91 9.8 5.6
April 1845 Bottle Export 63 14 1055.23 1003.25 19.94 11.55 6.6
Jan 1846 Bottle Export 65 14.44 1061.95 1005.25 22.36 12.6 7.2
Not known. Bottle Export 66 14.67 1054.4 1004 19.64 11.2 6.4
Not known. Cask Home 81 18 1059.25 1012 21.39 10.5 6
April 1845 Cask Home 81 18 1053.75 1006.5 19.4 10.5 6
March 1845 Bottle Home 81 18 1054.83 1006 19.79 10.85 6.2
March 1845 Bottle Home 81 18 1058.8 1005.25 21.23 11.9 6.8
March 1845 Bottle Home 81 18 1058.55 1005 21.14 11.9 6.8
March 1845 Bottle Home 81 18 1060.13 1005 21.71 12.25 7
Not known. Bottle Export 81 18 1058.38 1003.25 21.07 12.25 7
April 1845 Bottle Export 81 18 1058.88 1003.75 21.25 12.25 7
Not known. Bottle Export 81 18 1061.28 1003 22.12 12.95 7.4
Not known. Cask Export, India 84 18.67 1061.98 1010 22.37 11.55 6.6
Dec. 1844 Cask Export 84 18.67 1060.38 1005.25 21.8 12.25 7
Mar 1846 Bottle Export 90 20 1052.25 1005 18.86 10.5 6
Jan 1846 Cask Export 90 20 1054.83 1006 19.79 10.85 6.2
Jan 1846 Cask Home 90 20 1055.33 1006.5 19.97 10.85 6.2
1845 Cask Export 90 20 1062.4 1012 22.53 11.2 6.4
1845 Cask Export 90 20 1062.65 1012.25 22.62 11.2 6.4
1845 Cask Export 90 20 1064.23 1012.25 23.19 11.55 6.6
Not known. Bottle Export, India 90 20 1065.55 1012 23.66 11.9 6.8
1844 Bottle Export 90 20 1067.28 1009 24.29 12.95 7.4
Not known. Cask Export, India 90 20 1066.28 1008 23.93 12.95 7.4
Feb 1845 Bottle Export, India 90 20 1068.53 1010.5 24.74 12.95 7.4
1844 Bottle Export, India 90 20 1070.1 1010.25 25.31 13.3 7.6
Jan 1844 Bottle Export, India 90 20 1067.61 1007.75 24.41 13.3 7.6
Not known. Bottle Export 90 20 1068.93 1007.5 24.88 13.65 7.8
1845 Cask Export 90 20 1069.18 1007.75 24.97 13.65 7.8
1845 Cask Export 90 20 1068.93 1007.5 24.88 13.65 7.8
Not known. Bottle Export, India 95 21.11 1067.1 1007.25 24.22 13.3 7.6
Not known. Cask Export 95 21.11 1069.43 1008 25.06 13.65 7.8
Source:
“Scottish Ale Brewer”, by W.H. Roberts, Edinburgh, 1847, pages 171 and 173

Notes:
1 hogshead = 54 gallons
1 shilling = 12 pence

Ale
The descendent of Britain's pre-hop brews, Ales were still considerably more lightly-hopped than Bitter Beers. Most breweries made several, their relative strength indicated the number of X's in their name.

Name Description Designation
Mild Ale ales of varying strength meant to be drunk young X, XX, XXX, XXXX
Strong Ale high-strength ale, usually aged XXXXX, XXXXXX, SA
Old Ale like the stronger milds, but aged XXXX, XXXXX
Stock Ale high-strength, aged ale blended with young ale to add the "aged" flavour XXXK, XXXXK

English beer names taken from old advertisements

The weakest Old Ale was basically the same brew as the strongest Mild Ale, just more heavily-hopped and aged. Long storage in oak vats infected with Brettanomyces produced the "English taste" demanded by drinkers in the early part of the century. Later, the public shifted its affections to younger, weaker brews. By 1900, most Ale was drunk "mild".


Griffin Brewery Ale grists
1839 X 1839 XL 1838 XX 1839 XXX 1839 KK 1839 KKK
pale malt 99.75 99.76 100 100 100 100
amber malt 0 0 0 0 0 0
brown malt 0 0 0 0 0 0
black malt 0.25 0.24 0 0 0 0
roast malt 0 0 0 0 0 0
hops (lbs/barrel) 2.08 2.19 3.12 3.75 3.97 5.12
hops (lbs/qtr) 6.97 6.85 8.8 8 10 10.67
gravity (lbs barrel) 26.5 28.5 32 38 32 38
gravity (OG) 1073 1079 1089 1105 1089 1105
barrels wort 131 125 141 128 141 125
extract (lbs/barrel/qtr) 89.01 89.06 90.24 81.07 80.57 79.17
Source:
Brewing books of the Reid Brewery, held at the City of Westminster archive.

Notes:
% of each malt calculated from weight (pounds) not volume (quarters). As darker malt is lighter per quarter (approx 250 pounds per quarter) than pale malt ( approx 320 pounds) the ratio would be different if calculated from the number of quarters.


Barclay Perkins Ale Grists
1869 1880
X XX* XXX* T* KK KK KKK KKKK** X XX* KKK
pale malt 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 86.01 89.32 81.34
amber malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
brown malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
black malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
roast malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
sugar 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13.99 10.68 18.66
hops (lbs) 538 1004 260 316 2438 2302 2768 1020 2396 535 5357
hops (lbs/barrel) 1.94 4 5 4 5.73 7.24 8 10 2.12 4.98 8.1
hops (lbs/qtr) 6.73 10.46 12.09 15.8 14.34 18.27 15.38 18.89 7.61 13.38 18.8
gravity (lbs barrel) 21.7 28.7 33.5 20.5 30.3 28.6 33.6 38.3 21.62 28.35 32.6
gravity (OG) 1060 1080 1093 1057 1084 1079 1093 1106 1060 1079 1090
barrels wort 277.9 251 52 79 425.2 317.8 346 102 1141 107.5 661.75
extract (lbs/barrel/qtr) 75 75 80.9 79.9 75.2 72.1 68.4 72.1 78.3 76.2 75.7
Source:
Brewing logs from the Courage archive in the London Metrpoloitan Archive.

Notes:
X = Mild Ales (sold young)
K = Keeping or Stock Ales
* party-gyled with X
** party-gyled with KK
KKK was brewed just once in 1880

Porter
Porter was the generic term used to cover all porters and stouts. Here's how Porter was brewed in the 1860's.

Name Description Designation
Porter the bottom-end, draught beer XP, XXP
Stout the porter equivalent of an XX ale X
Double Stout the porter equivalent of an XXX ale XX
Triple Stout the porter equivalent of an XXXX ale XXX
Brown Stout the name applied to the first stouts, brewed from brown malt. Some breweries (mostly in London) stuck to this name even after they had stopped using brown malt. BS
Double Brown Stout the stronger version of Brown Stout DBS
Russian Stout The strongest member of the Stout family  

English beer names taken from old advertisements

The strength of Porter and Stout
Early London Porters were strong beers by modern standards. Early trials with the hydrometer in the 1770's recorded Porter as having an OG of 1071° and 6.6% ABV. Increased taxation during the Napoleonic War pushed its gravity down to around 1055°, where it remained for the rest of the 19th century. The huge popularity of the style prompted brewers to produce Porters in a wide variety of strengths. These started with Single Stout Porter at around 1070°, Double Stout Porter at 1085°, Triple Stout Porter at 1095° and Imperial Stout Porter at 1100° and more. As the 19th century progressed the Porter suffix was gradually dropped. British brewers, however, continued to use Porter as the generic term for both Porters and Stouts.

Griffin Brewery

1844 1867 1877
Beer type OG (lbs/barrel) OG hops (lbs/barrel) OG OG hops OG OG hops
Regular Porter 21.8 1060.1º 2.75 20 1055.4º 2 21 1058.2º 2.25-2.5
Crs. 21 1058.2º 3.75 20 1055.4º 2 21 1058.2º 3-3.25
Crs. Export       22 1060.9º 4.5 22 1060.9º 5
Com. Sea 22 1060.9º 3            
S 26.5 1073.4º 3.75            
S Crs. 27 1074.8º 4.8 25 1069.3º 4.5 26 1072º 4-4.25
S Export             27 1074.8º 6.25
SS 31.5 1087.3º 4.56            
SS Crs. 31.5 1087.3º 5.75 30 1083.1º 4.25 30.5 1084.5º 4-4.25
SSS 35 1097º 6 34 1094.2º 6      
SSS Crs.       34 1094.2º 6 34.5 1095.6º 6-6.25
SSS Export             35 1097º 7.5
Source:
Brewing books of the Reid Brewery, held at the City of Westminster archive.

Notes:
Reid brewing logs from 1837-1838

The move from Brown to Pale malt
The large London Porter breweries pioneered many technological advances, such as the use of the thermometer (about 1760) and the hydrometer (1770). The use of the latter was to transform the nature of Porter. The first Porters were brewed from 100% Brown Malt. Now brewers were able to accurately measure the yield of the malt they used, it was noticed that Brown Malt, though cheaper than Pale Malt, only produced about two thirds as much fermentable material. When the malt tax was increased to help pay for the Napoleonic War, brewers had an incentive to use less malt. Their solution was to use a proportion of Pale Malt and add colouring to obtain the expected hue.

When a law was passed in 1816 allowing only malt and hops to be used in the production of beer (a sort of British Reinheitsgebot) they were left in a quandry. Their problem was solved by Wheeler´s invention of patent malt in 1817. It was now possible to brew Porter from 95% Pale Malt and 5% patent malt, though most London brewers continued to use some Brown Malt for flavour.


Griffin Brewery (Reid) Porter and Stout grists
1844/1845 1867 1877
Rg Crs Com. Sea S S Crs SS SS Crs SSS Rg Crs Crs. Exp. S Crs SS Crs SSS SSS Exp. Rg Crs S SS SSS
pale malt 83.14 80.55 81.02 82 81.29 85.88 85.73 83.07 83.31 83.11 39.26 40.24 86.17 39.92 23.93 84.37 87.46 58.21 86.19 39.92
amber malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 41.73 40.24 0 39.67 54.93 0 0 28.14 0 39.67
brown malt 13.86 14.99 14.73 14.06 14.52 10.81 10.92 13.52 11.26 11.29 14.94 14.45 10.28 17.86 18.57 10.08 9 10.1 10.27 17.86
black malt 4 4.46 4.25 3.94 4.19 3.31 3.34 3.41 5.42 5.59 4.07 5.07 3.54 2.55 2.57 5.56 3.54 3.54 3.54 2.55
roast malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
hops (lbs/barrel) 2.83 3.76 3.03 3.76 4.92 4.55 6.15 5.83 1.92 2.5 4.42 4.27 4.2 6.09 7 2.16 2.99 4.27 4.2 5.83
hops (lbs/qtr) 11.61 15.67 12.96 12.05 15.77 11.62 14.92 12.66 9.16 11 15.47 13.16 10.23 12.66 12.86 8.47 11.67 13.16 10.22 12.66
gravity (lbs barrel) 21.8 21 22 26.5 27 31.5 31.5 34 20 20 22 25 30 34 34 21 21 25 30 34
gravity (OG) 1060 1058 1061 1073 1075 1087 1087 1094 1055 1055 1061 1069 1083 1094 1094 1058 1058 1069 1083 1094
barrels wort 459 866 462 359 333 347 330 139 952 879 224 818 648 133 257 392 234 818 648 139
extract (lbs/barrel/qtr) 89.34 87.43 94.11 84.94 86.45 80.37 76.43 73.84 95.2 87.9 77 77.1 73.12 70.66 62.41 82.32 81.9 77.1 73.05 73.84
Source:
Brewing books of the Griffin Brewery, held at the City of Westminster archive.

Notes:
Rg = Regular Porter
Crs = Keeping Porter
S = Single Stout
SS = Double Stout
SSS - Triple Stout
% of each malt calculated from weight (pounds) not volume (quarters). As darker malt is lighter per quarter (approx 250 pounds per quarter) than pale malt ( approx 320 pounds) the ratio would be different if calculated from the number of quarters.


