HIGGINS & SONS : BEERS IN DECEMBER 1889

How Do All , 

Thanks to the teams at Bedfordshire Archives for their help with my enquiries , And for the photography of the original records ; as I`m sadly unable to visit the archives in person .       I`d also like to thenk Keith Osborne for the extract from his book "Bedfordshire Barrels" showing the two Higgins & Sons Stout Labels ,and the date of the last brew ; 

       The original record : Higgins & Son , Brewing Book 1889 - 1904 @ GK/ B2 / 1  ;

 The book entries only start in early - mid December 1889 though happily a table of the beers brewed and barrels is included which I`ve laid out below .

Higgins & Sons 

The Castle Brewery

Castle Lane

Bedford 

Bedfordshire 

Label Image Ex  Bedfordshire Barrels by Keith Osborne 

The brewery was founded by a local publican , Charles Higgins in 1837 ; Passing to 

his son George after he died in 1858 ; with the firm trading as Higgins & Sons after 1880 .

The brewery continued to prosper and was registered as a limited company in 1902 and continued to lead an independent existence until 1928 when they were purchased by 

Wells & Winch of Biggleswade , with the last brew being mashed in on the 5th Oct 1928 .

SUMMARY OF  BREWINGS 1889 

              

          L P A         632    Barrels

          PALE        549    Barrels

 X X  PALE        220    Barrels

    PORTER        214    Barrels

      STOUT        108.5  Barrels

               X       4523     Barrels

        X X X        242     Barrels 

 

                                  BEERS BREWED : DECEMBER 1889 

Brew No     QUALITY    Date                          O . Grav  R . Grav  P . Grav  IBU  ABV

     96                   X               17 / 12 / 1889                    1.049         1.013       1.010       26      4.9  

   

       2                 L P A           31 / 12 / 1889                     1.049       1.010        1.007        44       5

    94                  I P A            11 / 12 / 1889                     1.051       1.012        1.009        44     5 .2

    99                    X               20 / 12 / 1889                     1.051       1.011        1.008        42     5 . 25

    98                PORTER       19 / 12 / 1889                    1.057.5     1.016         1.013       40     5 . 5 

    97                 STOUT        19 / 12 / 1889                    1.076.5     1.016         1.013        44     7 . 6

 

Cheers 🍻

             

Edd ;

Lancashire 

January 2022 

                        

THE BEERS OF WELLS & WINCH Ltd 1906 - 1907

 How Do All ,

                       Thanks to the helpful folks at Bedfordshire Archives where the records are deposited , I`m able to bring you my analysis of  beers 1906 - 7  , from the Brewing Book 1906 - 1921 @ GK / B1 / 1 / 1 .

Wells & Winch : A Brief History ;

The brewery was founded by Samuel Wells in 1764 , with his son Samuel Wells continuing to develop the brewery alongside the family`s other business interests until his death in 1831 , with the business being continued by his sons in law , Robert Lindsell and William Hogg  ,and by the time of Lindsell`s death in 1856 , the brewery owned or operated 76 Pubs . After 1856 , the firm continued under the stewardship of William Hogg until he passed away in 1862 , his son Frederick and two sons of Robert Lindsell Robert Henry and Charles Samuel continued to trade as Wells & Co until the brewery was purchased in 1898 , by George Winch  , A member of the prominent Kent brewing family : 

( Edward Winch & Sons Ltd , Chatham )  ;

The brewery was then under the stewardship of his son , E B Winch , With a new company 

Wells & Winch Ltd being formed in April 1899 , with a re building of the brewery taking place a short time later in 1900 ; The company continued to expand , buying a number of competitors , including Higgins & Sons of The Castle Brewery , Bedford in 1928  and Hudson`s Cambridge & Pampisford Breweries Ltd in 1931 .

 The company was taken over by Greene King & Sons Ltd in 1961 , and continued to brew  until 1997 when the brewery was closed . 

