KIRBY , WRIGHT & CO : Y X X 1865

 How Do All , 

Here`s a slight oddity from the earliest known commercial brewing record in a Public Archive from a Sheffield Brewery the Brewing Book of Kirby , Wright & Co @ SHW 6/1/2/1 ; 

Deposited with the team at Sheffield City Archives on Shoreham St .

The brewing book of Kirby , Wright and Co does contain various details such as Malts & Hops used and Gravities , sadly it  doesn`t record brewlengths and only rarely does it record the initial liquor heat. 
a similar situation exists with the attenuation and yeast use records , though these are , sadly absent .
The records at the end of the book are from the time immediately before Septimus Ward`s purchase of the brewery outright in 1871 ; Happily these records do include ( occasionally ) some mashing and other details which have allowed me to extrapolate the brewlength yields and collection gravities used in the Kirby , Wright & Co beers .
  The Sheaf Island Brewery was established in 1837 by William Roper & John Kirby , with             George Wright joining the business in 1861 in turn they were joined by Septimus Ward in 1868  
who bought the business in 1871 . In 1876 , the entire concern removed  to the Soho Brewery
 of Bradley & Co , shortly after it`s purchase in 1876,  which was then promptly  re named 
" The Sheaf Brewery " , continuing to brew until 1999  when it regrettably ceased brewing  . 
If you know of any Brewing Records from Sheffield  or other Yorkshire breweries in private collections; I would really appreciate access to any surviving records Pre 1955 .

Where access is possible or , if you`re able to assist with my research in other areas of the UK ,      please leave a comment below or a message through the blog contact form , 

I`ll respond as soon as possible .

This recipe C Edd Mather 2023

Kirby , Wright & Co 

Sheaf Island Brewery

Effingham Street 

Sheffield

                                                Y XX

                                                        11 Th June 1865 

            Original Gravity : 1.077.75 Bottling Gravity : 1.012.75 Final Gravity : 1.010 

                                                I B U : 34              7.8 % A B V 

                                                                 MALTS 

Crisp Malt 

                   Hana Malt                     30 % = 2.190 Kg

                   Hana Vienna                 35 % = 2.550 Kg

                   Chevalier                       35 % = 2.550 Kg

                                             MASHING , SPARGING & COLLECTION   

    Use a West Pennine liquor profile / SOFT Liquor and thoroughly Pre Warm the Mash Tun to 90 c

- 10 Minutes BEFORE Mashing In , Ensuring the Liquor is at least 1.5 " ABOVE the Plates .

                                  1 St  Mash Heat : 66 c At    0      - +   90 Mins = 17.605 Litres 

                                  2 Nd Mash Heat : 67 c At +   90 - + 120 Mins =   4.270 Litres 

                                  3 Rd Mash Heat : 68 c At + 120 - + 150 Mins = 14.500 Litres 

AT 150 Mins , slowly open the Mash Tun Valve and Return OVER the Mash any turbid / Cloudy 

1 St Runnings UNTIL CONSISTENTLY CLEAR & BRIGHT , ONLY THEN ALLOW TO COPPER .

      SPARGING : At Clear Wort to Copper + 10 - 15 Minutes @ 74 - 70 - 68 c = 21.900 Litres

At a Gravity of 1.005.5 , STOP TAPS and Collect the Wort in the Copper .

COLLECTION : At Collection , ADD Liquor to the Copper , Reducing the Gravity to 1.054.75 ;

ON X Wort Litres , THEN CONDENSE to 1.055 ON 30.000 Wort Litres IN COPPER .

As the Wort is condensing , remove any scum / detritus floating on the surface BEFORE starting the Boil Clock @ 30.000 Wort Litres in Copper @ 1.055 .

                                                                     COPPER    

A 2 1/2 Hour boil ON HOPS , 1 St Charge @ Let Off - 150 , then at Let Off - 40, ADD the 2 Nd Hops.

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

                                         THEN COOL A S A P  TO PITCHING HEAT  

                                                                         HOPS 

                                  1 St Hop Charge : To 30.000 Wort Litres @ 1.055 

                                                  28 IBU Goldings @ 6 % a/a  = 50 g 

                                     2 Nd Hop Charge : To 19.910 Wort Litres @ 1.073.5 

                                                     3 IBU Goldings @ 6    % a/a =   6 g 

                                                     3 IBU Saazer     @ 3.5 % a/a = 11 g  

                                                                          YEAST 

                  Pitch with a Yorkshire Type Yeast Strain : 112 g Weight of a LIVE YEAST @ 16 c 

                                                    TO 18.755 Wort Litres @ 1.077.75

 

                                                                  ATTENUATION

DAY   Hour   Heat   Gravity                            REMARKS 

   1           P         16      1.077.75

   2           M        17.5   1.074

                E         18      1.066 

   3           M        19      1.060

                E         19.5   1.053

   4           M        20      1.045 

                E         21      1.038

   5           M        20      1.032

                E         20      1.026    CLEAR to 2 Nd F V & COOL

   6           M        18      1.022    18.350 Wort Litres IN VESSEL  

                E         13      1.020

   7           M        12      1.020   SEND TO Conditioning Vessel @ 10 - 12 c 

                                                  18.000 BEER LITRES TO C . V 

STAND : 2 Weeks @ 10 - 13 c 

CELLAR : @ 6 - 8 c UNTIL @ 1.014.5 , THEN STILLAGE VESSEL and allow to 12 c 

                   FULLY  VENT C.V @ 1.013.5 and allow to 15 c TOP HEAT .

BOTTLE CLEAR & BRIGHT : At 1.012.75 - 1.012.5 @ 13 - 15 c  

STAND : 1 WEEK 10 - 13 c 

CELLAR : 2 Months @ 10 c THEN Q . C 

Cheers All and Happy Brewing ,

Edd