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.
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.
Braggot is an ancient mead variety - a cross between mead and beer. Some classify it as beer with mead, while others call it mead with hops and grains. It was already familiar in the Middle Ages, and it probably originated in the British Isles.
Braggot was even mentioned in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, but it is almost impossible to pinpoint the exact place and time when it first appeared. Braggot is a versatile drink usually made with equal amounts of malt and honey, though the exact proportions may vary.
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.
VARIATIONS OF Old ale
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.
VARIATIONS OF Brown ale
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).
VARIATIONS OF Bitter
Although golden ale is often used interchangeably with blond ale, some suggest that the two styles slightly differ in character, and British golden ale is usually listed as a separate style. This beer style is generally light and hoppy.
It is traditionally made with British ingredients and is often compared to American pale ale. British golden ale is usually pale, bitter, moderately malty, and hop-forward. It is an approachable, easy-drinking, and thirst-quenching style with a medium body.
Hop flavor and aroma can be earthy or citrusy. These beers usually have low alcohol content, typically around 4-5%.
In the group of British bitters, strong bitter is the highest gravity version. The examples range from dark gold to copper, while the alcohol content falls between 4 and 7% ABV. They have a malty character, often complemented by caramel, toasty, and fruity notes.
Hop aromas and flavors are moderate, the carbonation is low to medium, while the body is medium to full-bodied. The key to strong bitter is moderation. Despite the name, these brews are not dominated by bitterness, and it should only accentuate the malt.
Despite its unusual name, English barley wine is a beer style that is often dubbed as the grandfather of all brews. This style is strong, rich, and usually moderately hoppy with pronounced malt flavors, and typical aromas of bread, toast, toffee, dried fruit, and molasses.
Those aged for more extended periods can attain similar characteristic to port and sherry wines, and though these beers usually have high alcohol content, alcohol flavors are never harsh or overpowering since the brews mellow with age. Their color is quite versatile and may include deep gold and even dark brown varieties, but they are always full-bodied, complex, bold, intense, smooth, and velvety.
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