Bottling Guinness in the 1960s

Another Guinness bottling controversy. This time about the use of corks. Which Guinness wanted to phase out in favour of crown corks. 

The brilliant thing about this video is that it shows hand bottling at the pub. The beer is in wooden hogsheads, which is filled in bottles and then corked. 

 It's wonderful to see just how the bottling process worked.

 

 

Guinness in crockery bottles

 Here's a reminder of when Guinness was bottled by publicans. In this case, using corked crockery bottles.

 

 At one time, this was how most Guinness was bottled in Ireland. In the pub where it would be sold. This was one of the main reasons Guinness Extra Stout remained bottle conditioned. Publican bottlers didn't have the equipment to artificially carbonate.

Anyone know when publicans stopped bottling in Ireland? 

 

 

Dublin Porter Shipments 1894 - 1908

From various years of the Brewers' Journal I've managed to assemble quite a neat little table of Porter exports from Dublin. Pretty sure that they are all shipments from Dublin, both to the Britain and abroad. Though the vast majority of, at least, the Guinness shipments were being sent to Britain. Oh, and only a tiny amount was in the form of Porter. It was almost all Stout.

The proportion accounted for by Guinness was on the increase throughout the period covered, rising from 75% in 1894 to 89% in 1908. Which shows how dominant Guinness was in the Dublin trade. Of course, two of the biggest Irish Porter brewers don't appear in the figures. Because Murphy and Beamish & Crawford were based in Cork.

When you see how much bigger Guinness was than the other Dublin breweries it's no surprise that they were the only ones left a couple of decades after the period covered in the tables.

To put the figures into context, total exports of beer from the UK were only around half a million barrels. And beer imports around 50,000 barrels. When Ireland gained independence in 1922, imports suddenly rocketed to around a million barrels. Almost all of it Guinness. 

Dublin Porter Shipments 1894 - 1899
	1894	1895	1896	1897	1896	1897	1898	1899
Guinness and Son	443,629.5	425,833.5	413,344.5	418,921.5	413,344.5	418,921.5	415,225.5	479,535
Mountjoy Brewery	24,522	24,322.5	28,588.5	31,176	31,095	33,907.5	33,561	33,205.5
Jameson, Pim	24,747	28,378.5	31,098	33,907.5	28,588.5	31,176	34,554	33,033
Watkins	39,465	33,004.5	32,302.5	30,501	32,304	30,501	25,242	18,630
D'Arcy and Son	24,402	22,033.5	25,204.5	25,914	25,204.5	25,914	25,740	22,935
Phoenix Brewery	20,133	18,049.5	17,554.5	13,447.5	17,554.5	13,447.5	12,732	11,586
E. & J. Burke	14,014.5	13,741.5	11,316	8,302.5
All others	1,234.5	3,333	4,890	3,700.5	16,206	12,003	5,881.5	15,198
Total	592,147.5	568,696.5	564,298.5	565,870.5	564,298.5	565,870.5	552,942	614,122.5
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 36 1900, January 15th 1900, page 9.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 34 1898, January 15th 1898, page 36.

Dublin Porter Shipments 1900 - 1908
	1900	1901	1902	1905	1906	1907	1908
Guinness and Son	544,792.5	557,806.5	557,236.5	600,318	650,980.5	670,503	687,486
Mountjoy Brewery	33,105	34,278	33,915	30,498	29,562	27,513	25,522.5
Jameson, Pim	32,050.5	32,128.5	28,668
Watkins	17,782.5	16,656	21,552	38,544	39,481.5	36,541.5	36,175.5
D'Arcy and Son	23,326.5	23,056.5	15,201	23,493	27,789	23,472	21,946.5
Phoenix Brewery	10,033.5	8,133	7,423.5
All others	12,511.5	17,737.5	21,696	228	-	-	22,834.5
Total	673,602.0	689,796	685,692	692,991	747,813	758,029.5	768,457.5
Source:
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, January 15th 1902, page 9.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 39 1903, January 15th 1903, page 8.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 45 1909, January 15th 1909, page 8.

