Sunday 23 July 2023

THE X X ALES OF H BENTLEY & CO YORKSHIRE BREWERIES Ltd 1892 - 1894

 How Do All ,

And now for something not entirely different from the previous posts on the Milds produced by the firm of Henry Bentley & Co Yorkshire Breweries Ltd at the Eshaldwell Brewery from 1892 - 1894 ; 
The XX Ales , or for lack of a better phrase ` Best Milds ` in their three distinctly different itterations.
As with the previous blogposts on the products of the Eshaldwell Brewery , this post is derived from the 1892 - 1894 Brewing Book @ WYL 2045 288/106 , Cared for by the ever helpfull and friendly team over at West Yorkshire Archives , Morley Branch .

This analysis & commentary C Edd Mather 2023 
Photo of the brewery from the Brewery History Society Webpage on
 Bentley`s Yorkshire Breweries Ltd

Henry Bentley & Co Yorkshire Breweries Ltd 
Eshaldwell Brewery
Woodlesford 
Nr Leeds 
West Riding 
Yorkshire

                                                                 The Dark X X Ales 

     Brew No        DATE    O / Gravity  R /  Gravity  F /  Gravity   I B U   A B V 

         54     15/12/1892         1.062.75              1.021.5              1.017            34       6.0   %
         77         24/01/1893     1.062.25              1.022.25            1.018            30       5.8   %
       102         09/03/1893     1.061.5                1.022.25            1.018            36       5.7   %
       124         12/04/1893     1.059.5                1.021.25            1.016            30       5.7   %
       196         08/06/1893     1.062.25              1.017.5              1.014            32       6.4   %
       238         24/08/1893     1.061                   1.022.25            1.108            36       5.7   %
       264         19/09/1893     1.058.5                1.018.25            1.014            32       5.9   %
         22         31/10/1893     1.059                   1.018.25            1.014            38       5.9   %
         43         22/11/1893     1.055.5                1.021                 1.017            38       5.0   %
         69         27/12/1893     1.059.5                1.020.5              1.016            38       5.6   %
         84         17/01/1894     1.058.5                1.020.5              1.016            40       5.6   %
       100         14/02/1894     1.052.5                1.020                 1.016            33       4.8   %
       119         12/04/1894     1.057.75              1.020                 1.016            38       5.6   5

This would have been a Dark coloured Mild Ale , with an average grist composition similar to the previous two beers ; and in common with those two victorian thirst slakers ; This sub type of a Mild / XX Ale includes the addition of a Black Malt broth at some point during the boil , or at the Hop Back / Stand stage ; with the additions being in line with the brewery`s production specifications for this beer.
 A typical grist make up would be as follows , Yorkshire @ 84.5 % , Smyrna @ 15.5 % ; With another minor variation in Brew No 238 Ex 24/08/1893 , when in common with other beers brewed at Eshaldwell , the use of a Yorkshire Amber malt was increased Viz,
XX Tuesday 31 St October 1893 Brew No 22 ; Yorkshire @ 44 % , Smyrna 17.5 % , 
Yorkshire Amber @ 38.5 % , By January 1894 the proportion of Yorkshire malt at an average of 84.5 % is replaced by the Yorkshire Amber @ 81 - 82 % , the remaining portion being taken up by Smyrna @ 18.25 % .
Average Racking Hop Addition @ 3.75 Ounces per Barrel ( 1892 - 1894 ) 

Brewed 30 Times between 1892 - 1894 .

                                                       Version 2  ( Pale / Light in Colour ) 
      Brew No        DATE    O /  Gravity  R /  Gravity  F /  Gravity   I B U   A B V
 
    62          23/12/1892         1.062.25               1.020.5              1.016            34       6.1   %
    74          17/01/1893         1.062.25               1.020.75            1.016            32       6.1   %
    89          17/02/1893         1.061.75               1.022.5              1.018            32       5.8   %
  108          15/03/1893         1.061                    1.019.5              1.015            37       6.0   %
  134          29/04/1893         1.061.75               1.022.75            1.018            32       5.8   %
  154          26/05/1893         1.065                    1.021.5              1.017            38       6.3   %
  172          19/06/1893         1.061                    1.022.75            1.018            32       5.7   %
  193          13/07/1893         1.061                    1.017.25            1.013            36       6.3   %
  257          23/08/1893         1.060.5                 1.016                 1.012            30       6.4   %
    14          19/10/1893         1.057.25               1.019.25            1.015            38       5.75 %
    68          21/12/1893         1.059                    1.018.25            1.014            40       5.9   %
A Pale to a Mid / Dark Copper coloured beer, as with it`s other stablemates ; It`s a beer designed to have been brewed and drunk within a few weeks of production .
The grist make up of this particular beer is one with a relatively low number of variations , their proportions varying from Eg : Brew No   68 : Friday 23 Rd December 1892 
                                                 Yorkshire @ 84.5  % 
                                                 Smyrna    @ 15.5  %
                                                 Brew No  157 :  77   % Yorkshire , 23 % Smyrna 
Also used were Ipswich and Suffolk ( Thompson ) malts , Both at 80.75 % , With the now ubiquitous Smyrna @ 19.25 % ( Brew Nos 143 & 257 1893 ) .
An odd brewing of this particular X X  on Thursday 19 Th October 1893 had NO Sugars !! ;
The last brewings of this particular X X towards the end of 1893 , In common with other Non Pale Ale brewings at Eshaldwell began to use aproportion of Yorkshire Amber malt ;
Eg : Brew No 68 : Thursday 21 St December 1893 , Yorkshire Amber @ 80 % , Smyrna 20 % .

Average Racking Hop Addition : 4 - 4.25 Oz Per Barrel 

Brewed 24 Times between December 1892 - December 1893 

                                                   Version 3 : The Palest of the X X Ales 

    Brew No    DATE     O /  Gravity     R /  Gravity     F /  Gravity      IBU       ABV 

        49       09/12/1892         1.061                   1.022.75                   1.016              36        5.9   %
      120       06/04/1893         1.061                   1.022.25                   1.018              30        5.7    %
      208       31/07/1893         1.061                   1.019.25                   1.015              30        5.9     %
        89       23/01/1894         1.058.5                1.020.5                     1.016              36        5.6     %

As with the other X X Ales , This beer uses both Malts and Sugars in roughly the same proportions as the other X X Ales , Though in this particular sub type of XX , A constant feature was the inclusion of Caramel at a certain point in the boil with an average 2 1/4 Hour boil ;
E g : Brew No 208 Monday 31 St July 1893 : 1.060 - 1.019.25 - 1.015 : 30 IBU , 5.9 % ABV ;
Caramel @ 100 Ounces 
Grist : Marshall 79.5  % , Smyrna 14.75 % , Hirst Smyrna @ 5.75 % 
Average Racking Hop Addition : 4 Ounces per Barrel in period 

Brewed 13 Times between December 1892 and 1894 .


Cheers All ,

Edd 
         

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