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Mild ale is not a common sight north of the border, as Scots have taken to hoppy pale ales in the last 10-15 years. Even the traditional Scottish equivalent of mild, 60/- is now hard to find. Once brewed for the same reasons as mild - to quench the thirst of Lanarkshire coal miners and steelworkers - the demise of these industries has seen a parallel decline in the popularity of mild.
But there is light in the dark. One of Glasgow's favourite ale pubs, The Three Judges, put on a selection of milds for May. During the month customers were treated to milds from the likes of Bateman, Titanic, Roosters, Goachers, Highgate, Hanby, Moulden, Woodforde's, Durham and Outlaw. It was a bit of a gamble, but one that paid off as staff saw barrels drained as rapidly as for some popular pale beers. A cask of Hopback Entire Stout soon emptied too. It just goes to show that if you give people the opportunity to taste something different, they appreciate it and can prove preconceptions wrong. Now the pub has decided to keep at least one dark beer, such as a mild, porter or stout on permanently to satisfy demand. Could this be the start of a new trend? Let's hope so.
Meanwhile half an hour's train ride away in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, a friendly, family-run pub, The George held a beer festival over the weekend of National Mild Day. Naturally the festival included a selection of milds to suit the occasion. For CAMRA's Glasgow & West of Scotland branch, Mild Day provided the ideal time to present the George its Lanarkshire Pub Of The Year award. Fortunately, the sun showed its presence allowing drinkers to take advantage of the recently added outside drinking area.
Robin Jones, Pubs Officer, CAMRA Glasgow & West of Scotland Branch
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