Comments on: The Return of Truman’s Yeast

By: Derek Bradshaw

Derek Bradshaw — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Two points to Greg’s posting on beer and keg sizes –
Barrels – the 9 gallon size is called a Firkin, with a Pin being half that size.
Kegs – Trumans went for two sizes of Kegs, at the time of metrication, – 50 litres, which is the equivalent of 11 imperial gallons, and 100 litres, which is the quivalent of 22 imperial gallons.
I agree with Greg’s comment ‘usually containing something that no civilised person would wish to allow anywhere near their lips’ but in those days not all landlords could look after their beer properly and draft and filtered beer was a way of the brewery doing the job for them.

By: Peter Holford

Peter Holford — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 22:18:34 +0000

Can’t wait to sample it! My uncle ran a series of Truman’s pubs across London from the 1940s to the 1970s. As a kid I used to go down to the cellar with him where he would heave the wooden barrels around, tap them, pour beer through filter paper and so on. The smell was magical. By the time I managed a pub for him in the 1970s it was all fizzy keg and tasted awful – I had missed out. I drank Young’s instead!

By: Margaret

Margaret — Sat, 22 Jun 2013 07:18:11 +0000

When I have the time and enthusiasm I make sourdough bread, and the process of developing a yeast is a fascinating one. It’s amazing how the same basic ingredients – flour and water – can vary the end product so much, not only according to the type of flour, which isn’t so surprising, but the water and even the air in which the yeasts develop, No wonder it’s all so important to Trumans.

By: cityjane

cityjane — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 22:01:17 +0000

Yeast with an afterlife! Yay! Resurrection! Not too many sips Jack Hibberd! Can’t wait to try it.

By: Gary

Gary — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 20:51:20 +0000

It is good to see another old brew returning. This is dear to my heart, when I started drinking in 1945 as a 14 year old, all beer came in wooden barrels, very few of todays real ales can match up to them. Another vital part of the brew is the water, this has to come from underground sources and the mineral content is vital. Ind Coope had two breweries, one at Romford and the other at Burton on Trent. A long goods train of many tanker trucks filled up at Romford with the spring water and took it all of the way to Burton where it was discharged and the train filled with Burton water to be taken back to Romford. These waters were the secret of the beers. This train was running non-stop all of the time.
Gary

By: Jonathan Howarth

Jonathan Howarth — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 16:31:14 +0000

“Anyone can follow a recipe but it is the yeast that makes the beer great”

This comment just reminded me of a story an amateur brewing friend once told me. He used to write to the breweries that made his favourite beers and ask openly for a sample of their yeast.

He’d invariably receive by return a polite letter declining his request. The sly old dog would then take swabs from this letter and grow up cultures of any yeast that he found on the brewery note paper or envelope to try them out in his home brew.

Probably highly illegal but you have to admire his audacity.

By: Phil Maxwell

Phil Maxwell — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 14:19:52 +0000

The stuff of dreams. Can’t wait for the pint!

By: Ed

Ed — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 11:48:16 +0000

They look like firkins to me. The cask sizes are: Pin, Firkin, Kil, Barrel at 4.5, 9, 18, 36 gallons respectively.

By: Herry Lawford

Herry Lawford — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:09:02 +0000

Marvellous that such a place exists!

By: Greg Tingey

Greg Tingey — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 07:03:32 +0000

Several points.
I really hope they make a go of it!
Trumans was the first beer I tasted, at age 14 – quite legally – it was with a meal.
“Ben Truman” – VERY hoppy & bitter.
Let’s hope for a true-mans revivial.
I presume worshippers of Ninkasi will appreciate this …..
Oe technical point, your photo of the “empties” awaiting filling should be titled: …
“BARRELS stand ready to be filled with beer.”
The ones shown look like “kils”, that is kilderkins of 18 gallons each.
( Pin, Kil, Barrel … 9, 18, 36 imperial gallons IIRC )
A “keg” is a parallel-sided, & always pressurised vessel, holding 10 gallons, & usually containing something that no civilised person would wish to allow anywhere near their lips, euw.