I think it was a letter in What's Brewing, back in the dark days of the mid-1970s that prompted it. Someone taking a writer to task for assuming the only cask beer was Bitter. What about Mild?
I can remember asking my brother, "What is this thing called Mild Ale?" I was young, naive and pretty cluseles. My brother was scarcely better informed. He could come up with an answer: "Mild is dark." That did me for a while.
I have a natural inclination to underdogs. Mild as a style under stress immediately appealed. That's how my love began.
As I've matured and changed, so have my ideas about Mild. I know how many different forms it's taken. Twisting and turning to fit in my the demands of the day.
I've drunk so many different beers and different styles since the 1970s. But I still love Mild. Admittedly more the 19th-century style ones nowadays.
Maybe Mild is going to do a Milk Stout. Become so out of fashion it can swing back into style again.
I'm old enough to have seen so much weirdness that I don't rule anything out.
Hi Ron ,
ReplyDeleteMy first ever beer ( I swiped it ) was a Tetley`s Light Mild many moons ago ; I`ve loved Mild Ale ever since !! .
Hopefully you`re right about Mild making a comeback ; It`d be nice !! ,
Cheers
Edd
Maybe someone should come up with a "Juicy" Mild? ... or a "Brut" Mild? ... or better yet, an "Imperial" Mild that is pale in color and more aggressively hopped. The modern style purists will argue on the forums over where it fits into the BJCP guidelines. The hipsters will flock to the brew pubs to impress one another with their acceptance of something this radical. While a few of us will just sit back and snigger at them all.
ReplyDeleteI also wish there was more of them. New York has two recently. Saurez Family does an excellent one. And Threes / Burial did an interesting collab. Or I just need to get to London once a year to visit the Royal Oak.
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