Griffin Brewery (Meux, Reid & Co) brewery grists
1839 IPA 1839 BPA 1839 Porter 1838 KP 1837 BSt 1838 KBSt 1838 EBSt 1837 DBSt
pale malt % 100 100 80.39 82.88 77.78 78.4 77.78 78.13
amber malt % 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
brown malt % 0 0 14.95 13.46 18.39 18.35 18.39 17.86
black malt % 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
roast malt % 0 0 4.66 3.66 3.83 3.25 3.83 4.02
hops (lbs/barrel) 5.88 5.61 2.09 4.13 4.61 5.15 5.32 4.86
hops (lbs/qtr) 26.6 22.67 10.23 16.44 14.04 16.23 17.16 11.23
gravity (lbs barrel) 20.55 20.17 22.14 21.46 26.71 25.98 25.74 30.38
gravity (OG) 1057 1056 1061.32 1059 1074 1072 1071 1084
barrels wort 452 303 392 398 320 331 339 208
extract (lbs/barrel/qtr) 92.9 81.5 108.4 85.4 81.4 81.9 83.1 70.2
Source:
Brewing books of the Griffin Brewery, held at the City of Westminster archive.

Notes:
KP = Keeping Porter
BSt = Brown Stout
KBSt = Keeping Brown Stout
EBSt = Export Brown Stout
DBSt = Double Brown Stout
% of each malt calculated from weight (pounds) not volume (quarters). As darker malt is lighter per quarter (approx 250 pounds per quarter) than pale malt ( approx 320 pounds) the ratio would be different if calculated from the number of quarters.

Anchor Brewery (Barclay Perkins)

In the early decades of the 19th century, Barclay Perkins was not just the largest brewery in London, but the largest in the world. It brewed on a massive scale. Look below at the size of their 1812 brews - 1200 barrels (around 2,000 hl) or more. That's more than many micros brew in a year.

Barclay Perkins Porter and Stout Grists
1805 1812 1851 1856 1862
BSt EI FSt Table TT Hhd PSt BSt EI FSt Table TT Small Ale BSt EI IBSt TT Hhd Bst BSt K BSt ex EI IBSt TT Hhd Fst BSt EI IBSt TT Hhd
pale malt % 55.05 54.85 67.2 68.13 56.23 54.85 100 48.27 58.28 58.72 65.46 61.72 100 68.05 73.8 63.58 85 85 65.34 65.34 65.34 77.65 63.79 86.38 84.87 76.72 65.19 76.44 66.11 80.19 81.19
amber malt % 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 14.39 0 0 11.48 0 0 10.66 4.45 10.8 0 0 11.49 11.49 11.49 0 11.15 0 0 0 11.11 0 11.26 0 0
brown malt % 44.95 45.15 32.8 31.87 43.77 45.15 0 37.33 41.72 41.28 23.06 38.28 0 18.74 18.41 23.05 12.12 12.12 20.18 20.18 20.18 19 22.4 10.54 12.1 19.55 20.91 19.93 19.79 14.78 14.47
black malt % 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
roast malt % 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2.54 3.35 2.58 2.88 2.88 2.99 2.99 2.99 3.35 2.66 3.09 3.03 3.73 2.79 3.63 2.83 5.03 4.34
hops (lbs/barrel) 3.45 3.8 3.02 0.68 1.87 2.69 3.98 3.97 3.82 3.29 0.25 2.53 2.9 6.22 4.47 9.04 3.25 4.29 6.56 8.14 8.14 4.68 10.12 3.1 3.69 4.54 8.33 4.6 10.02 4.32 5.66
hops (lbs/qtr) 8.04 12.38 11.68 4.31 6.27 8.95 8.67 9.43 12.89 12.19 2.14 9.63 14.23 13.44 16.88 15.75 13 16.38 14.4 17.9 16.25 17.05 15.86 12.72 15.46 19.54 17.9 18.08 15.58 22 25.45
gravity (lbs barrel) 25.05 19.53 16.59 11.18 18.98 17.37 28.69 25.27 18.97 17.28 9.21 18.67 15.75 28.49 21.72 30.59 20.52 21.91 33.5 33.5 33.5 22 38.7 21.9 21.5 22.2 32.4 22.6 36.03 20.1 21
gravity (OG) 1069 1054 1046 1031 1053 1048 1079 1070 1053 1048 1026 1052 1044 1079 1060 1085 1057 1061 1093 1093 1093 1061 1107 1061 1060 1061 1090 1063 1100 1056 1058
barrels wort 537 685 734 414 856 349 261 831 759 1187 1217 1217 1278 648 907 523 1037 990 615 615 615 1310.8 227.25 1067 1088 1421 623 1354 443 1374 990
extract (lbs/barrel/qtr) 58.48 63.7 64.08 71.23 63.7 57.75 62.41 60 64 64.08 80.1 71 77.42 61.6 82.1 53.32 82 83.6 73.3 73.3 73.3 79.8 60.3 89.7 89.8 95.4 67.1 88.8 56 97 97
Source:
Brewing logs from the Courage archive in the London Metrpoloitan Archive.

Notes:
BSt = Brown Stout
TT = Porter (don't ask me what it stands for)
IBSt = Imperial Brown Stout (later Barclays Imperial Russian Stout, then Courage Russian Stout)
PSt = Pale Stout
% of each malt calculated from weight (pounds) not volume (quarters). As darker malt is lighter per quarter (approx 250 pounds per quarter) than pale malt ( approx 320 pounds) the ratio would be different if calculated from the number of quarters.

Barclay Perkins
1899/1900 1910
BS RDP SDP XLK PA BS BS ex RDP OMS XLK EIP Ex PA
pale 50.8 51.34 59.33 70.43 70.48 47.82 56.3 49.59 46.58 75.25 66.94 86.24
amber 11.36 11.49 6.41 0 0 11 14.07 11.64 11.87 0 6.53 0
brown 6.24 6.36 8.87 0 0 6.28 6.57 6.26 9.47 0 10.72 0
black 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
roast 5.08 3.71 3.33 0 0 5.62 6.08 5.66 8.21 0 6.77 0
C (chocolate malt?) 8.02 8.04 4.33 0 0 8.13 0 7.76 0 0 0 0
oats 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.41 0 3.65 0 0 0
rice 0 0 0 10.84 10.82 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
maize 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6.02 0 0
sugar 18.49 19.07 17.74 18.73 18.7 21.16 15.57 19.08 20.21 18.73 9.03 13.76
hops (lbs) 376 326 147 400 112 232 480 264 240 270 204 192
hops (lbs/barrel) 3.19 2.79 2.57 2.16 4 2.69 4.03 2.54 1.83 1.48 3.39 3.11
hops (lbs/qtr) 8.87 8.84 8.32 10 16.45 7.73 12 8 7.5 7.5 11.91 12
gravity (lbs barrel) 27.44 22.67 24.01 19.31 21.69 27.29 27.51 23.47 19.21 16.93 20.1 21.69
gravity (OG) 1076 1063 1067 1054 1060 1076 1076 1065 1053 1047 1056 1060
barrels wort 118 117 57.3 185 28 86.3 119 103.75 131 182 60.25 61.75
extract (lbs/barrel/qtr) 76.4 78.3 78.3 89 88.2 76.7 81.6 76.9 78.4 85.6 80.4 83.7
Source:
Brewing logs from the Courage archive in the London Metrpoloitan Archive.

Notes:
BS = Brown Stout
BS ex = Brown Stout (Export)
RDP = Porter (Running?)
SDP = Porter (Stock?)
OMS = Oatmeal Stout
PA = Pale Ale
XLK = god knows, seems to be some sort of light Bitter or Luncheon Ale
% of each malt calculated from weight (pounds) not volume (quarters). As darker malt is lighter per quarter (approx 250 pounds per quarter) than pale malt ( approx 320 pounds) the ratio would be different if calculated from the number of quarters.

What does this tell us?
Barclay's Imperial Stout labelThese figures demonstrate that the BJCP-defined difference between Porter and Stout - that Stout is roasty and Porter isn´t - is total bollocks. Or at least that wasn´t the case in 19th century London. If anything, it was the other way around in the case of Barclays. The 1862 Porter (5%) had almost twice as much roasted malt as the Stout (2.8%).

In 1805 the Stout was just a scaled-up version of the Porter. In 1812 the difference was that the Stout had 15% amber malt, while the Porter had none. In 1851 and 1862, not only did the Stout have amber malt but around 50% more brown malt than the Porter. By 1862, the Porter was more heavily-hopped, with 22 pounds per quarter to the Stout's 18.

Nor is there any significant difference in the hopping levels (best seen in the pounds of hops per quarter of malt) between the two. In 1815 both Porter and Stour were hopped at around 9.5 pounds per quarter. In 1851, both had around 13 pounds of hops per quarter of malt.

The table shows well the change in Porter grists over the course of the century, with the percentage of brown malt falling and later the use of roast malt for colouring purposes.

Whitbread


Whitbread Porter and Stout grists
  1805 1844 1873 1904
Porter S SS Porter KP# S* S Exp SS& SSS& Porter XpS SS SSS Porter C~ CS S* SS@ SSS#
pale malt 79.24 79.24 66.12 81.21 81.21 81.21 81.21 81.21 81.21 94.48 80.19 84.24 83.86 y 83.11 83.11 y 62.98 62.98
amber malt 0 0 19.33 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21.12 21.12
brown malt 20.76 20.76 14.55 18.79 18.79 18.79 18.79 18.79 18.79 0 14.78 11.82 12.55 y 9.98 9.98 y 11.36 11.36
black malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5.52 5.03 3.94 3.59 y 6.91 6.91 y 4.54 4.54
roast malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0   0 0   0 0
total 216 216 216 199 173 199 199 26 199 138 270 200 176 134 206 206 74 417 58
hops (lbs) 2259 2248 2261 2298 1977 252 4340 302.72   1607 3288 2705 2451 818 832.31 1245 954.7 3744 602
hops (lbs/barrel) 2.83 3.12 3.9 2.94 2.94 4.06 6.89 5.41   2.65 5.81 4.55 6.81 1.42 2.98 1.46 4.13    
hops (lbs/qtr) 10.46 10.41 10.47 11.55 11.46 11.56 21.81 11.46 11.49 11.64 12.18 13.53 13.93 6.09 12.07 6.04 12.96 10.42 10..42
gravity (lbs barrel) 18.5 19 21.9 23 22.1 28 27.5 32 36 21.4 25.3 27.8 33 19.4 20.1 20.28 27.07 31.23 34.3
gravity (OG) 1051 1053 1061 1064 1061 1078 1076 1089 1100 1059 1070 1077 1091 1053 1056 1056 1075 1087 1095
barrels wort 798 720 580 781 672 62 630 56 56 607 566 595 360 577 279 852 231 863 270
extract (lbs/barrel/qtr) 67.1 70.4 69 91.4 90.8 93.8 93.6 90.8 90.5 79.7 80.9 76.4 70 83.3 81.3 83.9 84.9 75 75
Source:
Brewing logs from the Whitbread archive in the London Metrpoloitan Archive.

Notes:
* party-gyled Porter
# party-gyled with SS
& party-gyled with KP
@ party-gyled with SSS
~ party-gyled with CS
In 1805 every single brew had exactly the same ingredients, the only difference between Porter , S and SS being the volume of beer produced.

Truman, Hanbury and Buxton (Black Eagle Brewery)

Truman Porter and Stout grists
1850
Runner Country Runner M Keeping Bottling Keeping Export Keeping Running Stout M Keeping Stout Export Stout Double Stout Keeping Double Stout Imperial
pale malt 93.63 89.43 88.91 80.03 80.03 92.9 80.03 80.03 81.96 81.96 81.96
amber malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
brown malt 6.37 10.57 11.09 19.97 19.97 7.1 19.97 19.97 18.04 18.04 18.04
black malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
roast malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
total malt (qtrs) 240 110 280 280 240 270 280 280 110 110 110
hops 1846 52.04 0 0 0 0 13.59 0 0 0 0 0
hops 1847 27.35 50.51 48.06 0 0 54.08 50.57 0 35.97 0 0
hops 1849 20.61 49.49 0 0 0 32.33 0 0 64.03 0 0
hops 1850 0 0 51.94 100 100 0 49.43 100 0 100 100
hops total (lbs) 2372 1456 3914 5220 5156 3303 3651 5375 1470 1473 1463
hops (lbs/barrel) 2.63 4.05 3.53 5.42 5.02 4.25 4.31 8.15 6.8 6.23 8.2
hops (lbs/qtr) 10.97 14.65 14.91 19.23 22.28 13.13 13.95 20.03 14.16 13.99 13.79
gravity (lbs barrel) 23.54 25.62 23.65 23.83 20.58 29.49 27.97 31.99 34.54 34.29 35.8
gravity (OG) 1065 1071 1066 1066 1057 1082 1077 1089 1096 1095 1100
barrels wort 999 398 1184 993 1066 835 906 688 229 247 185
extract (lbs/barrel/qtr) 98 92.7 100 84.5 91.4 91.2 90.5 78.6 71.9 77 64.1
Source:
Document B/THB/C/52 in the London Metropolitan Archive


From "stale" to "mild"
Until about 1800, all London Porter was matured in large vats (often holding several hundred barrels) for between six and eighteen months before being racked into smaller casks to be delivered to pubs. It was discovered that it was unnecessary to age all Porter. A small quantity of highly aged beer (18 months or more) mixed with fresh or "mild" Porter produced a flavour similar to that of aged beer. It was a cheaper method of producing Porter, as less beer needed to be stored for long periods. The normal blend was around two parts young beer to one part old.

After 1860, as the popularity of both Porter and the aged taste began to wane, Porter was increasingly sold "mild". In the final decades of the century many breweries discontinued their Porter, though continued to brew one or two stouts. Those which did still persist with Porter brewed it weaker and with fewer hops. Between 1860 and 1914 the gravity dropped from 1055° to 1040° and the hopping rate from two pounds to one pound per 36 gallon barrel. It was a mere shadow of the beer which had once been so respected and admired.

The disaster of 1917
During the First World War in Britain, shortages of grain led to restrictions on the production of strong beer. Less strict rules were applied in Ireland allowing Irish brewers such as Guinness to take advantage and dominate the bottled Stout market. However, most English breweries continued to brew draught stouts until Second World War and beyond. They were considerably weaker than the pre-war versions (down from 1055º-1060° to 1040-1042°) and around the strength that Porter had been in 1914. Porter, with its srength slot now occupied by Single Stout, slowly withered away. The last English Porters were brewed around 1940.

A couple of Stouts remained part of a brewery's portfolio, even when Porter had gone. A new type of low-gravity, bottled Stout appeared, equivalent to Light Bitter. But strong Stout didn't disappear - many varities were brewed until WW I. A few - like Courage Russian Stout or Bass P2 - managed to survive even that.

English beer names, strengths and wholesale price 1860 - 1900.

Transcripts of of interviews with publicans and brewers conducted by socioliogist Charles Booth provide a fascinating glimpse into London pubs in the 1890's.

19th Century British Beer Styles and their Strengths




1860 1880 1900

Name Price lbs per barrel o.g lbs per barrel o.g lbs per barrel o.g
Ale







X Mild Ale 1s 22 1060.94 20 1055.4 19 1052.63
XX Mild Ale 1s 2d 24 1066.48 22 1060.94 20 1055.4
XXX Mild Ale 1s 4d 26 1072.02 24 1066.48 22 1060.94
XXXX Mild/Old Ale 1s 6d 28 1077.56 26 1072.02 24 1066.48
XXXXX Strong Ale/Burton 1s 8d 30 1083.1 28 1077.56 26 1072.02
XXXXXX Extra Strong Ale 2s 36 1099.72 34 1094.18 32 1088.64
Porter







XP Porter 1s 20 1055.4 20 1055.4 19 1052.63
XXP Porter 1s 2d 22 1060.94 22 1060.94 21 1058.17
X
Single Stout 1s 4d 24 1066.48 24 1066.48 23 1063.71
XX
Double Stout 1s 6d 26 1072.02 26 1072.02 26 1072.02
XXX
Triple/Extra Stout 1s 8d 28 1077.56 28 1077.56 27 1074.79

Imperial Stout 2s 34 1094.18 34 1094.18 30 1083.1

Russian Stout 2s 6d 40 1110.8 40 1110.8 36 1099.72
BS Brown Stout 1s 4d 24 1066.48 24 1066.48 22 1060.94
DBS Double Brown Stout 1s 6d 26 1072.02 26 1072.02 24 1066.48
Bitter Beer







AK Light Bitter Ale 1s 20 1055.4 18 1049.86 17 1047.09
AKA Bitter Ale 1s 2d 22 1060.94 20 1055.4 19 1052.63
AKK Bitter Ale 1s 2d 22 1060.94 20 1055.4 20 1055.4
BB Bitter Ale 1s 4d 24 1066.48 22 1060.94 20 1055.4
PA Pale Ale 1s 4d 24 1066.48 22 1060.94 22 1060.94
IPA India Pale Ale 1s 6d 24 1066.48 23 1063.71 23 1063.71
E IPA East/Export India Pale Ale 1s 8d 26 1072.02 25 1069.25 25 1069.25
XXXK Stock Strong Ale 1s 6d 26 1072.02 26 1072.02 26 1072.02
LS Strong Ale 1s 10d 30 1083.1 30 1083.1 28 1077.56
KXX Strong Ale
30 1083.1



KKK Strong Ale
29 1080.33



KKKK Strong Ale 1s 10d 31 1085.87 30 1083.1 28 1077.56

Strong Ale 2s 32 1088.64 32 1088.64 32 1088.64
KKKK Strong Ale
38 1105.26 36 1099.72 36 1099.72
No. 1 Burton Ale (Bass) 2s 4d 38 1105.26 38 1105.26 38 1105.26

Beer 1890 to 1900


OG, attenuation and ABV for different styles circa 1895
Beer type Strong Ale Strong Ale Strong Ale Mild Mild Mild Mild Mild Mild Mild Mild Mild Mild Bitter Bitter Bitter Bitter Bitter Light Bitter Light Bitter Light Bitter Light Bitter Light Bitter Light Bitter Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale Running Ale
OG 1071 1073.5 1072.8 1066 1066 1059 1061.5 1059 1060.5 1061.1 1060 1061 1059 1058 1061 1062 1062 1060.5 1047.2 1048 1049 1046.5 1047 1047 1050 1041.1 1051 1050.6 1050.5 1049.5 1048.5 1047 1043 1043.5 1044 1041 1041.5
FG 1020 1019 1022.7 1019.4 1019 1018 1016.7 1014.7 1014.4 1013.9 1012.7 1012.7 1012.2 1017.2 1017 1013.9 1014 1012.2 1011.1 1014 1014.4 1010.8 1013.9 1011.6 1016.7 1010.5 1014.4 1010 1011.1 1008.3 1007.8 1009 1012.7 1012.5 1010 1009.5 1009.4
% of fermentable substances in finished beer 6.3 4.48 9.65 7.8 4.6 5.8 8.2 5.43 6.04 4.3 1.92 4.34 0.7 13.89 7.48 3.92 2.72 3 6.6 12.6 8.18 8.73 14.54 10.56 10.11 8.03 9.78 4.7 6.5 3.66 2.03 3.49 9.05 10.72 4.83 6.16 2.9
Real FG 1.0289 1.0285 1.0314 1.0275 1.0272 1.0252 1.0245 1.0224 1.0224 1.0221 1.0209 1.0211 1.0204 1.0243 1.0247 1.0223 1.0224 1.0206 1.0174 1.0200 1.0205 1.0171 1.0197 1.0178 1.0226 1.0159 1.0208 1.0171 1.0180 1.0155 1.0149 1.0157 1.0180 1.0180 1.0160 1.0151 1.0151
apparent degree of attenuation 71.8310 74.1497 68.8187 70.6061 71.2121 69.4915 72.8455 75.0847 76.1983 77.2504 78.8333 79.1803 79.3220 70.3448 72.1311 77.5806 77.4194 79.8347 76.4831 70.8333 70.6122 76.7742 70.4255 75.3191 66.6000 74.4526 71.7647 80.2372 78.0198 83.2323 83.9175 80.8511 70.4651 71.2644 77.2727 76.8293 77.3494
real attenuation 59.3317 61.2802 56.8316 58.2829 58.7874 57.3164 60.1196 61.9663 62.9032 63.7833 65.0936 65.3900 65.4930 58.0195 59.5223 64.0647 63.9304 65.9314 63.0451 58.3646 58.1875 63.2815 58.0204 62.0780 54.8671 61.3176 59.1559 66.1888 64.3456 68.6692 69.2299 66.6694 58.0282 58.6933 63.6761 63.2856 63.7205
ABV 6.6365 7.1065 6.5081 6.0543 6.1086 5.3182 5.8244 5.7645 6.0042 6.1520 6.1694 6.3024 6.1047 5.2941 5.7176 6.2716 6.2580 6.3042 4.6920 4.4078 4.4856 4.6401 4.2899 4.5984 4.3091 3.9703 4.7486 5.2896 5.1274 5.3745 5.3098 4.9488 3.9256 4.0178 4.4184 4.0910 4.1701
Source:
“Zeitschrift für das gesammte Brauwesen” 1899, p.344 (Taken from the Journal of the Institute of Brewing volume 21)

Notes:
Real FG, apparent attenuation, reall attenuation and ABV calculated by myself.


Specifications of beers from the Hammond Brewery, Bradford 1903
  X XX XXX XXXX (Old Tom) XXXXX (Stingo) BB Porter
OG 1042º 1044º 1055º 1071º 1100º 1051º 1055º
FG 1010.4º 1010.9º 1012º 1013.7º 1027.3º 1012.6º 1019.1º
ABV (%) 4.1% 4.3% 5.6% 7.5% 9.5% 5% 4.7%
Bitterness EBU 34 40 55 72 119 48 56
Source:
"Yeasts of Yesterday" by Dr. Keith Thomas in "The Journal of Brewery History", No. 105, Autumn 2001

Notes:
ABV and EBU calculated by Dr. Thomas.


Grist of beers from the Hammond Brewery, Bradford 1903 (in %age)
Malt type X XX XXX XXXX (Old Tom) XXXXX (Stingo) BB Porter
Yorks Pale malt 34.2 24.1 24.5 39.5 48.7 15.6 31.3
Chilean Pale malt 26.6 24.7 19.1 17.4 20.5 42.7 16.7
Foreign Pale malt 11.8 19.2 19.1 12.4 12.5 17.4  
Crystal malt             11.1
Maize 16.8 13.4 15.5 15.1     13.9
Black Malt       0.8 0.8   5.2
Glucose 10.7 9.4     17.5   2.4
Invert Sugar   9.4 21.8 14.8   24.3 19.4
Source:
"Yeasts of Yesterday" by Dr. Keith Thomas in "The Journal of Brewery History", No. 105, Autumn 2001

Notes:
It's mentioned in Dr. Thomas's text that caramel was sometimes added to the Old Tom, Stingo and Porter presumably for colour adjustment, but never making up more than 1.5% of the grist.

Sources:
"The Brewer"by William Loftus, 1863
English beer names, strengths and wholesale price 1860 - 1900.
"London & Country Brewer", 1736
Obadiah Poundage's letter of 1760
A list of English beer names taken from various old advertisements and one of my main sources.
Chemical analyses of various American, British and continental beers between 1850 and 1900 from "American Handy Book of Brewing , Malting and Auxiliary Trades", by Wahl & Henius, Chicago 1902
"Brewing Science and Practice: Volume II Brewing Processes" by H. Lloyd Hind, 1940, London
"The Principles and Practices of Brewing" by Walter J. Sykes and Arthur R. Ling, 1907, London
"A History of Beer and Brewing" by Ian S Hornsey, 2003, Cambridge.


The 20th Century

World War I

Barclay Perkins Beer Grists in WW I
1914 1919
X XLK (t)* XLK (b)* KK KKK PA X XLK (t)** XLK (b)** XLK (c)** KK 4d Ale
pale malt 62.82 74.2 74.2 65.12 79.08 78.56 56.69 73.61 73.61 73.61 71.99 56.83
amber malt 6.88 0 0 0 0 0 9.68 0 0 0 0 10.03
brown malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.7
black malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
roast malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
crystal malt 0 0 0 4.65 4.23 0 4.15 0 0 0 4.5 0
maize 9.47 7.3 7.3 9.3 0 5.69 10.37 7.81 7.81 7.81 9 10.03
sugar 13.68 18.5 18.5 20.93 16.69 15.74 19.12 18.59 18.59 18.59 14.52 19.41
dark sugar 7.14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
hops (lbs) 1398 338 330 2062 2510 1031 1100 1294 256 263 1561 996
hops (lbs/barrel) 1.16 1.52 1.47 3.58 5.39 2.72 1.15 1.18 1.02 0.83 2.79 0.66
hops (lbs/qtr) 5.5 7.55 8.11 11.99 14.1 10.97 7.01 6.71 6.72 6.72 10.99 6.04
gravity (lbs barrel) 18.52 18.01 16.25 26.78 31.44 21.77 14.19 15.7 13.54 11.01 22.13 9.53
gravity (OG) 1051.3 1049.9 1045 1074.18 1087.1 1060.3 1039.3 1043.5 1037.5 1030.5 1061.3 1026.4
barrels wort 1209.5 223 224.75 576.75 465.25 379.25 956.25 1100.5 252 318.5 559.25 1503
extract (lbs/barrel/qtr) 87.8 89.7 89.7 89.8 86.7 87.5 86.2 89.6 89.6 89.6 87.3 85.5
Source:
Brewing logs from the Courage archive in the London Metrpoloitan Archive.

Notes:
XLK(t) = XLK (trade)
XLK(b) = XLK (bottling)
XLK(c) = XLK (crate)
* trade & bottling XLK party-gyled
** trade, bottling & crate XLK party-gyled
XLK = Light Bitter
trade = draught beer
Bottling = pint bottles
crate = quart bottles?
PA = Pale Ale
GA = Government Ale
4d Ale = beer sold under government price controls at 4d a pint
Barclay Perkins                         vvv vvvvv vvv
  1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1914 1919 1919 1919 1919 1919 1919      
  X XLK (trade) * XLK (bottling) KK KKK PA X XLK (trade) *** XLK (bottling) *** XLK (crate) *** KK 4d Ale      
pale malt 62.82 74.2 74.2 65.12 79.08 78.56 56.69 73.61 73.61 73.61 71.99 56.83      
amber malt 6.88 0 0 0 0 0 9.68 0 0 0 0 10.03      
brown malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.7      
black malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0      
roast malt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0      
crystal malt 0 0 0 4.65 4.23 0 4.15 0 0 0 4.5 0      
maize 9.47 7.3 7.3 9.3 0 5.69 10.37 7.81 7.81 7.81 9 10.03      
sugar 13.68 18.5 18.5 20.93 16.69 15.74 19.12 18.59 18.59 18.59 14.52 19.41      
dark sugar 7.14 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0      
total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100      
hops (lbs) 1398 338 330 2062 2510 1031 1100 1294 256 263 1561 996      
hops (lbs/barrel) 1.16 1.52 1.47 3.58 5.39 2.72 1.15 1.18 1.02 0.83 2.79 0.66      
hops (lbs/qtr) 5.5 7.55 8.11 11.99 14.1 10.97 7.01 6.71 6.72 6.72 10.99 6.04      
gravity (lbs barrel) 18.52 18.01 16.25 26.78 31.44 21.77 14.19 15.7 13.54 11.01 22.13 9.53      
gravity (OG) 1051.3 1049.9 1045 1074.18 1087.1 1060.3 1039.3 1043.5 1037.5 1030.5 1061.3 1026.4      
barrels wort 1209.5 223 224.75 576.75 465.25 379.25 956.25 1100.5 252 318.5 559.25 1503      
extract (lbs/barrel/qtr) 87.8 89.7 89.7 89.8 86.7 87.5 86.2 89.6 89.6 89.6 87.3 85.5      
Source:
Brewing logs from the Courage archive in the London Metrpoloitan Archive.

Notes:
* trade & bottling XLK party-gyled
** trade, bottling & crate XLK party-gyled
                             


Barclay Perkins beers during WW I
X XLK (trade) XLK (bottling XLK (crate) KK PA GA 4d Ale
OG Hops (lbs/barrel) OG Hops OG Hopsl OG Hops OG Hops OG Hops OG Hops OG Hops
March 1914 1051.3º 1.16 1049.9º 1.5 1045º 1.35 º   1073.1º 3.58 1060.4º 3 º   º  
April 1915 1050.9º   1049.8º   1045º   º   1072.9º   1060.3º 2.72 º   º  
April 1916 1049.6º 1.13 1049.7º 1.35 1045º 1.22 º   º   º   º   º  
May 1916 1048.6º 1.13 1049.7º 1.35 1045º 1.22 º   º   1058.6º 2.66 º   º  
Oct 1916 1047.8º 1.17 1049.7º 1.47 1045º 1.35 º   º   1058.5º 2.69 º   º  
May 1917 1046.7º 1.06 1049.6º 1.38 1045º 1.22 1040º 1.09 º   º   º   º  
July 1917 1046.7º 1.25 1049.6º 1.35 1045º 1.19 1036.3º 1 º   º   1036.3º 0.95 º  
Sept 1917 1046.6º 1.31 1049.7º 1.31 1045º 1.34 1036.2º 0.94 º   º   1036.2º 0.97 º  
Oct 1917 1046.6º 1.06 1049.7º 1.22 1045º 1.13 1036º 0.89 1070.4º 3.11 º   1037.9º 0.89 º  
April 1918 *   1040.3º 1.03 1032.5º 0.94 1025.4º 0.67 º   º   º   1025.9º 0.56
April 1919 *   1043.5º 1.13 1037.4º 1 1030.5º 0.78 º   º   º   1027.5º 0.56
June 1919 1039.3º 0.78 1043.5º 1.17 1037.4º 1.02 1030.5º 0.82 º   º   º   1027.5º  
July 1919 1040.2º 1.16 1047.3º   1040.4º   1034.5º   º   º   º   1026.4º 0.66
Oct 1919 1042.3º   1047.4º   1040.4º   1034.5º   1061.3º 2.78 º   º   1028.4º  
June 1920 1042.4º   1047.4º   1040.4º   1034.4º   1055.4º   º   º   1028.4º  
Oct 1920 1041.5º   1047.4º   1040.4º   1034.5º   º   º   º   1028.4º  
Feb 1921 1041.5º   1047.4º   1040.4º   1034.5º   º   º   º   1028.4º  
Source:
Barclay's Ale labelBrewing logs from the Courage archive in the London Metrpoloitan Archive.

Notes:
XLK = Light Bitter
trade = draught beer
Bottling = pint bottles
crate = quart bottles?
PA = Pale Ale
GA = Government Ale
4d Ale = beer sold under government price controls at 4d a pint
* in the brewing year ending April 1919 no X Ale (which had accounted for around 75% of Ale production before 1917) was brewed at all. It was replaced by 4d Ale, which made up more than 80% of Ale brewed.

Between the Wars

Draught London Porter: the end
Mar 1926 Apr 1926 June 1926 Aug 1926 Nov 1926 Feb 1927 Mar 1927 April 1937
Brewery OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price
Whitbread 1035.1 5d 1038.6 5d         1036.8 5d 1031.9 5d     1038.08 5d
Hoare 1039.8 5d 1038.7 5d     1039.1 5d                
Cannon 1038.7 5d         1038.8 5d     1040.1 5d        
Truman 1036.8 5d 1036.9 5d 1038.7 5d 1037.1 5d 1037.2 5d 1038.4 5d     1038.9 5d
Huggins 1040.8 5d                            
Meux     1037.4 5d                     1036.71 5d
Barclay Perkins     1037.8 5d 1035.2 5d 1038.1 5d                
Taylor Walker         1037.6 5d 1038.5 5d 1039.9 5d         1035.59 5d
Smith Garrett         1035.1 5d 1031.7 5d                
Mann, Crossman & Paulin         1041.2 5d 1040.3 5d 1041.2 5d            
City of London             1037.6 5d                
Charrington                 1036.2 5d 1035.6 5d     1036.71 5d
Courage                     1036.6 5d 1037.6 5d    
Wenlock                             1040.65 5d
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Trumann's from samples bought in competitors pubs


Draught Stout between the wars
March 1926 April 1926 May 1926 June 1926 Aug 1926 Sept 1926 Oct 1926 Jan 1927 Mar 1927 May 1927 Nov 1927 June 1928 Dec 1928 Mar 1930 Apr 1930 Sep 1930 Oct 1930 Nov 1930 Mar 1931 Nov 1931 Dec 1931 Feb 1932 May 1932 July 1932 Aug 1932 Feb 1937 April 1937 Oct 1937 Nov 1937 Feb 1939 Apr 1939 Feb 1940
OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price
Wenlock 1049.2 6d                                                                                                     1054.37 7d                    
London & Burton                                 1048.6 8d                                                                                            
Truman 1055.1 8d 1056.8 8d                 1056 8d             1054 8d         1054.3 8d                 1056.3 8d 1044.3 8d 1048.8 8d         1046.3 9d 1044.9 8d     1054.72 8d                    
Truman 1048 7d 1048.8 7d 1048.6 7d 1049.1 7d 1048 7d 1046.3 7d     1048.8 7d 1048.5 7d 1048.3 7d                 1049.5 7d 1048.6 7d                             1042.7 9d 1047.5 8d 1050.57 7d 1047.82 7d     1048.88 7d 1047.48 7d 1044.9 7d    
Style & Winch                                                                                                                                
Courage 1049.1 7d                                 1049.5 7d                 1048.09 7d     1048.3 7d         1047.6 8d 1046.9 8d         1046.7 8d     1036.96 7d                        
Charrington 1050.9 7d     1048.6 7d     1048 7d 1052.1 7d         1054.4 7d                 1052.6 8d     1055.2           1053.7 8d 1049.3 9d 1043.04 9d         1043.8 8d 1047.2 9d     1045.8 7d 1044.3 7d 1045.06 7d 1046.21   1046.27 7d    
Taylor Walker 1045.9 8d             1058.6 8d 1055.4 8d         1048.1 8d 1048 8d         1053.9 7d     1049.1 7d     1049.8 7d         1049.5 8d 1046.9 9d         1038.2 8d         1055.84 8d     1053.89 8d            
Leney & Co                                     1054.7 7d                                                                                        
Huggins 1055.5 8d                                                                                                                            
Wenlock         1045 7d             1044.5                               1048.1 7d         1045.1 7d     1046.7 8d 1045.6 8d         1046.6 9d                                
Mann, Crossman & Paulin         1054.3 8d         1054.5 8d         1056.6 8d                     1056.9 8d 1055.4 8d         1054.6 8d 1046.3 9d 1046.8 9d         1046.6 8d 1047.5 8d     1047.93 7d     1047.1 7d 1046.03 7d 1045.57 7d    
Whitbread         1058.7 8d                 1057.1 8d 1057.2 8d                 1057.3 8d     1059.3 8d         1057.6 8d                         1050.8 7d 1049.88 7d 1050.03 7d 1050.13 7d 1052.16 7d 1048.41 7d 1048.8 7d
Hoare                                             1053.03 7d         1048.2 7d 1047.3 7d             1041.3 8d 1038.3 8d         1039.08 8d 1042.4 8d                            
Barclay Perkins             1053.3 8d 1051.3 8d     1053.8 8d 1052.8 8d 1053.8   1053.9 8d     1053.05 8d     1054.2 8d     1054.04 8d         1054.3 8d 1050.9 9d 1049.6 9d 1043.1 8d     1046.6 9d 1052.4 9d 1054.26 8d 1055.34 8d         1053.42 8d        
Cannon             1057.9 8d                                         1055.3 8d             1055.02 8d                                                    
Meux             1055.5 8d 1053.6 8d 1056.1 8d     1056.8       1046.1               1058.3 8d             1055.3 8d 1060.3 8d                     1045.6 8d                            
Watneys             1053.9 8d     1052.7 8d                             1055.8 8d 1052.5 8d 1052.9 8d             1047.8 8d 1043.3 8d         1042.7 8d 1042.3 8d 1048.27 7d 1048.93 7d 1042.04 7d 1046.51 7d 1046.43 7d 1048.64 7d    
Budden & Biggs                                     1044.8 7d                                                                                        
Ind Coope                                                                                         1039.7 7d                                    
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Trumann's from samples bought in competitors pubs


