By K. Florian Klemp Published May 2006, Volume 27, Number 2
Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild
Gale’s Festival Mild
Young’s Dirty Dick
Milltown Mild
Mild Refinement
Pale ales fairly dominated the world beer scene for about 100 years, until the mid-19th century, when bottom-fermenting brews became the rage. Dark beers tended to be more regional. Pale ales also diverged a bit. Bitters, closely related to pale ales, were favored in some circles as a more quaffable, less-hoppy alternative. On the low end of that spectrum, it is easy to see a trend toward what we now know as pale mild. Its character will be discussed later.
The taming of beer styles of this period was also directly related to taxation. Beer was taxed based on its strength in many places in Britain. Ale that was affordable to the masses, far and away the most prolific consumers, was also the most frugal to make. During the 19th century most ales in Great Britain crept downward strength-wise to keep brewers and publicans in business, and the working class content. Most styles of ale that we know today really took their modern form during this period. Quaffable, satisfying ales like brown and mild were preferred by the minions of manual laborers and farmers—something that could be consumed in some quantity, and refreshed rather than inebriated.
The final refining period in the evolution of mild, came in the early part of the 20th century, as England was forced to ration brewing ingredients in deference to the war effort. Of course, some beer style had to occupy the lowest wrung on the ladder. That fate fell to mild ale, with ordinary bitters and brown ales just above. It is a distinction, though sometimes nebulous, that remains today.
K. Florian Klemp is a research analyst in Durham, NC and an award-winning homebrewer.
Tags: Gale's Festival Mild, Great Dane Dark Mild, John Golding, Milds, Milltown Mild, Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild, Young's Dirty Dick
Tasting Notes
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Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild
From the Sarah Hughes Brewery at the Beacon Hotel in England’s West Midlands, Dark Ruby is a classic example of a Historical mild. The brewery closed in 1957, but was resurrected in 1987. Deep mahogany in color, with a bubbly brown head, the aroma is reminiscent of dark fruit and chocolate. It has a slick mouthfeel, is somewhat sweet, but malty and rich. There are also some tart, wine-like notes and little in the way of hops. This brew hearkens back to when milds were stronger and similar to today’s Old Ales. Bottle-conditioned.
ABV: 6.0%
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Gale’s Festival Mild
Brewed in Hampshire, England by George Gale and Co. Limited. Festival mild pours deep brown with red highlights, the bottle conditioning gives up a shallow, fleeting head. The aroma has raisin and toffee, with a noticeable hop nose. The flavor is full, malty and full of dark, ripe fruit. A sweet chocolate finish is clinched with a light bitterness. This is a fairly forceful Dark mild, but still an excellent session beer.
ABV: 4.8%
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Young’s Dirty Dick
A Dark mild brewed by the renowned Ram Brewery of Wandsworth, England. Caramel-brown in color, with a beige, fluffy head. Earthy hops and caramel decorate the aroma. Lightly sweet, nutty malt and biscuit in the flavor with a nice bitterness, making for a sturdy finish. Overall, it is a quenching session beer that isn’t too heavy on the dark malts.
ABV: 4.1%
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Milltown Mild
Brewed by Victory Brewing in Downingtown, PA. This was sampled on-cask at the Victory brewpub. Deep amber color, well fined and clear, with a minimal, off-white head. The aroma is rather soft, with a toasty, bready character and a spicy hop background. The flavor is a mixture of caramel and nuts, with a decent hop dose to render the beer complex for a mild. It is obvious that this is a low-gravity beer upon taste, but has enough backbone to make it interesting and inviting. It is available only on draft at the brewery, usually in the fall.
ABV: 3.3%
