At a time when hazy, tropical fruit bombs and bitter, hop-heavy brews are everywhere, is there a place for traditional beers that fly in the face of craft beer's excesses? Well yes, for exactly those reasons. Although real ale hasn't completely shed its image as an 'old man's drink', there are some encouraging signs that it may be reaching out to a new audience. CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) reports a 10% increase in cask ale brewed by Britain's independent brewers, with darker beers increasingly popular. However, only 16% of 18-24 year-old beer consumers drink cask ale, so there's still much work to be done. Many modern drinkers are seeking lower-strength, lighter, more sessionable beers and Mild is one category that could potentially help fill that gap.
Mild used to be a term applied to any beer which was young, unaged and best served fresh, so was probably much paler than it is today. It became darker in colour after World War I and was a favourite style in pubs during the decade following the Second World War, accounting for 75% of beer produced then. However, as bitter and then lager took centre stage, its popularity declined.
Among all beer styles, Mild is probably as far removed from modern craft beer as honesty is from a politician's set of standards. Yet, if you ditch the image of a bearded septuagenarian wearing a flat cap and open-toed sandals with a ferret down his trousers, then take a deep breath and read on!
Dark Milds are typically between 3% and 4% ABV, are lightly hopped, have a roasted character and are not particularly bitter. Strong Milds range from 4.1% to 6.4%, according to CAMRA, and have more obvious sweet malt flavours along with roasted notes and a fuller mouthfeel than other milds. Pale Milds and Scottish Light beers also fit into the category, but they are not commercially prevalent.
Finding Mild on draught in the UK today is often a postcode lottery. So, where better to discover more about this traditional beer style than at the Great British Beer Festival. This year, the annual event took place at the NEC in Birmingham, 42 years after previously being held in the city, having moved from its previous home at Kensington Olympia.
A cavernous space with a mesmerising array of beer styles to enjoy, thousands of visitors flocked to the venue to enjoy ales, ciders, perries and craft beers from around the world.
Miles Jenner
The first afternoon of the event also offered the opportunity to meet some of the luminaries of the beer world and one of the greatest is the legendary Miles Jenner. Head Brewer and Joint Managing Director of iconic Sussex brewery Harvey's, Jenner has dedicated over 45 years of his life to the company, nearly 40 as Head Brewer. So, how does Miles Jenner view the Mild category?
"It's certainly sessionable at 3% ABV", he comments, "and my memories go back to the 1950s at Harvey's when I was a child. In those days", he continues, "Mild was 70% of our production, so it was very high volume and a beer that the workforce would drink because they wanted to rehydrate."
Among the many beers that Harvey's make is their multi-award winning Dark Mild. Although down to around 1% of production now, it's survived because they never stopped brewing it, believes Jenner. "It gives a choice", he adds. "It has a lovely quality - soft and rounded with no astringency and very easy drinking. I think the coloured malts that we use in it are not particularly harsh. We're using a good coloured crystal malt (about 13.5%), which gives it that nutty burnt background without being dominant.
"Brewers of my generation", he continues, "were all torn up to produce balanced beers. You have a lower ABV, a lower hop rate and that background quality and I think it just gives a beer that slots into a very easy drinking category and one which you can drink more of."
So what are Jenner's views on the future of Mild as a beer category?
"I think it's here to stay", he says. "I don't think it's going to grow exponentially, but if it's on the bar, people will choose it. Obviously, if slow-moving, it's difficult because Mild will go off, like a low-gravity beer can … or any beer. So you're dependent on a reasonable turnover. Pubs that can substantiate having it on the bar, I think they'll benefit."
Mild may not be or even come close to being fashionable, so does Jenner believe it has any relevance for the contemporary craft beer drinker? "The fact that many smaller craft brewers are now turning out a Mild is indicative of the fact that there is interest in the style, or they wouldn't be doing it."
Indeed, for modern consumers cutting back on alcohol or seeking a lower ABV alternative, mild may potentially offer a more appealing choice than a non-alcoholic beer. "I think there is that element where people look for lower gravity beers that are satisfying and deliver an experience", Jenner notes.
"I think Mild has had a bad press", he adds, "because people associate it with a generation that's gone. I don't think there's anything wrong with rediscovering tastes of the past. It's one of the most exciting things about brewing. You can recreate something that your forebears were drinking and have that same experience, hopefully one that's equally satisfying."
With limited time available, I managed to try a few Milds at this year's GBBF:-
Harvey's Dark Mild is an English beer, both in style and content, using only homegrown malts and Fuggles, Progress and Goldings hops. ABV is 3.0%.
🍺 Dry, refreshing, light and clean with gentle touches of malty sweetness and roasted nuts plus a slight hint of brown bread.
While Harvey's dates its brewing history to around 1820, Cardiff-based family brewery Brains (SA Brain & Company Ltd.) traces its beer-making origins to 1882.
Brains Dark Mild has been brewed continuously since the 1920s. Unlike Harvey's version, this uses chocolate malts, as well as crystal and brown malts. ABV is 3.5%.
🍺 Deliciously smooth and creamy with notes of milky coffee and a touch of liquorice.
Langham is a small, young, independent brewery, founded in 2005 in West Sussex. Based in the South Downs national park, they produce both cask-conditioned real ale and keg beers.
Langham Triple XXX is a Strong Dark Mild at 4.4% ABV.
🍺 Velvety smooth and balanced with notes of chocolate, malt biscuit and a slightly sweet aftertaste.
One of my all-time favourite Milds comes from Shropshire-based Hobsons Brewery, founded in 1?9?9?3?.
Hobsons Champion Mild is a Dark Mild at 3.2% ABV. First brewed in 2002, it was crowned CAMRA's Champion Beer of Britain five years later.
🍺 Dark, smooth and nutty with chocolate, toffee and caramel notes plus a subtle hint of coffee, it's full of character and flavour and far too easy to drink!
… and which beer was crowned CAMRA's Champion Beer of Britain 2025 at the Great British Beer Festival? Well, it was Mild by Cornwall's Penzance Brewing Company.
Meticulously judged, these awards are not given out lightly and it's a prestigious accolade for this family-run brewery, established in 2008.
Christine Cryne, Champion Beer of Britain Judging Coordinator described Penzance Mild as: "The aroma of this classic dark mild has all the enticing aromas one would expect. Chocolate and sweet cocoa on the nose. Chocolate, sultanas and dry roast on the palate where the gentle pleasant sweetness is balanced by a roasty, subtle, dry bitterness. Packs a lot of flavour for a 3.6% beer."
So, if you've never tried Mild before and yearn for a lower alcohol tipple that's refreshing and easy to drink, now's the time to give this traditional beer style a try. Beard, hat and sandals not required. Cheers!
A version of this article was first published in Drink Retailing News
