 | An English term for lightly-hopped ale, usually of lower alcohol content and sometimes darker in color. Best served at 50-55 degrees F. |
Mild ale is a low-gravity beer, or beer with a predominantly malty palate, that originated in Britain in the 17th century or earlier. Modern mild ales are mainly dark coloured with an abv of 3% to 3.6%, though there are lighter hued examples, as well as stronger examples reaching 6% abv and higher.
The term mild originally meant young beer or ale as opposed to "stale" aged beer or ale with its resulting "tang". In more recent times it has been interpreted as denoting "mildly hopped".
Light mild is generally similar, but pale in colour. There is some overlap between the weakest styles of bitter and light mild, with the term AK being used to refer to both. The designation of such beers as "bitter" or "mild" has tended to change with fashion. A good example is McMullen's AK, which was re-badged as a bitter after decades as a light mild. AK - a very common beer name in the 19th century - was often referred to as a "mild bitter beer" interpreting "mild" as "unaged".
Once sold in every pub, mild experienced a catastrophic fall in popularity after the 1960s and was in danger of completely disappearing. However, in recent years the explosion of microbreweries has led to a modest renaissance and an increasing number of milds (sometimes labelled 'Dark') are now being brewed. |
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