LICENSING (IRELAND) ACT, 1902

Ireland seems yo have had even stricter rules on the issuance of new pub licences than in the rest of the UK. A situation which persists today. It being virtually impossible to create a new licence.

This act from 1902, in principle, forbade the issuing of any new licences for both on and off sales. Pretty damn drastic. There were limited exceptions. Though one of those, replacing a surrendered licence, wasn't really issuing a new licence. The population growth exception, given the then demographics of Ireland, was never likely to come into effect. Between 1900 and 1914 the population declined a little, by around 80,000.

It's interesting how often special rules applied for railway refreshment rooms.

LICENSING (IRELAND) ACT, 1902.
1. This Act shall extend to Ireland only, and may be cited as the Licensing (Ireland) Act, 1902.

2. From and after the passing of this Act no licence shall be granted for tho sale of intoxicating liquor, whether for consumption on or off the premises, except—

(1) For premises which are now licensed or which were licensed at any time since the first day of January one thousand nine hundred and two; or
(2) For an hotel, which expression shall refer to a house containing at least ten apartments set apart and used exclusively for the sleeping accommodation of travellers, and having no public bar for the sale of intoxicating liquors ; or
(3) For a railway refreshment room.

3. Where, by reason of the expiration of a lease, a licence for the sale of intoxicating liquors for consumption on the premises comprised in the lease is extinguished or surrendered, the licensing authority may, notwithstanding anything in this Act, grant a licence for suitable premises in the immediate vicinity of the premises to which the licence so extinguished or surrendered was attached.

4. Where, owing to the increase in population, there is a growth or extension of any city or town, and the licensing authority are satisfied that the restrictions in this Act on the granting of licences may be relaxed, they may grant a licence to any applicant, notwithstanding that the same would be otherwise forbidden by this Act, provided that such licence shall be granted only for premises situate in the parish in which such increase in population has taken place, and in substitution for an existing licence or licences held in respect of premises situate within the city or town, as the case may be, comprising the whole or any part of the parish.

5. In the case of applications under section two, subsection two, and sections three and four, the premises shall be valued under the Irish Valuation Acts at not less than—

Thirty pounds in the Dublin Metropolitan Police District and the city of Belfast;
Twenty pounds in the cities of Cork, Limerick, Waterford, and Londonderry;
Fifteen pounds in the city of Kilkenny and the town of Galway;
Twelve pounds in any other town of over ten thousand inhabitants at the census ascertained next preceding the application; and
Ten pounds in all other places.

6. Nothing in this Act shall operate to prevent the granting of new licences, where the licensing authority thinks fit, to premises attached to or adjoining premises licensed for the sale of intoxicating liquors at the date of the passing of this Act; provided always, that such new licence as last hereinbefore mentioned shall only be granted in order to render the said licensed premises more suitable for the business carried on therein.

7. Nothing in this Act shall be taken to affect the law as to the transfer or assignment of licences from one person to another or as to the renewal of licences.

8 In this Act—

The expression “increase in population” shall be taken to mean an increase of not less than twenty-five per cent, of the population according to the last census;
The expression "licence” means any licence for the sale of intoxicating liquor granted by an officer of excise other than a wholesale beer dealer’s licence, or a licence required for a military or constabulary canteen, or a licence which can be granted without the production of a certificate of a recorder or justice; and

Other expressions shall have respectively the same meaning as in the Licensing (Ireland) Acts, 1883 to 1900, and for this purpose this Act shall be construed with the said Acts.

9. This Act shall continue in force until the thirty-first day of December one thousand nine hundred and seven, and no longer, unless Parliament shall otherwise determine.
The Brewers' Journal vol. 38 1902, August 15th 1902, page 474.

Even though is specifically states that the Act is only in force until the end of 1907, I suspect that it really remained in force much, much longer.

