At times of rapid change, people crave rules. For many British beer drinkers, it is a definition of good beer devised in innocence a few decades ago, when we worshipped yeast.
You might be surprised at some of the multitude of forms Mild Ale has taken. Many were about as dissimilar from the modern version as you can imagine. But let’s get one thing straight first: The name Mild has nothing to do with low gravity or low hopping rates.
Sitting at home with a few friends and rating a bottle of foreign beer from a nearby store shows a welcome willingness to experiment, but seeking out craft beers and the people who drink them, in places close to where they are made, shows an intent to live life to the fullest before you no longer can.
The beers that brought craft brewing into prominence largely owe their existence to a historic brewing scene that largely revolved around, and served, London’s thirsty masses.
Preserving for the sake of preservation is for curators, not consumers. Timeless excellence should ensure the survival of our greatest pubs. Drab imitations must be allowed to fail.
Darling banned from local British pubs; