Sunday 6 August 2017

Reid Porter and Stout grists in 1845

As promised, a look at the grists of Reid's Black Beers in 1845.

I'll warn you right at the start. They aren't all that exciting. Why? Because before 1880 London Porter brewers used a limited set of ingredients in their beers. Pale, brown and black malt were always present. Sometimes amber malt, too and, very rarely, a bit of sugar. It doesn't matter which brewery you look at, the grists are pretty similar.

About the only difference between the grists at Reid was that the stronger Stouts contained a touch less brown malt. I must admit that surprised me. I'd have expected the more expensive beers to contain more.

You know what might help here? If we looked at the Porter and Stout from another London brewery. How about Whitbread? I have a full set of their records so I know I can make a comparison on the same year.

Whitbread brewed a very similar range to Reid:

Whitbread Porter and Stout in 1845 - 1846
Year Beer Style OG FG ABV App. Atten-uation lbs hops/ qtr hops lb/brl
1845 Expt Porter 1057.9 1019.4 5.09 66.51% 21.80 5.13
1845 K Porter 1060.9 1019.4 5.50 68.18% 16.30 3.79
1845 P Porter 1063.2 1022.7 5.35 64.04% 11.85 3.04
1846 S Stout 1069.3 1018.6 6.71 73.20% 13.07 4.10
1845 S Expt Stout 1072.3 1025.8 6.16 64.37% 22.20 7.21
1846 SS Stout 1085.0 1030.5 7.22 64.17% 10.87 3.94
1845 SSS Stout 1095.0 1028.3 8.83 70.26% 16.30 5.91
Sources:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metroploitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/09/039 and LMA/4453/D/09/040.

Note the similarity of the gravities to those at Reid.

Reid Porter and Stout grists in 1845
Beer Style OG pale malt brown malt black malt hops
Com Sea Porter 1060.9 83.42% 12.02% 4.56% English
Crs Porter 1060.9 80.74% 15.15% 4.11% English
Rg Porter 1060.4 80.74% 14.85% 4.41% English
S Stout 1073.4 82.18% 13.92% 3.90% English
S Crs Stout 1074.8 80.74% 14.95% 4.31% English
SS Stout 1087.3 85.44% 11.15% 3.41% English
SS Crs Stout 1087.3 85.44% 11.15% 3.41% English
SSS Stout 1097.0 82.63% 13.49% 3.87% English
Source:
Reid brewing record held at Westminster City Archives, document number 789/271.

But what about their grists?

Whitbread Porter and Stout grists in 1845 - 1846
Year Beer Style OG pale malt brown malt black malt
1845 Expt Porter 1057.9 80.3% 16.80% 2.94%
1845 K Porter 1060.9 80.3% 16.80% 2.94%
1845 P Porter 1063.2 80.3% 16.80% 2.94%
1846 S Stout 1069.3 76.6% 20.31% 3.05%
1845 S Expt Stout 1072.3 80.3% 16.80% 2.94%
1846 SS Stout 1085.0 76.6% 20.31% 3.05%
1845 SSS Stout 1095.0 80.3% 16.80% 2.94%
Sources:
Whitbread brewing records held at the London Metroploitan Archives, document numbers LMA/4453/D/09/039 and LMA/4453/D/09/040.

I can see very little difference, A little more brown and a little less black malt at Whitbread. But they aren't a million miles apart. My guess is that the beers from the two breweries would have tasted pretty similar.

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