Ind Coope’s Double Diamond has returned as Dual Diamond, but how much do you know about the original beer? It has a longer history than you may think.
Before the actual name Double Diamond was used, Ind Coope & Co. used a double interlocking diamond mark on casks prior to the 1870s.- The beer can trace its roots back to 1822 when Samuel Allsopp and Job Goodhead allegedly brewed an IPA in a teapot.
- The double diamond trademark was registered in 1876.
- Following the 1934 merger to form Ind Coope & Allsopp Ltd., the Allsopp Pale Ale was renamed and the words “Double Diamond” first appeared on bottle labels.
- By 1938 it was called “Ind Coope’s Double Diamond.”In 1948 Ind Coope & Allsopp Ltd. opened their new bottling stores on Curzon Street to meet the demand for bottled Double Diamond.
By 1958 it was the country’s best selling bottled beer.- Draught Double Diamond appeared as a keg beer in the early 1960s, this was weaker than the bottled version.
- “A Double Diamond works wonders!” was once its popular strapline.
- Between 1966 and 1971 sales rose astronomically, by 1974 it was selling an incredible 50 million pints per annum!
- In 1971 CAMRA formed as a pressure group against keg beers such as Double Diamond, Watney’s Red Barrel etc. and the market for keg began to slowly decline in favour of cask ales.
- An amusing badge proclaiming “DD is K9P” was sold at CAMRA Beer Festivals. The identity of the person who did the taste comparison remains a mystery.
- HRH The Duke of Edinburgh is Double Diamond’s most famous drinker.
- The last brew of Double Diamond at Ind Coope was in 1996 by Kevin Slater in the Samuel Allsopp’s Brewing Company which produced limited runs of beers. A firkin appeared in The Roebuck and it was supped in one dinnertime session.
- Dual Diamond first appeared in 2015 as a one off brew to mark the publication of “Ind Coope & Samuel Allsopp Breweries: The History of the Hand.” This was produced by Old Cottage Brewery.
- In April 2018 Dual Diamond was brewed once more …
I remember reading that Ind Coope Burton Ale was a cask version of Double Diamond
Not exactly, DD did have a part in the DBA story but that’s for another post!
DBA had a much higher OG 10.48 I think
I’m sure the Swan at Draycott in the Clay served DD from a tapped cask, back in 1979.
Think your right seem to remember a small room on the left as you went in the main door selling from casks. Early seventies?
I remember in the 1960s/70s. Burton Brewery was short of brewhouse capacity. Most brews were produced using either Crisp Brewmalt or Paul’s Liquid Malt, which did not improve their taste. However bottling/canning DD plus Arctic Ale, which was parti-gyled with DD, were produced without the use of malt extract syrup. The DD grist of the time was almost sacred.
There was a time when Conditioning space was running low in the early 60s, so every beer had its time in tank reduced, all except for DD.
Used to drink Double Diamond at the Bedford Corner Hotel in London in the early ‘70s. Anyone remember that time?
Remember it being served in the Red Lion Pub.(Dubai Metropolitan Hotel) .Dubai ,in1978 onwards . And went down very nicely thank you .
Ind Coope Burton is fighting for number one in my top ale list, with Brakspear’s Special. I once had two wonderful pints of Burton in the White Hart, Pirbright.
Yes it will. I’m not Paul Kemp !!!!
Name and email address not being removed when posting. Still not paul kemp.
When I worked at Southern House, Croydon, late 60s early 70s, there was a Railway 10 pin bowling league in operation. I’m ashamed to say my team was named “The Double Diamonds.” Still got a league champion’s shield somewhere to prove it!
I agree with Paul re Burton ale being THE all time great ale!
great pints of DD in the Jack Snipe in Cumbernauld in the late 70s …….. what a lovely Ale……great times !
My mother worked in the Edinburgh offices 1954/1955. She said it was one of the best jobs she had, her last employed job before bringing up three sons.
In the late 60s I used to play golf at Tapton Park Golf Course in Chesterfield and always enjoyed a Pint of Double Diamond beer at the 19th hole in the bar after a tiring round, which at that time was upstairs. I haven’t seen DD for sale anywhere for a good number of years. A real Shame.