X Ale (Mild) 1926-1933
March 1926 April 1926 May 1926 June 1926 Jul 1926 Aug 1926 Sep 1936 Oct 1926 Nov 1926 Jan 1931 Apr 1931 May 1931 July 1931 Oct 1931 Dec 1931 Jan 1932 Mar 1932 May 1932 Aug 1932 Sept 1932 Feb 1933
OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price
Meux 1043.8 6d                             1043 6d                 1033.7 6d 1035.8           1034.7 6d 1035.5 6d     1034.5 6d
Truman 1045 6d 1041.1 6d 1042.1 6d 1042.2 6d 1039.6 6d 1040.7 6d 1041.2 6d 1041.9 6d 1042.1 6d 1042.4 6d 1041.9 6d 1041.9 6d 1041.1 6d 1036.5 6d 1036.12 6d 1036.8 6d     1035.2 6d 1033.4 6d 1034.9 6d 1034.4 6d
Taylor Walker 1045.7 6d                         1043.7 6d 1042.9 6d     1043.5 6d 1043.5 6d     1032.8 6d 1035.07 6d     1033.6 6d 1031.87 6d     1034.6 6d 1032.4 6d
Barclay Perkins 1044.8 6d                         1043.2 6d         1043.7 6d 1043.7 6d 1043.3 6d 1036.3 6d     1035.3 6d                    
Mann, Crossman & Paulin     1043.8 6d 1042.6 6d         1042.6 6d     1040.2 6d 1043 6d     1045.02 6d 1045.02 6d 1042.7 6d 1034.7 6d 1040.3 6d     1038.3 6d 1035.7 6d 1034.6 6d 1034.7 6d 1035.7 6d
Cannon     1042.4 6d                 1037.1 6d     1039.1 6d                                                
Charrington     1042.1 6d                     1043.4 6d 1042.2 6d     1042.3 6d 1042.3 6d 1041.4 6d 1037.1 6d 1038.6 6d     1035.9 6d 1034.05 6d 1034.3 6d 1032.9 6d 1034.3 6d
Watneys     1043.5 6d 1043.3 6d     1039.6 6d 1043 6d 1041.3 6d 1043.5 6d     1042.8 6d         1042.3 6d 1036.1 6d 1037.5 6d     1036.3 6d 1033.2 6d 1032.2 6d 1032.4 6d 1034.3 6d
Whitbread         1043.2 6d                 1041.9 6d                 1041.9 6d 1035.9 6d 1035.8 6d                        
City of London         1043.4 6d                 1040.7 6d 1045.4 6d                                                
Courage                         1033.6 6d                                     1033.7 6d 1033.8 6d     1033.4 6d 1032.8 6d
Lion Brewery                 1042.6 6d                                                                
Tilney & Co                     1039.6 6d                                                            
Wenlock                     1042.8 6d     1029.7 5d                                                    
Ind Coope                                                                 1030.3 5d                
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Trumann's from samples bought in competitors pubs


LM 5d (Mild) 1933-1937
Apr 1933 May 1933 July 1933 Sept 1933 Nov 1934 Dec 1934 Jan 1935 Feb 1935 Jan 1936 Mar 1936 Apr 1936 May 1936 Nov 1936 Feb 1937 May 1937 Nov 1937 Dec 1937
OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price
Meux 1035.3 5d 1035.8 5d     1035.5 5d             1036.2 5d         1036.65 5d 1035.9 5d             1035.09      
Truman 1034.3 5d 1036.2 5d 1035.2 5d 1035.8 5d 1035.2 5d 1036.3 5d 1035.3 5d 1034.8 5d 1036.5 5d 1036.3 5d 1037 5d 1035.66 5d 1036.4 5d 1037.09 5d 1037.6 5d 1037.17 5d    
Taylor Walker 1033.1 5d 1036.1 5d 1034.9 5d 1034.6 5d 1035.1 5d 1036.2 5d 1034.2 5d     1034.3 5d         1036.05 5d 1034.4 5d 1033.92 5d 1035.3 5d 1035.46 5d    
Barclay Perkins             1038.4 5d     1035.6 5d 1035.6 5d             1035.9 5d 1036.24 5d 1036.6 5d 1036.86 5d 1037.4 5d 1036.05 5d    
Mann, Crossman & Paulin 1034.2 5d 1035.08 5d 1034.6 5d 1035.6 5d 1040.4 5d 1036.08 5d 1036.2 5d 1035.5 5d 1040.4 5d 1035.2 5d         1035.9 5d 1035.4 5d 1035.2 5d 1040.63 5d    
Charrington 1034.2 5d 1036.8 5d 1036.2 5d 1036.9 5d 1037.3 5d 1036.3 5d     1035.8 5d 1036.4 5d 1036.6 5d         1036.8 5d 1037.49 5d 1038.2 5d 1035.51 5d    
Watneys 1033.1 5d 1036.4 5d 1035.5 5d 1035.5 5d 1035.9 5d 1036.1 5d 1036.2 5d 1036.3 5d 1036.3 5d 1036 5d         1036.19 5d 1038.79 5d     1035.74 5d    
Whitbread             1034.9 5d 1036.1 5d     1035.7 5d 1038.04 5d 1035.7 5d 1036.4 5d 1037.3 5d             1038.6 5d 1033.59 5d 1038.3 5d
Courage 1033.2 5d         1035.2 5d             1036.4 5d     1035.5 5d 1037.01 5d                 1034.7 5d    
Reffel Bexley             1036.8 5d                                                    
Wenlock             1038.3 5d             1035.9 5d         1036.69 5d 1036.02 5d                    
Shepherd Neame                             1039.9 5d                                    
Hoare             1035.2 5d                                                    
Ind Coope                                             1035.19 5d                    
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Trumann's from samples bought in competitors pubs


LM 5d (Mild) 1938-1942
Apr 1938 May 1938 Jun 1938 July 1938 Aug 1938 Sep 1938 Oct 1938 Nov 1938 Dec 1938 Jan 1939 Feb 1939 Mar 1939 May 1939 Nov 1939 Jan 1940 Feb 1940 Jan 1941
OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price
Meux     1035.2 5d 1035.9 5d                 1036.6 5d 1036.12 5d 1035.4 5d         1036.4 5d     1033.7 6d     1031.55 8d
Truman             1036.8 5d 1037.1 5d 1036.6 5d 1036.3 5d 1037.1 5d 1036.6 5d 1036.6 5d 1037.4 5d 1036.9 5d 1036.8 5d                
Taylor Walker     1034.14 5d 1035 5d 1035.8 5d 1036 5d 1035.3 5d 1034.4 5d 1034.9 5d 1034.18 5d     1036.4 5d 1034.78 5d         1035.25 7d 1042.2 7d 1033.2 8d
Barclay Perkins     1036 5d 1038.78 5d 1037.4 5d     1038.2 5d 1037.5 5d 1029.95 5d 1042.52 6d 1037.9 5d 1038 5d     1038 5d     1036.25 6d     1033.3 8d
Mann, Crossman & Paulin 1033.74 5d 1036.4 5d 1034.8 5d     1034.3 5d 1035.4 5d 1034.9 5d                                        
Charrington     1037.5 5d 1037.9 5d 1037.7 5d 1037.9 5d 1037.8 5d         1035.88 5d     1037.32 5d 1037.4 5d 1037.2 5d     1037.15 6d     1034.7 8d
Watneys     1036.8 5d 1036.21 5d 1036.8 5d 1037.2 5d 1037.2 5d 1036.3 5d 1036.44 5d 1036.8 5d 1036.8 5d 1037.9 5d 1033.03 5d 1036.5 5d     1035.95 6d 1031 6d 1031.7 8d
Whitbread     1037.99 5d 1037.4 5d     1036.8 5d 1036.2 5d     1037.5 5d     1038.1 5d 1037.62 5d             1035.45 6d        
Courage     1034.87 5d 1035.8 5d 1035.3 5d     1036.3 5d 1035.1 5d     1035.8 5d 1036.7 5d 1036.9 5d 1036 5d         1034.5 6d 1033.8 6d 1033.65 8d
Wenlock     1038.4 5d 1038.8 5d         1038.1 5d                 1039.1 5d             1037.9 6d     1034.8 8d
Ind Coope         1035.9 5d         1036.1 5d                                 1035.6 6d     1032.35 8d
Beasley                                                         1034.5 6d        
Lacons                                                         1034.9 6d        
Youngs                                                             1035.5 6d    
Tetley                                                         1039.4 6d        
Fuller, Smith & Turner                                                             1032.7 5d    
Shepherd Neame                                                     1038.5 6d            
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Trumann's from samples bought in competitors pubs


Modern Mild

I had assumed that Mild had adopted its current form - OG 1030-1036°, mid to dark brown colour - at the end of WW I. It appears that this was not the case.

In 1914, standard London Mild (X Ale) was around 1051°, slightly higher than ordinary Bitter (1050°). During the war, the gravity of X Ale was slashed and during 1918 and 1919 was discontinued (in the case of Barclay Perkins) and replaced by 4d Ale, a price-controlled, low-gravity Mild of 1026-1029° After the War, the gravity bounced back to around 5-7° lower than in 1914, 1043-1045° and 4.3% ABV. That´s still substantially stronger than Mild today. You can see many examples here.

The crucial change came in the early 1930´s, when beer duty was increased from 80/- to 114/- per barrel. The effect was dramatic: brewers dropped their Mild gravities by 5-7° virtually overnight. It´s an even greater percentage change than that caused by WW I. The tax increase was repealed in 1933, partly because the drop in beer consumption it caused meant that the revenue collected was lower. But rather than increasing the gravity back to the old levels, the brewers kept the beer the same but dropped the price 1d to 5d a pint. The gravities in 1933 - 1032-1035° - match exactly those of modern Mild.

The full response from Barclay Perkins is interesting, because it illustrates a phenomenon that has occurred more than once in British brewing. They dropped the gravity of their X Ale to from 1043° to 1035°, but introduced a new beer, XX Ale, at 1043°. Looking at the specs, it seems to be the old X Ale renamed. This seems to be a common response to downward pressure on gravities: weaken a beer but at the same time introduce a "new" beer at the old strength. This is how Young´s Special was born - when the PA (Ordinary) was reduced in strength Special was introduced at the old PA gravity.

Though some Mild was coloured with caramel to be fairly dark, a lot wasn´t. The colour measurements I have are in degrees Lovibond measured in a one inch column. I´m not sure how these relate to ABC or SRM units, but having them for a whole range of styles gives a general idea of what they mean.

This is a summary:

beer Lovibond
Bitter/PA 20-25º
uncoloured Mild 40-45°
coloured Mild 90°
Old Ale 100°
Strong Ale 100°
Porter 240º
Stout 270º
Export Stout 350-400º
Source:
Brewing logs from the Courage archive in the London Metrpolitan Archive.

The "pale" Milds were darker in colour than the Bitters due (in the case of Barclay Perkins) to the inclusion of 10% amber malt in the grist.

So there you have it: modern Mild came into being April 1931.