Wells & Winch Ltd 

The Brewery

High St 

Biggleswade 

Bedfordshire 

Picture of the Brewery : From The BreweryHistory Society website

           An Analysis Of Beers from April 1906 - December 1907

QUALITY   Brew No    Date                 O. Gravity  R. Gravity F. Gravity  IBU   A B V  

      AK            9          Tue  03/04/1906     1.049.75        1.009        1.006     32      5.1 

      AK          34          Wed 30/05/1906     1.052.75        1.009        1.006     32      5.5

      AK          52          Tue  03/06/1906     1.051.25        1.009        1.006     32      5.25 

      AK          21          Wed 12/12/1906     1.050.5          1.009        1.006     28      5.25

      AK          31          Tue  15/01/1907     1.051.5          1.009        1.006     28      5.25

      AK          39          Tue  12/02/1907     1.049.75        1.009        1.006     28      5.25

      AK          67          Wed 22/05/1907     1.050.75        1.009        1.006     30      5.75

      AK            3          Tue  18/06/1907     1.050.5          1.011        1.008     38      5.25

      AK          29          Fri   09/08/1907     1.047.25         1.010        1.007    30      4.9

   

 A K K          46          Fri   06/09/1907      1.046             1.010        1.007     30     4.75

Label photo : Courtesy of Peter Dickinson 

     F A           18          Fri    19/06/1907    1.040.25            ---         1.006     30       425

     F A           32          Wed  14/08/1907    1.036                ----        1.006     26      3.9

     F A           44          Wed  04/09/1907    1.037.5             ----        1.006     24      3.9

Label Photo Courtesy of Peter Dickinson

    X X           10          Wed  04/04/1906    1.050              1.013       1.010     22     4.75

    X X           79          August        1906    1.051.5           1.013       1.010     22     4.75

    X X           25          Fri     28/12/1906    1.049.5          1.013        1.010    24     4.75

    X X           27          Tue   03/01/1907     1.049.5          1.013       1.010     20     4.7

    X X           55          Fri    05/04/1907     1.049             1.013        1.010     22    4.9

    X X           27          Thu  06/08/1907     1.047.25        1.013         1.010    26    4.6

   I P A           12          Tue   10/04/1906     1.052.75        1.013        1.010     56    5.1

   I P A           29          Fri    18/05/1906     1.060.5          1.013        1.010      56    5.9

   I P A           67          August        1906     1.055.5          1.013       1.010      52     5.5

   I P A           28          Tue   08/01/1907     1.054.75        1.011       1.008       60    5.6

   I P A           37          Tue   05/02/1907     1.059             1.010       1.007       52    5.9

   I P A           12          Tue   09/06/1907     1.052.75        1.010       1.007       36    5.5

   I P A             3          Tues 03/10/1907      1.058.5          1.010       1.007      36    6.1

X  X  X  X      2          Sat    13/06/1907      1.083.5          1.013       1.010      52    8.7 

  STINGO      17         Sat    17/11/1907      1.089             1.013       1.010      58    9.4

Label Photo Courtesy of Peter Dickinson 

Cheers All ; I hope that you`ve enjoyed the table ,

If any of you good folks are able to assist my research by visiting local archives or , are able to send photos of brewing records in your personal or corporate archives ; 

Please get in touch , via the comment section below , or via the Contact box on the main blog page . I`m looking forward to hearing from you 

Best Regards ,

Edd 

Lancashire 

January 2022 

All written content C Edd Mather  2022 

WILSON`S BREWERY Ltd : BITTER 1955

 How Do All ,

Here`s a nice recipe for Wilson`s Bitter from 1955 for you all to try out ; a freshly analysed example , And one that used some Magee Marshell`s Malt in the original entry in the 1955 - 1956 Brewing Book , Deposited at Manchester Archives @ The Central Library Ref : GB 127.M 580 .

Sadly , I`ve been unable to discover any more records from Defunct Manchester & Salford breweries ;

( Apart from the Boddington`s Brewing Books 1901 - 1984 ) ; So if any blog readers are able to assist with my Manchester and area beer history research , please get in touch I`d love to hear from you ,

Cheers All and Happy Brewing 

This recipe C Edd Mather 2022

 ANY AND ALL COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION RIGHTS RESERVED TO THE BRAND OWNER 

Wilson`s Brewery Ltd 

The Brewery 

Monsall Road

Newton Heath 

Manchester 

Lancashire 

Beermat photo from The Brewery History Society Website 

                                BITTER

                                                 Friday 27 Th May 1955

                                                        Brew No : 317  

          ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1.041.5 RACKING GRAVITY: 1.009 FINAL GRAVITY: 1.006 

                                                      I B U  : 32    A B V : 4 . 5 %

          RECIPE FOR 33.500 Wort Litres from Mash Tun @ 1.034 ; 75 % Mash Efficiency      

        