 

Irish Stout exports in the 1880s

Large quantities of Porter/Stout were exported from Ireland. The figures below must include to Great Britain as they exceed the numbers for total UK exports. Certainly, in the case of Guinness, the beer was almost all Stout. I’m sure the same was true for the other brewers.

The figures are dominated by Guinness, who accounted for more than three-quarters of the exports. Way ahead of the second-placed brewery, who could manage no more than 6%.

What’s odd, is that neither of the Cork brewers appears in the table. Perhaps these are just the figures for Dublin-based firms.
 

Irish Porter exports 1888 - 1891 (barrels)
brewery	1888	1889	1890	1891
Guinness & Son	495,153	503,448	542,300	546,086
Watkins & Co	38,385	38,048	38,160	38,219
Jameson Pim	36,359	30,752	29,718	29,324
D’Arcy & Son	19,950	22,980	26,109	28,173
Phoenix Brewery	21,300	20,316	21,657	6,647
Mountjoy Brewery	17,265	15,302	15,630	17,513
Sweetman & Co	4,914	4,869	2,951	—
E. and J. Burke	2,159	4,836	9,671	9,753
Others	464	482	107	765
Total	635,948	641,061	686,346	691,478
Source:
Brewers' Guardian vol 22, January 1892, page 20.

 

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1877 Strangman X Ale

Here’s another confusing beer from Strangman. On the face of it, the name, X Ale, indicates that this was a Mild Ale. But it’s not that simple.

The gravity is very much in the range of a London X Ale. However, the hopping is a good bit heavier. At 14 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt, the rate is about double that of London Mild Ales. And similar to the hopping rate of a London Pale Ale. It’s also higher than the hopping rate for Strangman Beer. Which makes no sense, as Ale should be more lightly hopped than Ale.

Not much to the recipe: just one type of malt and one of hops. The malt was made from English barley by Strangman themselves. The hops, from grower Springett, were, I assume, English. And were pretty fresh, being from the 1876 harvest.
 

1877 Strangman X Ale
pale malt	13.00 lb	100.00%
Fuggles 90 mins	2.25 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	2.25 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	2.25 oz
OG	1056
FG	1013
ABV	5.69
Apparent attenuation	76.79%
IBU	75
SRM	5
Mash at	152º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	60º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew - 1882 Strangman H Porter

Another Strangman beer today. And another mystery. So many questions and so few answers. As so often when bathing in the pool of history.

Here we have a beer which actually is called Porter. Though what does the prefix “H” stand for? Could it be “heading”.

Heading being the high gravity, fermenting wort added at racking time as a sort of Kräusen. Two problems with that theory: the gravity isn’t high enough and there’s far too much of it. The 132 barrels would have been enough for 7 or 8 batches of their Beer. So about two weeks’ worth. But it wouldn’t last that long. And it was pitched in tuns the normal way.

My guess is that it’s one of the other elements of Irish Porter and Stout” aged beer. At least, that’s what the high hopping rate implies to me.

The grist is similar to Single Stout, having around 5% black malt. Of which around 20% was added to the copper rather than the mash tun. Which probably resulted in a beer darker than the 27 SRM in the recipe below.

Just a single type of hops, which I assume, based on the grower’s name of Noakes, were English. 

1882 Strangman H Porter
pale malt	15.25 lb	94.57%
black malt	0.875 lb	5.43%
Fuggles 90 mins	2.25 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	2.25 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	2.25 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1068.5
FG	1016
ABV	6.95
Apparent attenuation	76.64%
IBU	69
SRM	27
Mash at	153º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	58.5º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1880 Strangman Double Stout

And here we have a proper Stout. At least in London terms. Or Dublin terms, for that matter. As Guinness Extra Stout was a similar strength.

The grist is very similar to Single Stout. Around 95% pale malt and 5% black malt. Far less roasted malt than in London Stouts. Though most of that was in the form of brown malt. Even so, London Stouts of a similar strength were mostly much darker: 37 to 51 SRM (according to BeerSmith). Which is a bit of a surprise. Irish Stout nowadays being pretty black.

