Scottish cask-conditioned beer in the 1980s

This document is a bit mysterious.


I don't know who compiled it, or why, and there is no date. But we can place it in the mid 1980s because the Alice Brewery is listed, which lasted for only five years between 1983 and 1988. Strathalbyn is also there, which closed in 1987, and Devanha, which closed in 1986; so 1983–86, which is close enough for me.

It's a list of the cask beers available in Scotland at that time, and interesting because it coincides with a time when old-established brewers were still making real ale, but the first micros were beginning to appear.

Alloa, Drybrough, McEwan's, Younger's and Maclay's are all gone. Well, Maclay's pub company still own the Clockwork brewpub in Glasgow, so I guess you can technically say they're still involved in brewing.

Lorimer & Clark are still with us under the Caledonian name. Broughton, Traquair House and Belhaven are the only other survivors.

Look at the gravities. Some brewers had 1.040 as their strongest beer.

BrewerBeerOriginal gravity
Inde Coope Alloa (sic)Arrols (70/– Ale)1037
Tennent's80/–1040
McEwan's70/–1036.5
McEwans's80/–1042.2
Younger'sXXPS (Scotch Bitter)1036.2
Younger'sNo. 3 (Ale)1042
Younger'sIPA (India Pale Ale)1042.2
Drybrough'sPentland (70/–)1036
Drybrough's80/–1043
Belhaven60/– (Light)1031
Belhaven70/– (Heavy)1036
Belhaven80/– (Export Ale)1042
BelhavenStrong Ale1070
BroughtonGreenmantle Ale1038
DevanhaTriple X1040
LeithLeith Heavy1039
Lorimer & Clark70/– (Ale)1036
Lorimer & Clark80/– (Ale)1043
Lorimer & ClarkCaledonian Strong Ale1077
Maclay's60/– (Light)1030
Maclay's70/– (Heavy)1035
Maclay's80/– (Export)1040
StrathalbynStrathalbyn Ale1039
Traquair HouseTraquair House Beer1050
Traquair HouseTraquair House Ale1075
AliceAlice Ale?

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