Mild ale is a British beer style that probably originated sometime in the 19th century. It comes as a traditional dark mild variety or as a less common lighter-colored version. The most distinctive feature of mild ale is its low hop bitterness, and it traditionally has a very low alcohol content that can vary from 3.0 to 5%.

Mild ale has seen several reincarnations throughout the 20th century to achieve its current malt-forward character and low strength. Following the Second World War, the sales and the production of mild ale plummeted. It is still produced, but usually in low quantities.

Ordinary bitter is a beer style with low carbonation and low alcohol levels. It is an easy-drinking and approachable style with gold to copper color and light to medium body. Among the bitter group, it is a version with the lowest alcohol content, typically falling between 3.2% and 3.8% ABV.

Ordinary bitter has a good balance of malt sweetness and hop bitterness, and neither should be overpowering. Malt aroma often has caramel-like qualities, and most ordinary bitters will have bready, toasty, and biscuity notes, along with moderate fruitiness. 

Pumpkin beer has a long history in the United States that goes back to colonial brewing, but its modern interpretation is believed to have first appeared in the 1980s, while the first commercial batch came from Buffalo Bill’s Brewery in Hayward, California.

In its basic form, pumpkin beer is made with fresh, frozen, or pureed pumpkins that are fermented with malted grains. However, many producers do not even include pumpkin but opt for pumpkin-spice flavorings and spices such as cinnamon, allspice, cloves, or nutmeg. 

Kentish ale is a local English brew that is exclusively produced in the County of Kent. It has been produced since 1698 at the Shepherd Neame Brewery—the oldest brewery in the UK. Kentish ale is made with locally grown hops, Kentish Ale strain of yeast, and with water that is sourced from the artesian well, which is located under the brewery.

The beer comes as the regular Kentish ale with the alcohol content that ranges from 3.5% to 4.8% ABV, and as a Kentish strong ale with the alcohol content from 4.8% to 7% ABV. These amber and brown colored beers are fruity and bitter with distinctive hoppy and toffee aromas. 

Old ale is a dark and malty English strong ale. These beers were initially aged in wooden casks, and they usually had a yellow-brown color, firm body, slight carbonation, and mellow flavor. Hop character was not present. Modern interpretations can be amber or brown, and their dominant trait is a firm malt backbone.

The aroma and the flavor are reminiscent of caramel, nuts, molasses, and dried fruit. Some versions may have roasted or chocolate nuances. Alcohol content typically ranges from 6 to 9%, and they usually have little or moderate carbonation. Old ales are often compared with barley wines, and though the styles often overlap and the line is somewhat blurred, old ales will usually have less alcohol and less prominent hops. 

Norwegian farmhouse ale is an example of a traditional farmhouse ale—a versatile style brewed by European farmers. These beers were designed for local consumption. In Norway, they are known as maltøl, which would literally translate as malt beer.

Norwegian brewing tradition is ancient, and though it has changed over time, it retained some of its unique characteristics. The entire category of farmhouse ales is incredibly versatile. The character depends on the region, brewer’s preferences, and style. 

Roughly translated as beer for keeping, this strong pale ale originated in French Flanders as a traditional farmhouse ale. Its name stems from the practice of brewing beer during colder months and then storing it until spring and summer. The style was almost forgotten by the 20th century, but it has seen its revival in the 1950s.

Brasserie Duyck’s Jenlain Bière de Garde is considered as the prototype of the modern bière de garde style. The beers that fall into this category range from gold to copper or dark brown, and are often classified as blonde, the classic amber (ambrèe), or brown (brune). 

Brown ale is an old and versatile beer style whose origins lie in the British brewing tradition. In the 19th century, the name was used as a generic term for various types of beers that were produced from brown malt. With the introduction of pale malt, brown ale style nearly died out, and it was only slowly reintroduced in the 1920s.

Newcastle Brown was the first prototype that carried the name brown ale—though it did not rely on the original versions—however it did make a foundation of the modern style. Nowadays, the style incorporates the more traditional British version and slightly different American brown ales. 

Bitter is a classic British beer style used to describe cask-conditioned ales mainly sold in UK pubs. The style is quite versatile and includes brews of different color, strength, and flavor, but most examples have a malt-driven character, moderate hop bitterness, light to medium body, and low alcohol content.

The group is usually classified into three sub-styles, which mainly differ in strength. Those include ordinary bitter (3.2 to 3.8% ABV), best bitter (3.8 to 4.6 ABV), and strong bitter or extra special bitter (4.8% ABV and over).