Monthly Archives: May 2014

Svend’s Beer Log 2014 05


(Rating system: 1-5. 1: undrinkable. 2: not nice. 3: decent/good. 4: extremely good. 5: one of the best I’ve ever had. Read more about my rating system)

Latimer Ales – Dark Mild 4
Ministry Of Beer – Red Tape 3
Froth Blowers – Monsoon Mild 3
Beowulf – Dark Raven 3
Acorn – Butter Bump 3
Black Country Ales – Pig On The Wall 3
Toll End – Little Devil Stout 3
Wentworth – Imperial Ale 2
Burton Bridge – XL Mild 3
Sambrooks – Archer Mild 3
Tring – Kotuku 4
Colchester – Metropolis 4
Titanic – Firkin Mild 4
Banks’s – Mild 3
Oakham – Citra 4
Bath – Gem 4
Signature Brew – Sssnakepit 3
Shiny Brewing Co – New Wheels 3
Hambleton – Yorkshire Best Bitter 3
To Øl – By Udder Means 4
Five Points Brewing – Five Points Pale 4
Hopback Brewery – Entire Stout 4
Kent Brewery – Altered States 3
The Brewery – Newcastle Brown Ale 3
Ilkley Brewery – Mary Jane 4
Andwell Brewing Co – Red IPA 3
Fyne Ales – Vital Spark 5
BlackBar – Longhair BPA 3
Tom Smith Ales – Tom’s Tipple 4
Burning Sky – Plateau 3
Lord Conrad’s – Zulu Dawn 3
Crafty Beers – Sauvignon Blonde 3
Goldmark – Ebony Mild 3
Crafty Beers – Mild Mannered 4
Enville – Ginger 3
Fat Cat – Meow Mild 4
Golden Triangle – Red Square 3
B & T – Shefford Mild 3
Highland – Orkney Best 3
Kissingate – Gardenia Mild 3
Shalford – 1913 Mild 4
Poppyland – Stewkey Gose 2
East London – Orchid 4
Bexar County – Texas Pecan Coffee Mild 3
Bank Top – Dark Mild 4
Brentwood – Marvellous Maple Mild 4
Broughton – Greenmantle 3
New Plassey – Midnight Mild 4
Mighty Oak – Oscar Wilde 4
Elgood’s – Black Dog 4
Dominion – A Mild With No Name 3
Castor – Castorware 3
Milton – Medusa 3
Son Of Sid – Muck Cart Mild 4
Greene King – XX Mild 2
Harveys – Prince Of Denmark 3
Great Heck – Black Jesus 4
Fyne Ales – Highlander 3
Adnams – Cambridge Beer Festival Special 4
Ørbæk – Hunting Beer 4
Willemoes – Belgisk Ale 3
Rækker Mølle – Sorte Per 3
Ørbæk – Dark Horse 4
Pivovar – 1795 Dark 3
Havant – Forgotten 4
Flipside – Farthing Mild 3
Wolf – Woild Moild 3
Goddards – Scrumdiggity Bitter 3

Beowulf – Dark Raven review

Going through a list of 16 Ales on at The Wellington, Birmingham, looking them all up to see if there were other milds than the tellingly named Monsoon Mild, I was beginning to lose hope towards the end. However, number 16 was the Dark Raven from Beowulf, and their website explained that it was a traditional mild. It sounded promising and when I saw it poured it increased my expectations. It was a deep brown with a nicely tan head. The smell added to the joy, with sweet roasted and caramel overtones. The only slight disappointment, helped on by the now very high expectations, was the taste. While it had some roasted caramel and fruity characteristics, it was dominated by a bitterness that I felt was drowning out the best parts of its flavour. Maybe it is just too strong at 4.5%. It’s still a nice beer, but after seeing and smelling it, though before taking my first sip, I thought it might have been one of my favourites. It is not. There’s a long way from this to a Welsh Black (Great Orme) or Oscar Wilde (Mighty Oak). However, I’m glad of every new mild I discover, not least during Mild Month May.