Thursday 10 July 2014

Truman Pale Ale quality 1922 - 1925

Yes, this series is still continuing, however irregular the posts may have become.

Let's look back first on how Truman's other beers fared. Their X Ale was 6th of 17 Milds with an average score of 0.5. While their weaker Ale placed only 14th of 17 with an average of -0.64. Truman's Burton Ale did better coming 5th from 14 with an average score of 1.09. So pretty decent other than the watery Ale.

This is a 8d/7d Pale Ale, or Ordinary Bitter. I know that for certain. I was then going to say that I wasn't sure where it was brewed. Truman brewed most of their Pale Ales in Burton, but did brew one, LK, at Brick Lane. Only having brewing records from Burton means I can't really check. Or so I thought. Thankfully there's a costing document which also lists gravities. LK was just 1029 so can't possibly be this beer.

In fact I know for certain now what this beer was: P2, or their second-string Bitter. There was the stronger P1, which, with a gravity of 1055, was a typical 9d/8d Best Bitter. This beer has a slightly higher OG than most Ordinary Bitters and a lower finishing gravity making it more highly-attenuated and with a greater ABV than average


Truman Pale Ale quality 1922 - 1925
Year Beer FG OG ABV App. Atten-uation Appearance Flavour score Price
1922 PA 1006.9 1047.4 5.29 85.44% bright v fair 2 8d
1922 PA 1008.2 1048.2 5.22 82.99% bright fair 1 8d
1922 PA 1007.6 1049.6 5.48 84.68% brilliant good 2 8d
1922 PA 1008.2 1048.7 5.28 83.16% bright v good 3 8d
1923 PA 1007.6 1048.1 5.28 84.20% bright good 2 8d
1923 PA 1007.4 1046.9 5.15 84.22% not quite bright v poor -2 8d
1923 PA 1008.6 1048.6 5.21 82.30% bright good 2 8d
1923 PA 1009.4 1044.4 4.55 78.83% brilliant v fair 2 7d
1923 PA 1009.6 1046.6 4.81 79.40% bright sound 1 7d
1923 PA 1008.8 1046.3 4.88 80.99% fairly bright v fair 2 7d
1924 PA
1048.4

bright fair 1 7d
1925 PA 1007 1048 5.35 85.42% brilliant v good 3 7d
1925 PA 1006.8 1046.6 5.19 85.41% bright good 2 7d
Average  1008.0 1047.5 5.14 83.09%

1.62
Source:
Whitbread Gravity book held at the London Metropolitan Archives, document number LMA/4453/D/02/001

Wow. Look at that. I've finally found a set of beers without no real clarity issues. Eleven of the thirteen samples were bright and the other two weren't far off. The flavour scores are even more impressive, with only a single negative one. The overall score of 1.62 is pretty impressive, too.

Truman pubs are looking a pretty good bet, especially if you're a Bitter or Burton drinker. Now here's a strange thought. Truman brewed their Burton Ale in London.

We're nearly there. Just three more breweries and we're done with Pale Ale.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The score would be even better if you ignore the one anomalous -2 mark.