ROBINSONS OLD TOM?

[hipster]

Hi, Im new to the forum and have just started making full grain mash beers again for the first time in 30 years. I wondered if anyone had got a reliable recepe for Old Tom. I intend to use the yeast gathered from a bottle of Old Tom but have no idea of how its made?

[Andy]

Funnily enough I had a bottle of Old Tom last night! Regarding the yeast propagation beware that not all bottle conditioned beers are bottled with the primary yeast strain and attempts to propagate/reuse the yeast may not yield the desired outcome I don't know if Old Tom falls into this category, perhaps someone else may have the answer (and a clone recipe?).

[hipster]

Thanks Dan,
I hope you enjoyed Your 'Old Tom'. Its the time of year when Old Tom becomes available in cask form in my area (Stoke-on-Trent) and its usually £2.70 at least a pint. I seem to remember culturing yeast from Robinsons bottled beer years ago but as you say things may have changed. I just like the idea of using Robo's own yeast for old Tom. I may contact Robinsons Beer Chemist and see if they are willing to divulge any information. I have to say the cask beer always seems to have the edge on the bottled version IMHO not sure why Thanks again and sorry about double post on other forum. I shall stick to this forum for recepes

Regards Nigel

[hipster]

Forgot to say I lke your User box ? with Alan Partridge shouting DAN! DAN ! DAN! This has got to be the funniest TV ever. I wish Steve Cougan would do another series

[Aleman]

Well I haven't got a recipe for Robbies old Tom to which I was introduced at the George And Dragon in Beaumaris during my student days, but I have found a recipe for Old Tom (Chelmsford Brewery) in Old British Beers And How To Make them.

Scaled up to 22.5L @ 1.088

20.84 Lbs Pale Malt

Mash for 90 Minutes Batch Sparge to collect enough Wort, then boil with

8.74 Oz Goldings Hops

For 90 Minutes. Cool and Pitch a HUGE, HUGE Starter Allow to ferment out and then mature for 8 months.

Must admit that I would LOVE A Recipe for Old Tom if we can find it out, nothing in the Almanac to give a clue??

[Andy]

Forgot to say I lke your User box ? with Alan Partridge shouting DAN! DAN ! DAN! This has got to be the funniest TV ever. I wish Steve Cougan would do another series

It's an "avatar" and yes, the Partridge shows were genius stuff!

(And it's Andy by the way, the "Dan!" part is my forum signature as per the avatar )

[hipster]

Thanks Andy. I have just changed my mind i now need the recepe for Thonbridge Mcdougans? Stout brewed near Bakewell. I have just had a few pints at my local in Kidsgove near Stoke. All I can say about Thornbridge is WOW!!

[hipster]

Thanks TJB . I wouldnt be able to keep beer for 8 months but the recepe sounds interesting . If I can get a hint of the Robies Old Tom I will post it tomorrow

[hipster]

Hi. I have just started brewing beer from grain again after 30 years. I used to brew beer in the 1970s using Dave Lines book 'brewing Beer like those you buy' I wondered if you were sworn to secrecy or could you Kindly give me an idea how Old Tom is made? I fully understand if you tell me to get lost.

Best Regards Nigel


Just sent this to the Head brewer at Robinsons You never know!

[Vossy1]

We can't buy it in pints in Cheshire as it's too strong....2 half pints it is

[hipster]

I live in Cheshire although my postal adrees is Staffordshire. If you can only buy it in halfs your'e going to the wrong pub! Many years ago the Horse Shoe at Newbold only sold OT in halfs. I went in and asked for 2 pints on refusal I then asked for 4 halfs and was served:-)

[Vossy1]

Hey hipster..not the wrong pubs...the wrong town..

In many towns now, if a beer is above a certain ABV, it can only be sold as a half.
Altrincham is one of them, The Old Market Tavern one of my usuals

[oblivious]

The taste of beer by roger Protz ( a really good book) says they used Halcyon and pipkin pale malts, crystal malt, flaked maize, torrified wheat and caramel for colour, although he dose not give the percentage used
.

Hops goldings and northdown and dry hopped in the cask

A good starting point might be a mild with a similar grain bill and adjusting the amounts to get the 8.5% of the original

[hipster]

Thanks for that . Ive just managed to get most of these ingredients off a mate of mine who is a commercial brewer. He has also shown me the Roger Protz book The taste of Beer.For the Old Tom 90% of the grain I think will be Pale malt and he has suggested dry hoping with fuggles. The rest is going to be guess work but I will let you know what I did and how it turns out about Xmas time

[oblivious]

Thanks for that . Ive just managed to get most of these ingredients off a mate of mine who is a commercial brewer. He has also shown me the Roger Protz book The taste of Beer.For the Old Tom 90% of the grain I think will be Pale malt and he has suggested dry hoping with fuggles. The rest is going to be guess work but I will let you know what I did and how it turns out about Xmas time

Maybe 5% crystal and 5% adjuncts

or 3% crystal and 7% adjuncts