T & J Bernard’s beer range in 1960
As we saw the other day, when Scottish Brewers took over Edinburgh rival T&J Bernard in 1960, Bernard’s were requested to supply details of their beer range, so that the most suitable substitute from the McEwan’s and Younger’s ranges could be found. Here’s the list they supplied.
That looks like a pretty standard range for a Scottish brewer of the time. Weak IPA. A Strong Ale and a Stout. The theory of Northern and Southern English Brown Ale is further undermined, as we have a weak and a strong Brown Ale from the same brewer. What is puzzling me are the two Export beers with very similar gravities.
And the four canned beers, presumably the most popular, IPA, Export, Grouse and Export Stout. I can imagine some house parties fueled by those after pub closing time. Pubs closed earlier back then of course.
In common with other Scottish brewers, there was a significant trade with the Newcastle and Gateshead area, with beer being produced specially for that market. Did you notice that? Bernard’s had more different draught beers for the North East market than they did in Scotland. And there’s the Double Brown Ale packaged in pint bottles for the Geordies. I wonder what that was meant to compete with?
Also, they didn’t trust the locals with their strongest draught beer, No 1. If you wanted to get steaming, you’d have to neck the odd bottle of Strong Ale or glass of whisky between pints.
No priming was added in warm weather, or when beer was going to tropical Gateshead. Which suggests, to my naïve mind, that they were using a poorly attenuating yeast which took a long time to reach final gravity. Or perhaps they were racking to casks above final gravity as brewers do nowadays.
One more point. The other day, when we saw sales reps being instructed to make it clear to publicans that the substitute beer they’d be getting was going to be “container beer”, or keg as we call it today, I said that implied Bernard were still selling cask-conditioned beer. This proves it. The talk of priming is proof that the draught beer was cask ale.
| Bernard beers in 1960 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bottled Ales | Gravity | Size of Bottle |
| India Pale Ale | 1030 | 10oz 20oz |
| Brown Ale* | 1030 | 10oz |
| Special Export | 1043 | 10oz |
| Grouse Export | 1045 | 10oz |
| Double Brown Ale | 1043 | 10oz 20oz* |
| Strong Ale | 1068 | 6.5oz |
| Export Stout | 1045 | 10oz |
| Canned Ales | Gravity | Size of Can |
| India Pale Ale | 1030 | 16oz |
| Export Beer | 1043 | 16oz |
| Grouse Ale | 1045 | 16oz |
| Export Stout | 1045 | 16oz |
| * Gateshead only | ||
That looks like a pretty standard range for a Scottish brewer of the time. Weak IPA. A Strong Ale and a Stout. The theory of Northern and Southern English Brown Ale is further undermined, as we have a weak and a strong Brown Ale from the same brewer. What is puzzling me are the two Export beers with very similar gravities.
And the four canned beers, presumably the most popular, IPA, Export, Grouse and Export Stout. I can imagine some house parties fueled by those after pub closing time. Pubs closed earlier back then of course.
| Draught Ale Qualities and Gravities | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | ||
| Quality | Gravity | Remarks |
| No 2 | 1036 | S.F. Priming at 1148º is added to both Qualities at the rate of 1pt. per brl. except during periods of warm weather e.g. July to end of September. |
| No 3 | 1031 | |
| Newcastle & District | ||
| Quality | Gravity | Remarks |
| Special (No 1) | 1046 | No priming added |
| No 2 | 1036 | " |
| No 3 | 1031 | " |
| Grouse | 1045 | Supplied to one customer only (Dunston Social Club, Gateshead) |
In common with other Scottish brewers, there was a significant trade with the Newcastle and Gateshead area, with beer being produced specially for that market. Did you notice that? Bernard’s had more different draught beers for the North East market than they did in Scotland. And there’s the Double Brown Ale packaged in pint bottles for the Geordies. I wonder what that was meant to compete with?
Also, they didn’t trust the locals with their strongest draught beer, No 1. If you wanted to get steaming, you’d have to neck the odd bottle of Strong Ale or glass of whisky between pints.
No priming was added in warm weather, or when beer was going to tropical Gateshead. Which suggests, to my naïve mind, that they were using a poorly attenuating yeast which took a long time to reach final gravity. Or perhaps they were racking to casks above final gravity as brewers do nowadays.
One more point. The other day, when we saw sales reps being instructed to make it clear to publicans that the substitute beer they’d be getting was going to be “container beer”, or keg as we call it today, I said that implied Bernard were still selling cask-conditioned beer. This proves it. The talk of priming is proof that the draught beer was cask ale.
Really enjoying this series for what it shows about the takeover process.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's dead handy for me. Now I know what Pale 1/1, Pale 1/2 and Pale 1/4 were: No. 3, No. 2 and No. 1.
The racking gravities were pretty high:
No. 1: 1013
No. 2: 1012
No. 3: 1011