Unless the brewing software is way out, in this period Irish Stout wasn’t very dark at all. Having a colour similar to pre-black malt Stout. But . . the calculations don’t take into account the black malt that went into the copper, rather than the mash tun. 84 of 700 lbs, in this case. I assume that more colour was extracted during the boil than in the mash. But how much?

The hopping rate was even higher than in Single Stout: 13.5 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) compared to 9.5 lbs. Which results in a pretty bitter beer. The hops themselves were English from the 1880 harvest and Bavarian from 1879. 

1880 Strangman Double Stout
pale malt	17.00 lb	95.10%
black malt	0.875 lb	4.90%
Fuggles 90 mins	3.50 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	3.50 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	1.75 oz
Hallertau 30 mins	1.75 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1076
FG	1018
ABV	7.67
Apparent attenuation	76.32%
IBU	102
SRM	27
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	58.5º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

Let's Brew - 1880 Strangman Single Stout

This beer I can understand better. Called “Single” in the brewing record, it’s obviously a Single Stout, which is Ireland really means Porter.

The recipe is generally the same as for Beer. That is, a combination of pale and black malt. The big difference is that there’s more than double the quantity of black malt. Which leaves this beer with a proper Porter-like colour.

Only two types of hops this time, English from the 1880 crop and Oregon Bavarian from 1879.

Was this beer aged? Probably not. Though There may have been a portion of aged beer blended in at racking time. 

1880 Strangman Single Stout
pale malt	13.23 lb	94.63%
black malt	0.75 lb	5.37%
Fuggles 90 mins	2.50 oz
Hallertau 30 mins	2.50 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.50 oz
OG	1059
FG	1014
ABV	5.95
Apparent attenuation	76.27%
IBU	54
SRM	25
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1880 Strangman Beer

Irish recipes seem to be popular. So here's another one. Though from a different brewery.

I’ll be honest with you: I’m not really sure what type of beer this is. It’s too pale to be a Porter. And too dark to be a Pale Ale. All that’s really left is Mild Ale. Is that what it is? I don’t think so. No fucking idea, really.

The hopping rate, at just 4 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt, certainly implies Mild to me. In which case, calling it “Beer” is a bit strange. But who am I to argue? Certainly, the colour fits in with the type of semi-dark Mild which started to appear at the end of the 19tth century.

Mostly, the grist is very straightforward. Just pale malt and a smidgin of black malt. With a bit more than a quarter of the black malt being added to the copper rather than the mash tun.   A practice that also occurred in London Potter breweries.

Three types of hops were used. English from the 1879 and 1880 harvests along with Bavarian from 1880.

1880 Strangman Beer
pale malt	13.25 lb	97.57%
black malt	0.33 lb	2.43%
Fuggles 90 mins	0.67 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	0.67 oz
Hallertau 30 mins	0.67 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.50 oz
OG	1058
FG	1014
ABV	5.82
Apparent attenuation	75.86%
IBU	22
SRM	15
Mash at	150º F
Sparge at	165º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew - 1906 Murphy XX Stout

We’re now getting to a proper strength Stout. One which have counted as a Stout in London.

The excitement comes from a grist that’s different. There’s another element to the grist, other than just pale and black malt. And that element is amber malt. How exciting. Amber malt is something which turns up in stronger London Stouts. So it’s not such a surprise to see it here.

There are also changes with the hopping. For a start, the rate is far heavier at 14 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt. Compared to just 5 lbs per quarter for Porter.

The types of hops are slightly different, too. There were two types of English hops, without any vintage listed. Along with Oregon hops from the 1904 and 1905 seasons.

With the high rate of hopping, my guess is that his was aged for a while. Probably at least six to twelve months.

1906 Murphy XX Stout
pale malt	15.00 lb	88.24%
black malt	1.00 lb	5.88%
amber malt	1.00 lb	5.88%
Cluster 90 mins	3.00 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	3.00 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	3.00 oz
Fuggles dry hops	1.25 oz
OG	1072
FG	1018
ABV	7.14
Apparent attenuation	75.00%
IBU	101
SRM	30
Mash at	153º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	90 minutes
pitching temp	58º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1906 Murphy X Stout

Another Irish recipe for you lucky devils. This time, a  Stout.

