Thursday 13 April 2023

ALEXANDER BERWICK & Co : X 3 ALE 1849

 How Do All ,

As you`ll have noticed , I haven`t been posting much on here of late ; The main reason for this is my research into the beers of a well known Yorkshire ( West Riding )  brewery 1892 - 1894 whose beers have fascinated me for a long time , and which I felt would stand an in depth analysis of the products brewed . I hope to have this completed within the next month or so .

Anyroad ; Here`s today`s offering from some earlier research ;
 A beer entered up in the Alexander Berwick & Co  Brewhouse Book  1849 - 52  as " X 3 " ; 
I contend this is a shorthand brewer`s code for `No 3 Export Beer` due to it`s IBU rating of 66 IBU ,
 and , the predicted Final Gravity of the beer @ 1.007  . 
The Brewhouse Book 1849 - 1852@  BK 1  is deposited as part of the internationally important Scottish Brewing Archive with the halpfull team up in Glasgow at The University of Glasgow Special Collections & Archives Department on Thurso St . 
  I hope that you all enjoy the recipe ; The ingredients specified are my own choice, Made in order to better replicate the characteristics of those which could have been used in the original . 


This recipe C Edd Mather 2023 

                     ANY AND ALL COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION RIGHTS RESERVED TO 
                                        William Younger & Co Ltd and their successors in title 

Alexander Berwick & Co 
The Brewery
Holyrood 
Edinburgh
Scotland 


        THIS RECIPE FOR 30.000 Wort Litres to Copper @ 1.056.5 , 75 % Mash Efficiency Assumed 

                                                           No 3 Export Ale 
                                                      Thursday 8 Th November 1849
                                                                    Gyle No : 713  
                      Original Gravity : 1.067  Bottling Gravity : 1.009.75  Final Gravity: 1.007 
                                                      I B U :  66             A B V : 7 %  

                                                                        MALTS 
Crafty Maltsters :
                                            50     %   Scottish Annat      =  3.705 Kg
 Warminster Malt :
                                            20     %   Plumage - Archer =  1.490 Kg
Crisp Malt : 
                                            20     %   Chevalier              =  1.495 Kg
                                            10     %   Hana Vienna         =  0.745 Kg   

                                          MASHING  , SPARGING  &  COLLECTION 
                                          Use an Edinburgh / Lightly Burtonised Liquor 
       Thoroughly Pre Warm the mash tun , ENSURING that the Liquor is 1.5 " ABOVE the Plates  
                                             - 5 - 10 Minutes BEFORE MASHING IN 
                                    1   St  Mash Heat : 64 c @         0 - + 150 Mins = 19.970 Litres 
                                    2 Nd  Mash Heat : 66 c  @ + 150 - + 180 Mins =   9.970 Litres 
                                    3 Rd  Mash Heat : 67 c  @ + 180 - + 210 Mins =   9.970 Litres 
At 210 Minutes ( 3 1/2 Hours Mash Time ) ; SLOWLY open the mash tun valve and return OVER 
The mash any Cloudy / Turbid 1 St runnings UNTIL the Wort is CONSISTENTLY Bright & Clear .
                  + 5 - 10 Minutes of CLEAR Wort ; ONLY THEN ALLOW TO THE COPPER 
SPARGING : At Clear Wort to the Copper + 10 Minutes @ 78 c = 23.950 Litres ; AT 1.006 , 
                                         STOP TAPS and COLLECT Wort in the Copper .
COLLECTION : At Collection , ADD LIQUOR to the Copper , REDUCING the Copper Gravity 
                            To 1.056.25 , THEN CONDENSE to 1.056.5 ON 30.000 Wort Litres in Copper .
NB : Take care to remove any Scum / Detritus floating on the Wort surface BEFORE 1 st Hops .

                                                                      COPPER 
                                                      A 1 1/2 Hour Boil ON HOPS 
At Let Off - 90 Minutes , ADD 1 St Hop Charge then at Let Off - 60 Minutes , ADD 2 Nd Hops .
At Let Off - 30 Minutes , ADD the 3 Rd Hop Charge then at Let Off - 12 Mins , ADD Copper Finings.
           At Let Off , STAND 1/4 Hour , Re Circulate for 5 - 10 Minutes THEN STAND 1/2 Hour  
                                         BEFORE COOLING A S A P To Pitching Heat 

                                                                        HOPS
                                         USE WHOLE FLOWER / CONE HOPS ONLY 

                                        1 St Hop Charge : To 30.000 Wort Litres @ 1.056.5

                                      10 IBU Goldings                        @ 6    % a/a = 16     g 
                                      10 IBU Hallertau Heresbrucker @ 3.5 % a/a = 30     g
                                        6 IBU Tettnanger                      @ 7.5 % a/a =   8.5 g

                                         2 Nd Hop Charge : To 28.670 Wort Litres @ 1.059

                                         14 IBU Goldings                       @ 6    % a/a = 24 g 
                                         14 IBU Hallertau Heresbrucker@ 3.5 % a/a = 41 g

                                         3 Rd Hop Charge : To 26.480 Wort Litres @ 1.063.5
                                            6 IBU Goldings                       @ 6    % a/a = 10 g 
                                            3 IBU Hallertau Heresbrucker @ 3.5 % a/a =  9 g
                                            3 IBU Tettnanger                      @ 7.5 % a/a = 4 g
 
                                                           Conditioning Vessel Hops 
                                                          TO 23.900 BEER LITRES
                                         3.75 g EACH of Hallertau Heresbrucker & Goldings

                                                                        YEAST

                                         Pitch with 150 g Weight of a LEVE Yeast @ 15 c
                        NB : Pitch Yeast when 1/4 of the Predicted Wort Length is IN THE F V 
                                                      To 25.020 Wort Litres @ 1.067 

                                                                 ATTENUATION
DAY   Hour   Heat   Gravity                            REMARKS
    1          P         15        1.067
    2        M         15.5     1.065.5 
              E          18.5     1.058        DROP TO 2 Nd Fermenting Vessel = 24.630 Wort Litres 
    3        M         18        1.052
              E          18.5     1.046.5
    4        M         19.5     1.040
              E  11    19.5     1.032       
    5        M         20        1.026       CLEAR TO 3 Rd F V and COOL = 24.330 Wort Litres 
              E          16.5     1.018
    6        M         15.5     1.017.25
    7        M         15        1.017
    8        M         15        1.017      COOL TO 12 - 13 c & SEND TO Conditioning Vessel ON HOPS 

STAND : 1 Week @ 13 c , VENT excess C O 2 and re seal ; COOL TO 8 c 

CELLAR : 8 c FOR X Months UNTIL AT 1.011.5 , THEN Stillage the C V 1 Week @ 8 - 10 c 
                    FULLY VENT C . V @ 1.010.25 then allow a rise in heat to 13 - 15 c .

BOTTLING :                     CLEAR & BRIGHT at 1.009.75 - 1.009.5 AT 15 c 
                         STAND : 1 Week @ 13 c 
                         CELLAR : 3 Months @ 12 c 
                                            Stand 1 week at 12 c BEFORE Quality Control

                              ***************  RESEARCH OFFER ****************
               A small favour to ask those of you who may be able to assist with my research ; 
If you`d like 12 Historic Beer Recipes for Homebrewing , And can spend a full day researching on my behalf in an archive I`m currently unable to visit ; Please get in touch , I`d love to hear from you .
I`ll provide a target list of records with catalogue numbers and research tips etc ;
  A researcher would then take photos on my behalf and send them as X No of Zip files etc .

Cheers All and Happy Brewing ,

Edd