I believe that “next month’s session will be done on time” was the quote from last month’s session? What’s even worse … I can’t lie and throw down the perfectly believable excuse of having a hard time finding milds here in Bend, OR. I had just gone off about my recent trip to Seattle where I purchased several Milds for the occasion. Whatever … time for The Session.
As stated above, this month’s Session is The Mysterious Misunderstood Mild This time I’m off to the CAMRA site for reference. They describe a Mild as mostly focussed on malt flavors. Most beers in this category fall in the low alcohol ranges of 3.1% – 3.8% ABV. Hops are typically not the focus here. The BJCP guidelines has this style as a subsection of the English Brown Ales to give you an idea of where they fall in their breakdown of beer styles.
Now that I know what I’m looking for, it’s time to finally raid the stash of beers I amassed over the past couple of weeks (see previous posts on recent additions to the cellar).
Aldergrove – Brown Eyed Girl, British Style Mild Ale
Appearance: Big, off-white head with nice base of big bubbles forming a 1/2 inch base that hang around for the whole beer. Small amount of sediment that settles out in a very clear chocolate colored ale.
Smell: Definite malt … mostly caramels and a slight roasted malt undertone.
Taste: Carbonation is really present, but not in a bad way. When I saw the sediment and the large head that formed on the pour, I was worried about infection. The first sip put me at ease … oh did it put me at ease. It definitely lives up to the BJCP guidelines when they talk of Milds falling within the Brown Ales. Chocolate malt, roasted Caramel malt, malt. Finishes clean. Did I mention malt? A slight tartness at the end … but just barely.
Mouthfeel: Light body, but good coating of tongue.
Drinkability: I wish I had bought a case of this stuff. I’d easily blast though it in days. Really enjoyed it.
Anchor Brewing Company – Small Beer
Appearance: Straw colored ale with nice white head.
Smell: Good clean malt smell, with good hops aroma.
Taste: Very light flavor for a mild. A bit watery, but I can see how this would be very easy to drink on a hot day.
Mouthfeel: Again, very light mouthfeel. Medium carbonation.
Drinkability: Not my favorite mild.
Really enjoyed drinking these two milds. In addition, I’ve brewed a mild before, and enjoy the style. This was an enjoyable session for sure, but I’m looking forward to a more substantial style/theme for next month.
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