Efficiency and flavour extraction

[foxy]

And then there is the partigyle which seems like brewer's were mixing first and second runnings to get the right flavour which would also indicate something was missing in the straight second runnings.

Well they sold the runnings as is I believe, I did read of a time where there was lots of publican brewers fiddling the excise with the runnings. The tax was staggered much like today on the strength of the ale. The excise man would come around dictate the tax to be collected, often first running were hidden away the blended afterwards. Giving the landlord a double whammy of cheating the excise man and his customers.

The first runnings would obviously be a favourite because of a fuller flavour , but it would be for those who could afford it.

 

[Pennine]

Here is an interesting comment from @Northern_Brewer about his experience.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/english-ales-whats-your-favorite-recipe.472464/post-10217966
And an interesting link from their discussion

https://beerandbrewing.com/practical-parti-gyle-brewing/

 

[Pennine]

Well they sold the runnings as is I believe, I did read of a time where there was lots of publican brewers fiddling the excise with the runnings. The tax was staggered much like today on the strength of the ale. The excise man would come around dictate the tax to be collected, often first running were hidden away the blended afterwards. Giving the landlord a double whammy of cheating the excise man and his customers.

The first runnings would obviously be a favourite because of a fuller flavour , but it would be for those who could afford it.

That's very interesting and not hard to believe. I'd imagine the taxman caught on and started taxing by weight of malts used rather than beer produced.