Strong Ale (Burton) 1926-1934
Apr 1926 June 1926 Aug 1926 Nov 1926 Jan 1927 May 1927 Feb 1928 Apr 1928 Dec 1928 Mar 1929 Feb 1930 Oct 1930 Mar 1931 June 1931 Sep 1931 Dec 1931 Feb 1932 Apr 1932 June 1932 Aug 1932 Oct 1932 Dec 1932 June 1933 Oct 1933 Jan 1934 Nov 1934
OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price
Truman 1053.1 8d 1054.7 8d 1051.7 8d 1054.5 8d 1053.5 8d 1054.7 8d 1055.2 8d 1055.6 8d 1052.5 8d     1052.7 8d 1054.7 8d     1055.02 8d 1052.7 8d 1046.8 8d 1047.5 8d 1045.7 8d 1045.6 8d 1045.1 8d 1046.6 8d 1045.8 8d 1046.4 7d 1047.8 7d 1047.3 7d 1047.9 7d
Courage     1051.2 8d     1052.5 8d                         1052.2 8d 1052.3 8d                                         1049.2 7d 1051.5 8d     1050.5 8d
Barclay Perkins 1054.5 8d 1057.4 8d 1054 8d     1056.2 8d         1054.4 8d         1052.4 8d 1055.1 8d     1054.4 8d 1054.2 8d     1051.9 8d 1047.7 8d 1049.9 9d 1045.1 8d         1051.6 7d 1052.1 8d        
Watney 1057.2 8d 1057.9 8d 1055.7 8d 1059.1 8d 1059.4 8d     1056.4 8d     1058.3 8d 1058.1 8d 1057.6 8d 1058.6 8d     1054.6 8d 1055.6 8d 1046.5 8d 1047.4 8d 1046.08 8d 1044.4 8d 1047.8 8d 1048.1 8d 1047.5 8d 1049.5 7d 1046.2 7d 1048.4 7d 1048.6 7d
Charrington 1052.3 8d 1053.3 8d     1053.3 8d     1053.5 8d         1052.2 8d     1050.6 8d 1052.6 8d     1051.5 8d 1052.1 8d 1046.7 9d 1050.7 9d 1045.6 8d 1049.4 9d 1039.9 8d 1048.8 8d 1046.03 8d 1050.7 7d 1051.9 8d 1052.5 8d 1047.3 7d
Mann, Crossman & Paulin     1057.8 8d 1053.8 8d         1054.5 8d 1056.9 8d         1055.2 8d 1054.9 8d 1052.9 8d     1053.7 8d 1053.6 8d 1050.7 9d 1051.4 9d     1049.5 9d     1049.1 8d 1048.4 8d 1047.9 7d 1051.5 8d 1051.2 7d 1047.7 8d
Hoare & Co.         1052.2 8d         1054.2 8d 1045 8d 1052.5 8d 1053.2 8d     1046.08 8d 1053.2 8d         1052.4 8d     1047.6 8d 1043.7 8d 1042.4 8d             1049.4 8d 1047.13 7d        
Cannon Brewery         1049.2 8d                 1051.5 8d     1048.4 8d 1047.7 8d 1044.9 8d                                                        
Meux         1052.2 8d 1050.2 8d     1053.8 8d     1054.5 8d         1053.4 8d                 1053.03 9d 1046.05 8d     1047.21 8d             1047.06 7d 1045.7 7d 1051.4 7d    
Style & Winch                     1052.2 8d                                     1054.65 9d 1050.6 9d                                    
Fuller, Smith & Turner                                                 1054.04 8d                                                    
Taylor Walker 1054.6 8d             1053.2 8d             1052.1 8d     1051.3 8d             1046.7 8d 1046.08 9d 1047.9 8d     1049.04 8d 1049.09 8d 1046.8 8d 1046.1 8d 1049.2 7d 1047.8 8d        
Whitbread                                             1053.3 8d     1052.8 8d     1043.1 8d 1045.3 8d 1044.7 8d     1044.9   1045.3 7d 1045.03 7d 1045.8 7d 1057.3 8d 1055.3 8d 1056.8 8d
Ind Coope                                                         1054.12 8d 1044.5 8d 1052.29 8d                                    
Wenlock                                                                                         1047.7 7d 1049.5 8d        
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Truman's from samples bought in competitors pubs
Strong Ale: I assume this is the beer commonly called "Burton" in London pubs. In the case of Barclay Perkins, it's the draught version of their KK.


Strong Ale (Burton) 1935-1953
Jan 1935 Feb 1935 Mar 1935 Nov 1935 Dec 1935 Jan 1936 Mar 1936 Apr 1936 Nov 1936 Feb 1937 Mar 1937 May 1937 May 1938 July 1938 Oct 1938 Nov 1938 Jan 1939 Feb 1939 Mar 1939 May 1939 Jan 1940 Feb 1940 Jan 1941 Oct 1949 Feb 1953
OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price colour OG price colour
Truman 1045.3 7d 1046.9 7d 1049.1 7d 1049.06 7d 1049.6 7d 1048.2 7d 1047.78 7d 1048.3 7d 1048.6 7d 1049.21 7d 1049.04 7d 1049.6 7d     1048.9 7d 1048.4 7d 1048.7 7d 1049 7d 1048.4 7d 1047.2 7d 1048.9 7d 1049.5                 1045.59 1/10d 120
Courage     1051.4 8d                 1051.72 8d 1051.2 8d                 1053.46 8d 1054.7 8d         1054.7 8d     1054.4 8d     1051.8 9d     1050.3 11d 1042.96 1/7d 128      
Barclay Perkins 1050.4 8d 1052.1 8d             1048.8 8d 1050.7 8d 1055.9 8d 1053.9 8d 1056.14 8d     1055.5 8d 1055.1 8d         1056.04 8d 1056.86 8d 1054.8 8d 1054.8 8d 1055.2 8d 1054.5 9d     1045 11d 1038.45 1/8d 104 1077.15 3/1d 120
Watney 1049.06 7d 1049.5 7d 1048.5 7d     1048.4 7d 1049.7 7d     1049.7 7d 1050.6 7d     1045.78 7d 1048.64 7d 1049.43 7d 1049.5 7d 1047 7d 1049.1 7d 1050.3 7d                                    
Charrington 1051.1 8d 1051.9 8d 1051.9 8d 1052.9 8d 1050.9 8d 1049.2 8d     1052.65 8d     1041.62 7d 1054.27 8d 1051.2 8d 1056.5 8d 1052.9 8d 1054.1 8d 1053.8 8d 1052.8 8d 1048.86 8d 1051.1 8d     1055.5 9d     1051.5 1/- 1044.21 1/7d 132 1039.85 1/7d 144
Mann, Crossman & Paulin 1051.3 7d 1050.8 8d 1046.6 7.5d 1052.2 8d 1044.5 7d 1049.2 7d     1051.5 8d 1048.9 7d 1052.2 8d 1051.68 8d 1049.5 8d 1051.6 8d 1050.9 8d     1051.8 8d         1050.9 8d 1049.6 8d 1049.8 9d     1045.6 11d 1071.16 2/6d 128 1050.21 2/- 168
Meux     1050.3 7d 1045.6 7d     1047.6 7d     1048.05 7d     1051.4 7d             1047.4 7d             1046.28 7d 1047.5 7d     1047.3 7d 1045.8 8d     1042.9 10d       1045.79 1/8d 152
Taylor Walker 1048.8 8d                 1048.3 8d 1051.77 8d 1051.1 8d     1052.25 8d 1050.87 8d 1052.09 8d 1053.6 8d 1049.4 8d 1052.2 8d 1051.8 8d     1052.9 8d 1053.68 8d     1053.5 9d     1047.5 11d       1048.58 1/9d 112
Whitbread 1048.8 7d     1058.2 8d 1057.9 8d 1058.6 8d         1057.51 8d 1050.7 8d 1058.35 8d 1059.52 8d     1058.4 8d     1059.5 8d 1056.96 8d 1058.25 8d 1059.2 8d     1055.82 8d 1058.9 8d     1049.2 1/- 1046.67 1/8d 104 1052.06 1/11d 104
Ind Coope         1053.2 8d     1046.5 8d                                                             1044.7 9d     1047.3 11d       1042.98 1/7d 112
Wenlock     1055.3 8d                 1049.32 7d                             1048.4 7d 1053.61 8d 1053.38 8d             1055.4 9d     1044.4 11d       1043.36 1/8d 176
Shepherd Neame         1056.6 8d     1057.8 8d                                                                                    
Lacons                                                                                 1041.9 8d               1046.8 1/9d 88
Youngs                                                                                     1046.5 9d                
Brandons                                                                                     1054.4 9d                
Lovibond                                                                                 1044.5 7d                    
Tetleys                                                                                     1058.4 11d                
Younger                                                                                 1053 9d                    
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Truman's from samples bought in competitors pubs
Strong Ale: I assume this is the beer commonly called "Burton" in London pubs. In the case of Barclay Perkins, it's the draught version of their KK.


Pale Ale (draught) 1926-1933
Feb 1926 Apr 1926 May 1926 Aug 1926 Nov 1926 Jan 1927 June 1927 Apr 1928 Oct 1929 Feb 1930 Apr 1930 Oct 1930 Dec 1930 Mar 1931 Nov 1931 Jan 1932 Feb 1932 May 1932 July 1932 Aug 1932 Dec 1932 June 1933 Sep 1933 Dec 1933
OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price
Watney 1053.8 8d 1052.6 8d 1053.7 8d 1052.7 8d 1046.8 8d     1053.4 8d                             1046.06 8d     1045.4 8d 1047.3 8d 1044.2 8d 1045.4 8d 1047.09 8d 1048.5 7d 1048.6 7d 1047.9 7d
Courage 1052.4 8d                                 1051.7 8d                 1046.5 8d         1041.3 8d 1041.7 8d 1045.6 8d 1048.5 8d     1043.07 7d    
Barclay Perkins 1045.6 7d 1043.6 7d     1054.5 8d                         1044.6 7d     1044.3 7d     1042.6 8d     1045.6 8d 1044.9 8d     1043.3 8d 1046.2 8d 1049.1 7d 1047.2 7d    
Whitbread 1047.6 7d                                     1046.9 7d     1045.4 7d     1046.8 8d     1046.2 8d 1045.3 8d     1044.3 8d     1046.8 7d 1047.01 7d 1046.5 7d
Truman 1049.7 7d 1047.6 7d 1048.1 7d 1045.2 7d 1048.1 7d 1048.6 7d 1046.9 7d 1048.2 7d     1047.1 7d 1047.2 7d 1047.1 7d         1047.1 8d     1046.5 8d 1045.6 8d 1045.5 8d 1044.4 8d 1046.7 8d 1047.8 7d 1047.8 7d 1046.7 7d
Cannon     1042 7d     1043.2 7d 1042.6 7d     1045.7 7d             1042.9 7d     1039.3 7d                                            
Mann         1054.4 8d 1053.6 8d             1052.7 8d 1044.5 6d 1053.7 8d                     1052.1 9d     1043.5 8d     1044.1 8d     1052.6 7d 1043.8 7d    
Charrington         1057.9 8d 1045.9 7d 1046.9 7d                 1046.3 7d 1046.1 7d     1046.9 7d     1046.1 8d     1045.6 8d 1043.9 8d     1044.8 8d 1046.6 8d 1047.3 7d 1046.4 7d 1046.8 7d
Tilney & Co             1042.1 7d                                                                                
Hoare             1044.5 7d                     1045.9 7d                 1046.08 8d     1045.8 8d 1043.5 8d         1044.3 8d 1044.9 7d        
Meux             1044.5 7d                         1044.8 7d             1044.04 8d     1043.8 8d     1044.2 8d         1043.7 7d 1043.9 7d 1043.8 7d
Taylor Walker                 1043.6                   1042.9 7d         1043.2 7d 1041.8 6d 1044.2 8d     1042 8d 1044.03 8d 1041.4 8d 1044.2 8d     1043.2 7d     1044.1 7d
Worthington                     1052.7 8d                                                                        
Wenlock                     1044.8 7d                 1046.3 7d             1044.08 8d                         1048.9 7d        
Ind Coope                                     1043.2 8d                     1043.9 8d     1037.8 7d                        
Ind Coope                                                                     1035.3 6d                        
Shepherd Neame                                             1036.6 7d                     1037.2 6d                        
Bass                                                         1054.7                                      
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252 Pages 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Truman's from samples bought in competitors pubs
1d = 1 penny
!/ = 1 shilling = 12 (old) pence = 5p (new pence)