                                                            MALTS  

U K & IRELAND 

Warminster Mari Otter           @ 36 . 25 %  =   1 . 815 Kg

Simpson`s Best Pale Ale   @ 31        %  =   1 . 555 Kg

Thos Fawcett Maris Otter @ 14 . 5   %  =   0 . 725 Kg

Crafty Maltsters : Pop`s P.A 

Alt : M C I Irish Ale Malt  @ 11       %  =    0 . 555 Kg 

AUSTRALIA

Barrett - Burston : Border Pale @ 3.5 ebc = 50 . 75 % = 2 . 540 Kg

Barrett - Burston : Border Pale @ 4.5 ebc = 31        % = 1 . 555 Kg

Barrett - Burston : Vic Ale Malt @ 7  ebc  = 11        % = 0 . 555 Kg

FLAKED BARLEY : @ 7 . 25 % = 0 . 440 Kg 

MASHING 

Use a Pale Ale type brewing Liquor , and Thoroughly Pre Warm the Mash Tun to 90 c

 - 10 Minutes before Goods In as Below ;

       1 St   Mash Heat : 64 c AT       0 -   +   30 Minutes = 12 . 525 Litres 

      2 Nd  Mash Heat  : 66 c AT + 30 -   + 120 Minutes =   6 . 870 Litres 

At Taps ( 120 Minutes ) , Slowly open the Mash Tun Valve and return any cloudy / 

Turbid 1 St runnings OVER THE MASH until Clear & Bright , Only then Cast to Copper .

SPARGING  &  COLLECTION 

Sparge At CLEAR WORT TO COPPER + 5 / 10 Minutes @ 72 c = 28 . 810 Litres ;

Then at a GRAVITY OF 1.003.5 , STOP TAPS AND COLLECT WORT , ADD Liquor 

to reduce the gravity to 1.033.75 and CONDENSE to 33 . 500 Wort Litres @ 1.034 .

COPPER : 

A 2 Hour Boil ON HOPS , 1 St chearge @ Let Off - 120 @ 1.034 , then  AT Let Off - 70 Minutes @ 1.037 , ADD 2 Nd Hop Charge then at Let Off - 35 Mins ;The Gravity should,  be at a projected 1.041 :  ADD Liquor Boiled 1/4 Hour to the Copper = + 2 . 150Litres of LIQUOR and at Let Off - 30 @ 1.038 , ADD 3 Rd Hop Charge .

At Let Off - 12 Minutes , ADD the Copper Finings , then at Let Off , STAND 1/2 Hour 

                THEN COOL TO PITCHING HEAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

HOPS 

            1 St Hop Charge : TO 33.500Wort Litres @ 1.034 

                                           Aramis @    7     % a/a =   8 ibu , 10 g

                             Bramling Cross  @ 6 . 5   % a/a = 12 ibu , 12 g

            2 Nd Hop Charge : TO 30 . 540 Wort Litres @ 1.037 

                                            Brewer`s Gold @ 6.5 % a/a = 10 ibu , 14 g

         

            3 Rd  Hop Charge : TO 29 . 390 Wort Litres @ 1.038 

                                            Goldings @ 6  % a/a = 4 ibu , 9 g

                                              Aramis  @ 7  % a/a = 2 ibu , 3 g

RACKING HOPS : TO 25 . 500 Beer Litres in Container 

                                               Aramis 0 . 75 g , Goldings 1 g 

YEAST : Pitch to  26 . 685 WORT LITRES @ 1.041.5 = 105 g LIVE BARM @ 15 . 5 c 

                                       Eg : White Labs : WLP 038 Manchester 

                      ATTENUATION

DAY      HOUR       HEAT        GRAVITY                     REMARKS

   1            P            15.5          1.041.5  

   2           M            17             1.040            

                E             17.5          1.037              Drop to 2 Nd F V 

   3           M            21             1.023.5

                E             21             1.016           

    4          M            20             1.011 

                E             17             1.009

    5          M            17             1.007.5

                E             14.5          1.006.25

   At 1.006.25 ; DROP to DRAUGHT CONTAINER , ONTO PRIMINGS & HOPS AND FININGS 

Primings :25 . 500 BEER LITRES @1.002.5 No 2 Invert = 0.200Kg , 

                                                           Cany Cane 1.001.25 = 0.083 Kg

After FININGS , PRIMINGS & HOPS ;

 Stand at 14 - 18 c FOR 2 Days , Then release EXCESS C O2  AND RE SEAL .

CELLAR : 2 Weeks at 10 c , THEN STILLAGE @ 10 c 1 WEEK & FULLY VENT .

ALLOW 24 - 36 Hours for the beer to clear & condition then Q C 

       

Cheers All 🍻