Now I’m not really sure that this was marketed as a Stout. But I’m guessing that it was. I’d plump for it being sold as Single Stout. Despite only having a gravity about the same as a London Porter.

The grist is the same as that of their Porter. That is, 92% pale malt and 8% black malt. Which is pretty stripped down compared to the Stouts brewed in London. Where, in addition, brown malt, flaked maize and a couple of types of sugar were pretty standard.

There is a slightly higher rate of hopping than in Porter: 6 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) compared to 5 lbs. The hops themselves were, but no all, English. Two from the 1904 season and one undated. There was a single type of Oregon hops, also from 1904.

Was this aged at all before sale? I doubt it. Though there may have been some aged beer blended with it at racking time. Some Kraeusen, too, possibly.

1906 Murphy X Stout
pale malt	11.50 lb	92.00%
black malt	1.00 lb	8.00%
Fuggles 100 mins	0.875 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	0.875 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	0.875 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1053
FG	1012
ABV	5.42
Apparent attenuation	77.36%
IBU	27
SRM	29
Mash at	149º F
Sparge at	175º F
Boil time	100 minutes
pitching temp	57º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew - 1906 Murphy Porter

Someone asked for more Irish recipes. Here you go.

Almost thirty years on and there have been a few changes to Murphy Porter. Most notably, the gravity is 6.5º lower.

There have also been changes to the grist. Where sugar has been dropped and the simplest grist imaginable adopted: just pale and black malt. Though there were five different types of the former. Some of which were definitely Irish.

The hopping rate has been halved, from 10 lbs per quarter (336 lbs) of malt to 5 lbs. Which is a pretty massive change. One reflected in the much lower (calculated) bitterness level of just 25 IBU.

Four types of copper hops were used. English from the 1904 and 1905 harvests; and Oregon, also from 1904 and 1905. Several types of English hops were used as dry hops.

1906 Murphy Porter
pale malt	10.00 lb	91.95%
black malt	0.875 lb	8.05%
Fuggles 100 mins	0.75 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	0.75 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	0.75 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1046
FG	1010.5
ABV	4.70
Apparent attenuation	77.17%
IBU	25
SRM	27
Mash at	149º F
Sparge at	176º F
Boil time	100 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout

 

Let's Brew Wednesday - 1878 Murphy Porter

Here we have the first result of my visit to the archives in Cork last year. It's taken a while. But, hopefully, it'll be worth it.

Murphy’s records are so much fun. Because they’re split across brewing books and fermentation books. With the former not even including the OG. Matching up entries from the two books is a royal pain in the arse.

The vast majority of the beer Murphy brewed was Porter. And it looks very much like a London Porter, in terms of gravity. Though not in terms of grist. As, unlike London brewers, Murphy didn’t use any brown malt. Instead, going for simple pale and black malt. Along with some sugar.

Talking of the sugar, I’ve no idea of the type. I’m also not totally sure of the quantity. I’ve assumed that it’s given in hundredweights. Bu, given malt is listed in barrels rather than quarters, I’m not totally sure.

I’m equally vague about the hops. All I know for certain is that here were two types. Only the growers name is given. My guess is that they were all English.

1878 Murphy Porter
pale malt	7.75 lb	72.63%
black malt	0.67 lb	6.28%
No. 3 invert sugar	2.25 lb	21.09%
Fuggles 100 mins	2.00 oz
Fuggles 60 mins	2.00 oz
Fuggles 30 mins	2.00 oz
Fuggles dry hops	0.75 oz
OG	1052.5
FG	1010.5
ABV	5.56
Apparent attenuation	80.00%
IBU	63
SRM	28.5
Mash at	152º F
Sparge at	176º F
Boil time	100 minutes
pitching temp	59º F
Yeast	WLP004 Irish Stout