Pale Ale (draught) 1934-1941
Jan 1934 May 1934 Nov 1934 Jan 1935 Oct 1935 Mar 1936 Apr 1936 Oct 1936 Nov 1936 Dec 1936 Jan 1937 May 1937 June 1937 Nov 1937 Apr 1938 July 1938 Oct 1938 Dec 1938 Mar 1939 May 1939 Jan 1940 Jan 1941
OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price
Watney     1047.9 7d 1048.5 7d 1046.2 7d     1049.03 7d         1048.3 7d     1048.43 7d     1054.1 8d 1052.97 8d     1055.1 8d 1055.1 8d 1048.81 7d 1049.31 7d 1056 8d 1056.6 9d 1049.5 10d
Courage             1042.5 6d     1047.3 7d             1046.4 7d     1054 8d 1039.67 7d 1051.22 7d         1054.1 7d 1052 8d 1039.23 7d 1050.8 8d 1050.8 9d 1036.15 11d
Barclay Perkins 1044.3 7d     1047.6 7d 1047.6 7d     1048.7 7d             1045.92 7d 1047.85   1045.1 7d 1044.89 7d 1045.06 7d     1043.9 7d     1045.57 7d 1039.23 7d 1045.1 7d 1044.3 8d    
Whitbread         1048.2 7d 1046.7 7d 1046.3 7d 1047.8 7d         1048.2 7d     1047.05 7d 1048.7 7d 1047.2 7d         1045.9 7d 1047.6 7d 1047 7d 1046.9 7d     1046.5 8d 1043.1 9d
Truman     1047.6 7d 1048.7 7d 1048.1 7d 1048.06 7d 1048.5 7d 1048.5 7d     1045.8 7d 1048.74   1048.05 7d 1051.6 7d 1049.1 7d 1047.82 7d     1047.4 7d 1048.1 7d 1048.1 7d 1048.1 7d 1048.1 7d 1047.6   1044.7 10d
Mann 1046.5 7d 1052.4 7d 1049.9 7d 1050.7 7d     1050.6 7d 1042.7 8d     1047.7 7d                     1052.08 8d         1041.56 7d 1039.79 8d     1041.4 7d 1048.4 10d
Mann                                                                                        
Charrington                 1052.4 8d                                                                 1044.9 10d
Charrington     1046.6 7d     1048.2 7d     1047.05 7d         1046 7d     1048.1 7d     1047.6 7d         1047 7d 1048.7 7d 1048.7 7d 1048.4 7d 1047.3 8d 1047.8 8d    
Tilney & Co                                                                                        
Meux             1048.1 7d     1043.1 7d             1047.21 7d 1047.75 7d 1044.5 7d     1042.4 7d                         1043 8d    
Taylor Walker     1048.6 7d 1048.3 7d 1047.1 7d         1046.03 7d     1046.2 7d     1046.08 7d 1047 7d     1042.9 7d     1047.4 7d         1043.75 7d     1044.1 8d 1044.2 10d
Worthington                             1046.9 7d                     1054.33 8d                         1055.1 9d    
Wenlock             1048.2 7d         1054.1 8d         1046.22 7d                             1054 8d 1045.1 7d 1054.3 7d 1047.9 8d    
Ind Coope                     1045.5 7d                         1044.2 7d                             1046 8d 1039.55 10d
Bass                                                     1055.01 8d                         1051.6 9d    
Young & Co                                                                                 1048.1 8d    
Tetley                                                                                 1045.6 9d    
Younger                                                                                 1040 8d    
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252 Pages 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Truman's from samples bought in competitors pubs
1d = 1 penny
!/ = 1 shilling = 12 (old) pence = 5p (new pence)



Barclay Perkins Beers in 1926
PA XLK (trade) XLK (bottling) X Special X A 4d
OG 1053.1 1046 1038 1043.2 1042.1 1029.1
FG 1012 1011 1008 1010.8 1009 1007
ABV 5.35 4.55 3.9 4.21 4.3 2.87
hops lbs/barrel 1.44 1.25 1 0.97 0.95 0.6
colour 30º 24º 20º 44º 42º 48º
Source:
Brewing logs from the Courage archive in the London Metrpolitan Archive document ACC/2305/01/612.

Notes:
XLK = Light Bitter
trade = draught beer
PA = Pale Ale
X = Mild
Special X = Mild
4d Ale = low-gravity Mild
colour º Lovibond 1" coloum
colour "unfinished"


Barclay Perkins Beers in 1936
PA XLK (trade) XLK (bottling) IPA (bottling) XX X A 4d KK (trade) KKKK TT OMS BS PA (export) BBS (export) KK (bottling) DB LS IBS RNS IBS (export) Total
OG 1053 1046 1039 1045 1043 1035 1031 1056 1078.49 1032.54 1051.5 1051.5 1068.64 1079.45 1068.64 1040.78 1046.63 1060.39 1053.83 1102.5  
FG 1012 1010 1007 1010 1010 1008 1007 1013 1027 1009 1014 1014 1016 1027 1019 1009 1013 1016 1014 1034  
ABV 5.3% 4.6% 4.2% 4.5% 4.2% 3.5% 3.1% 5.6% 6.7% 3% 4.9% 4.9% 6.9% 6.9% 6.5% 4.1% 4.4% 5.8% 5.2% 9%  
hops lbs/barrel 1.47 1.27 1 1.17 0.97 0.8 0.66 1.84 3.63 0.95 1.5 1.5 2.13 5.48 2.92 1.19 1.31 2.23 1.77 6.45  
colour 21-23º 20-22º 24-26º 19-21º 38-40º 38-40º 44-46º 85-90º 95-100º 240º 270º 270º 24-26º 350-400º 95-100º 105-115º 270º 270-350º 270-320º 380-420º  
colour (dark mild)         85-90º 85-90º                              
barrels brewed 9,107 27,385 17,751 10,818 19,772 61,926 17,527 5,229 700 798 340 420 418 147 4200 5727 1617 360 240 112 184,595
%age 4.93 14.84 9.62 5.86 10.71 33.55 9.49 2.83 0.38 0.43 0.18 0.23 0.23 0.08 2.28 3.1 0.88 0.2 0.13 0.06  
Source:
Brewing logs from the Courage archive in the London Metrpolitan Archive.

Notes:
XLK = Light Bitter
trade = draught beer
PA = Pale Ale
X = Mild
XX = Mild
4d Ale = low-gravity Mild
KK (trade) = Burton
KK (bottling) = Old Ale
KKK = Strong Ale
TT= Porter
OMS = Oatmeal Stout
BS = Brown Stout
BBS = some sort of Stout
DB = Doctor Brown Ale
LS = some sort of Stout
IBS = Imperial Brown Stout
RNS = some sort of Stout



Hopping rates in the 1930's
Beer type OG pounds hops per quarter malt pounds hops per barrel (36 gallons)
Pale Ale 1055º 8.25-10.5 1.75-2.25
Pale Ale 1048º 7-8 1.25-1.5
Light Bitter Beer 1040º 6.5-8 1-1.25
Mild Ale 1040º 5.5-7 0.875-1.125
Strong Ale 1070º 7.5-12 2-3.25
Stout 1040º 6.5-9.5 1-1.5
Stout 1055º 7.5-10 1.5-2
Pale Lager 1040º 2.5-5 0.5-0.75
Pale Lager 1048º 3.75-5.25 0.66-1.25
Dark Lager 1048º 2-3.25 0.5-0.66
Source:
"Brewing Science and Practice: Volume II Brewing Processes" by H. Lloyd Hind, 1940, London, page 686

Notes:
1 pound per barrel = 277.7 grams per hectolitre
300 grams per hl = 1.08 pounds per barrel
1 pound per barrel + 0.717 pounds per American barrel
"An increase of from 10 to 20% in the winter hop rate may be desirable in the summer."
"Less hops are required with a carbonate liquor than with a soft water or liquor in which the gypsum-carbonate is ratio is well balanced, while a hard gypseous liquor permits the use of a larger proprtion of stronglyflavoured hops."



Draught beers in a London public bar
1926 1931 1935 1940 1941 1949 1953
OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price OG price
X Ale (Mild) 1043-1045 6d 1034-1036 6d 1034-1036 5d 1034-1036 6d 1032-1035 8d 1027-1030 1/- 1029-1031 1/-
XX Ale Best Mild)     1042-1045 7d 1042-1045 6d         1032-1036 1/2d 1032-1036 1/2d
Strong Ale (Burton) 1052-1057 8d 1047-1055 9d 1050-1056 8d 1050-1055 9d 1045-1050 11d 1043-1047 1/7d 1043-1047 1/8d
Porter 1035-1040 5d     1035-1040 5d                
Stout 1048-1050 7d 1048-1050 8d 1048-1050 7d                
Stout 1054-1059 8d 1050-1056 9d 1054-1059 8d                
Bitter 1042-1048 7d 1042-1048 8d 1042-1048 7d 1042-1046 8d 1040-1044 9d 1032-1035 1/4d 1033-1036 1/4d
Best Bitter 1052-1058 8d 1052-1058 9d 1052-1058 8d 1050-1056 9d 1045-1050 10d 1040-1042 1/7d 1044-1048 1/7d
Bass     1054.7   1055 8d 1051.6 9d     1049.67 1/8d 1046 1/7d
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Truman's from samples bought in competitors pubs
1d = 1 penny
1/ = 1 shilling = 12 (old) pence = 5p (new pence)



After WW II

LM Ale (Mild)
June 1949 Aug 1949 May 1950 Apr 1951 Jan 1952 Aug 1952 Jan 1953 Sep 1953 Aug 1955
OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour
Truman 1029.01 1/- 104       1031.52 1/1d 104 1035.5   112 1033.24 1/2d 116 1033.7 1/2d 110 1032.27 1/2d 108 1033.6   112 1033.6   82
Taylor Walker 1030.12 1/- 98 1034.44 1/2d 108 1031.34 1/1d 96 1032.49 1/- 96 1030.86 1/1d 98 1030.74 1/1d 100 1030.28 1/1d 116 1032.47 1/1d 96      
Mann, Crossman & Paulin 1031.36 1/1d 96 1030.84 1/1d 96 1033.78 1/1d 120 1034.05 1/- 128 1034.22 1/2d 120 1032.58 1/2d 118 1033.54 1/2d 120 1032.39 1/2d 124      
Courage 1028.83 1/- 112       1034.42 1/1d 140 1034.46 1/1d 112       1030.98 1/2d 108 1032.7 1/2d 100 1031.99 1/2d 124      
Whitbread 1028.38 11d 88 1031.37 1/1d 108 1034.43 1/1d 112 1031.3 1/1d 96 1029.89 1/2d 100 1031.39 1/2d 114                  
Whitbread             1029.91 1/- 64                   1031.55 1/2d 110 1032.81 1/2d 124      
Watney 1028.62 1/- 104       1032.53 1/1d 100 1034.63 1/1d 108 1032.76 1/2d 104 1031.93 1/2d 100 1032.02 1/2d 124 1031.68 1/2d 110      
Meux 1026.47 1/- 140       1027.08 1/- 152 1028.96 1/- 104       1029.96 1/1d 152 1029.25 1/1d 144 1029.94 1/2d 136      
Charrington 1029.43 1/- 128 1028.57 1/- 120 1033.28 1/- 128 1032.38 1/- 132 1032.61 1/1d 118 1032.35 1/1d 126 1032.67 1/2d 128 1032.6 1/2d 108      
Charrington Best Mild       1033.13 1/2d 120 1036.81 1/2d 128                                    
Wenlock 1030.32 1/- 104       1032.29 1/- 108 1032.83 1/- 88                              
Barclays       1030.47 1/1d 128 1031.95 1/1d 108 1033.64 1/1d 112       1029.52 1/2d 100 1031.61 1/2d 126            
Ind Coope Allsopp             1028.52 11d 76 1030.95 1/- 80       1031.1 1/1d 82 1036.69 1/1d 102 1033.4 1/2d 100      
Grays Brewery             1029.11 11d 56                                    
Daniells             1031.23 11d 56 1032.14 1/- 72                              
Lacons             1032.65 1/- 100 1034.38 1/1d 88             1031.91 1/2d 92            
Wm. Younger                   1029.98 1/1d 72 1031.23 1/2d 80 1033.48 1/2d 92 1033.31 1/2d 82       1030.24 1/2d 96
Wells             1030.42 1/- 104                                    
Cobb & Co             1030.65   72 1028.41 1/- 88                              
Tomson & Wotton             1026.82   76 1029.17 1/- 8                              
Young & Co             1033.07 1/- 68                   1030.73 1/1d 60            
Muitchell & Butler             1038.44 1/3d 41                                    
Shepherd Neame             1030.13   63 1031.44 1/- 24                              
Fremlin XXL                   1029.37 1/- 22                              
Fremlin XX                   1030.56 1/- 60                              
Tetley                                     1031.36 1/1d 58            
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Trumann's from samples bought in competitors pubs


