Cambridge & District CAMRA

National Mild Month 2006

Wild About Mild

Discover Mild in May to give a boost to a beer style that is full-flavoured, refreshing and perfect for Spring.

Mild is a beer that is less hopped and usually of a lower alcohol content than many other styles. It gets much of its flavour from malts or roasted barley and is both distinctive and tasty.

Despite a resurgence in popularity amongst real ale fans, Mild is still a rare find in many parts of the country, and so CAMRA has again dedicated the month of May 2006 to this refreshing real ale alternative to lager.

Last year CAMRA conducted research that revealed although there are more varieties of Mild being brewed than ever before, few breweries do enough to promote it. We urge them to get on board and do all they can to put Mild back on the map. The research found that there are 154 regularly available Milds and 20 seasonal brews currently available in the UK.

Key events through Mild Month include:

National Mild Day on May 6th - a focus of campaigning activity for CAMRA branches. Check the website www.camra.org.uk/mild to see what events are happening.
The launch of CAMRA's Drinkers Choice Competition where the public can nominate the best Milds they have tried in May and be entered into a prize draw to judge the Champion Mild of Britain at this year's Great British Beer Festival.
Events around the country organised by CAMRA branches. For example The Nottingham Mild Trail which asks drinkers to try at least 8 milds in May to be in with a chance of a free pint at The Nottingham Beer and Cider Festival.

Some Milds are brewed seasonally and so the best time to find them is in May. CAMRA asks licensees to stock at least one Mild during the month and take advantage of the free packs from CAMRA that can be used to promote it - see the Web site, which also has

a full history of Mild;
a list of seasonal and regularly available milds;
recipes for cooking with Mild by author of Good Pub Food and The Beer Cook Book, Sue Nowak.

Locally

The Branch tries to keep up with the comings and goings in pubs stocking Mild. Here's a list of pubs known to us as of May 2006 as stocking Mild some or all of the time. Also don't forget the many Milds at the Cambridge Beer Festival.

Elgoods Black Dog Mild is one of the two most regularly available Milds hereabouts. It's won many prizes, such as the Bronze medal of the Mild category at Champion Beer of Britain 2005.
From the Good Beer Guide:

Full-flavoured, black-red, bitter-sweet mild with gentle roast malt on the nose, building in the mouth with a balance of liquorice and caramel and ending with a persistent dryness.

Cambridge: Cambridge Blue (guest Mild, usually Elgood Black Dog); Carlton Arms (guest Mild); Clarendon Arms (Greene King XX Mild); Free Press (Greene King XX Mild); Green Dragon (Greene King XX Mild); Kingston Arms (guest Mild); Live & Let Live (guest Mild); Portland Arms (Greene King XX Mild)
Girton: George (guest Mild)
Histon: Red Lion (Milton Minotaur)
Milton: Waggon & Horses (Elgood Black Dog)
Willingham: Three Tuns (Greene King XX Mild)

Cambridge & District CAMRA