Pale Ale (draught) after WW II
June 1949 Aug 1949 Sep 1949 Dec 1949 Mar 1950 June 1950 Apr 1951 June 1951 Jan 1952 Feb 1952 Aug 1952 Dec 1952 Jan 1953 Aug 1953
OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour OG price colour
Watney 1035.83 1/4d 25 1035.2 1/4d 23             1037.87 1/4d 30       1038.11 1/4d 28       1037.42 1/5d 24       1035.72 1/5d 26                  
Courage 1037.01 1/5d 27                   1041.22 1/5d 26 1038.64   28 1039.17 1/5d 28       1037.47 1/4d 24       1039.99 1/7d 26 1039.04 1/6d 32            
Barclay Perkins                         1034.28 1/2d 26                   1034.6 1/3d 19       1033.22 1/4d 24 1032.78 1/4d 23            
Whitbread 1033.52 1/4d 20 1034.86 1/4d 21             1038.65 1/4d 29       1038.4 1/4d 30             1038.12 1/5d 28             1035.05 1/4d 22      
Truman 1035.6 1/4d 18 1035.03 1/4d 20 1035.1 1/4d 24 1034.7     1037.26 1/4d 22 1037.93 1/5d 21             1037.15 1/5d 20 1037.14 1/5d 24 1036.72 1/5d 20 1036.51 1/5d 24 1036.68 1/5d 16      
Mann 1041.55 1/7d 22 1040.64 1/7d 26             1042.02 1/7d 27       1040.45 1/7d 30       1044.91 1/8d 20                              
Mann                                     1037.62 1/5d 24                               1037.52 1/5d 25      
Charrington                         1045.96 1/6d 34                                           1046.35 1/8d 29      
Charrington 1032.22 1/4d 23 1033.24 1/2d 24 1033.09 1/2d 25       1034.09 1/2d 22       1035.96 1/2d 21                   1034.06 1/3d 18                  
Meux 1035.04 1/4d 24                                           1036.04 1/5d 20                   1036.78 1/5d 27      
Taylor Walker 1038.11 1/4d 20 1037.63 1/4d 23             1037.67 1/4d 26       1040 1/4d 26                   1037.65 1/5d 24       1036.32 1/6d 27      
Worthington                               1046.96 1/6d 24 1046.52 1/6d 28                                          
Wenlock 1033.07 1/3d 28                   1037.02 1/3d 27       1036.08 1/3d 27             1036.09 1/5d 32 1036.59 1/4d 27       1037 1/4d 24      
Ind Coope                         1031.55 1/1d 30 1033.04 1/2d 30 1033.75 1/3d 19 1033.1 1/3d 24                                    
Ind Coope                               1044.43 1/6d 22                   1044.08 1/7d 26 1043.7 1/7d 23 1044.86 1/7d 23            
Shepherd Neame                               1032.58 1/- 36 1035.61 1/1d 25                                          
Fremlin                               1026.64 11d 30 1032.99 1/1d 22                                          
Bass                               1049.67 1/6d 23                         1044.81 1/7d 22 1046.44 1/7d 24       1044.65 1/7d 26
Beasley 1033.08 1/2d 18                         1035.47 1/4d 28                               1037.18 1/5d 30            
Lacons 1038.37 1/4d 26                   1038.66 1/4d 28       1038.41 1/4d 27             1037.98 1/5d 30 1037.93 1/6d 25 1037.36 1/5d 28            
Tetley                                                                   1036.27 1/4d 20 1037.27 1/4d 20      
Younger                               1039.8 1/4d 27 1036.94 1/4d 27                         1035.92 1/5d 26            
Daniells                         1033.81 1/1d 26             1033.32 1/2d 30                                    
Young & Co                               1036.85 1/3d 26                                                
Source:
"Gravity Book" Trumans archive in the London Metropolitan Archive, document number B/THB/C/252 Pages 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55

Notes:
Price per pint in the Public Bar.
OG calculated by Truman's from samples bought in competitors pubs
1d = 1 penny
!/ = 1 shilling = 12 (old) pence = 5p (new pence)

Brown Ale and Stout

Here are more (lots more) details of Brown Ales and Stouts in the period 1940 to 1960.


Modern Remnants

In the course of the 19th century, the ale suffix was increasingly used in the description of beers. Though when beers are arranged by type, in for example Victorian price lists, Pale Ales are never grouped with Mild and Old Ales. As breweries stopped brewing porters, Stout was increasingly used as the generic term.

By the start of the 20th century, the modern distiction of British styles into just Ales and Stouts was becoming the norm and the term "beer" was losing any specific significance. It gradually disappeared as a suffix in beer names, except for Bitter Beer.

Looking at the Good Beer Guide (these are taken from the 1983 edition), you'll notice how some of the teminology has, at least within breweries, survived WW II.

Brewery Dark Mild Bitter/Light Mild Best Bitter Old Ale
King and Barnes XX 1034.9º PA 1034.9º     XXXX 1047.5º
Harveys XX 1030º PA 1033º BB 1040º XXXX 1043º
Greene King XX 1030.8º KK (light mild) 1030.8º IPA 1035º    
Gale XXX 1031º XXX (light mild) 1030º BBB 1037º XXXXX 1045º
Burt BMA 1030º LB 1030º VPA 1040º XXXX 1040º
Donnington XXX 1033º BB 1033º SBA 1040º    
Ridleys XXX 1034º PA 1034º        

Do you want to know why Michael Jackson could find no reference to "bitter" in old brewing manuals? Because in breweries it was almost always referred to as PA or Pale Ale. But it was "a pint of bitter" that regulars would ask for in their local - at least as far back as WW I.
Sources:
"The Brewer"by William Loftus, 1863
English beer names, strengths and wholesale price 1860 - 1900.
"London & Country Brewer", 1736
A list of English beer names taken from various old advertisements and one of my main sources.
Chemical analyses of various American, British and continental beers between 1850 and 1900 from "American Handy Book of Brewing , Malting and Auxiliary Trades", by Wahl & Henius, Chicago 1902
"Brewing Science and Practice: Volume II Brewing Processes" by H. Lloyd Hind, 1940, London
"The Principles and Practices of Brewing" by Walter J. Sykes and Arthur R. Ling, 1907, London
"A History of Beer and Brewing" by Ian S Hornsey, 2003, Cambridge.


Example 19th century advertisements
I would have scans here of the originals. Except it's someone else's copyright. So these are my html recreations of Victorian adverts.

JOHN BIRD,
Ale, Porter, & Stout Brewer
WESTERFIELD BREWEY,
IPSWICH.
-------------------------------------------------
  per gallon   per gallon
XXXX Ale 1s 4d. KK Best Bitter Beer 1s 2d.
XXX & AK Ale 1s 0d.   per dozen (pints)
D Stout 1s 8d. Bottled Stout 3s 9d. & 2s 3d
S Stout 1s 4d. Bottled Ale 3s 9d. & 2s 3d
Porter 1s 0d.    

-------------------------------------------------

1883
Source: "A Directory of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Suffolk Breweries" by C.R Bristow, 1985 page 65
BRADLEY & CO.,
SOHO BREWERY
SHEFFIELD,
ARE NOW SENDING OUT THEIR
FAMILY MILD ALES
So justly celebrated for their Excellence and Purity.
-------------------------------------------------
MILD X ALE, 1s. per gallon; XX, 1s. 2d.; XXX, 1s. 4d. ;
XXXX, 1s 6d.
And No. 3, AUSTRALIAN STRONG ALE, 1s 6d.
-------------------------------------------------
PALE INDIA ALE

1s.6d. per gallon (same as exported) , strongly
recommended by the Faculty.
-------------------------------------------------
STOUT PORTER,
1s. per gallon; XX, 1s. 2d.;and STRONG BROWN
STOUT, 1s 4d.
-------------------------------------------------

1870
Source: "South Yorkshire Stingo" by Loyd Parry, 1997 page 37
SOUTH STREET BREWERY,
SHEFFIELD MOOR
-------------------------------------------------
WM. WHITMARSH & CO'S
---- BRAND ----
"HALLAMSHIRE"
EXPORT QUALITY 1s. 6d. per Gallon,


READY FOR DELIVERY;
ALSO,

X, XX, XXX, XXXX, & BITTER BEERS,

X PORTER, STOUT PORTER,


AND

BROWN STOUT PORTER,

1882

Source: "South Yorkshire Stingo" by Loyd Parry, 1997 page 96
BENSKIN & CO.

BREWERS,

WATFORD
---------
PRICE LIST.
---------
WATFORD PALE ALE.
            barrel
36 gal
kilderkin
18 gal
firkin
9 gal
No 1 - INDIA PALE ALE .... .... .... .... .... 54/- 27/- 14/-
No 2 - GUINEA ALE .... .... .... .... .... 42/- 21/- 10/6
No 3 - PALE ALE .... .... .... .... .... 36/- 18/- 9/6
WATFORD MILD ALE.
No 4 - XXXX ALE .... .... .... .... .... 72/- 36/- 18/-
No 5 - XXX ALE .... .... .... .... .... 54/- 27/- 14/-
No 6 - XX ALE .... .... .... .... .... 36/- 18/- 9/6
STOUT.
No 7 - DOUBLE STOUT .... .... .... .... .... 54/- 27/- 14/-
No 8 - SINGLE STOUT .... .... .... .... .... 42/- 21/- 10/6
No 9 - PORTER .... .... .... .... .... 36/- 18/- 9/6


1887
Source: "Hunts County News" 1st October 1887
GOODWIN BROS.,
BREWERS,
NEWARK-ON-TRENT.
-------------------------------------------------
  per barrel per kilderkin per firkin
MILD ALES
X 36 s. 18s. 9s.
XX 42 s. 21 s. 10 s. 6d.
XXX 48 s. 24s. 12s.
STRONG ALES
XXXX 54 s. 27 s. 13 s. 6d.
XXXXX 60 s. 30 s. 15 s.
Extra Stromg 72 s. 36 s. 18 s.
BITTER ALES
A.K. 36 s. 18s. 9s.
P.A. 42 s. 21 s. 10 s. 6d.
I.P.A. 54 s. 27 s. 13 s. 6d.
STOUTS
D. S. 48 s. 24s. 12s.
Extra Stout 54 s. 27 s. 13 s. 6d.

-------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL ALES
FOR FAMILIES
A.K. ALE, 1s. PER GALLON,
PALE BITTER ALE,
1s. 2d.
LIGHT MILD ALE
1s.
-------------------------------------------------

1885
Source: "Newark Inns And Public Houses" Rodney Cousins, 1991 page 10

Notes:
D.S. I interpret as Double Stout
S. Stout I interpret as Single Stout
Money:
For those of you unused to pre-decimal currenct
d. = penny
s. = shilling
12 pence (pennies) = 1 shilling = 5p (modern money)
20 shillngs = £1

Measures:
lb = pound = 454 grams
Quarter malt = 320 pounds = 8 bushels
barrel = 36 UK gallons = 163.7 litres
kilderkin = 18 UK gallons
firkin = 9 UK gallons
gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 4.546 litres


Brettanomyces, as described in "The Principles and Practices of Brewing" by Walter J. Sykes and Arthur R. Ling, 1907, London.

Brettanomyces, as described in "Brewing Science and Practice: Volume II Brewing Processes" by H. Lloyd Hind, 1940, London.

India Pale Bitter Ale brewing according to William Loftus in "The Brewer", 1863
 

Notes:
"The Brewer" William Loftus, London, 1863
OG = (pounds per barrel * 2.77) + 1000


Porter brewing according to William Loftus in "The Brewer", 1863
 

Notes:
"The Brewer" William Loftus, London, 1863
OG = (pounds per barrel * 2.77) + 1000


The Art of Brewing according to William Loftus in "The Brewer", 1863

Notes:
"The Brewer" William Loftus, London, 1863
OG = (pounds per barrel * 2.77) + 1000


"American Handy Book of Brewing , Malting and Auxiliary Trades", by Wahl & Henius, Chicago 1902

Notes:
"American Handy Book of Brewing , Malting and Auxiliary Trades", by Wahl & Henius, Chicago 1902


Reid Brewing Logs from 1837-1838 for Keeping Porter
Source:
Reid brewing logs from the City of Westminster archive.


1936 and 1938 Brewing Logs, brewery unknown, for XX XXX, LB, and Stout
Source:
Unknown brewery log.



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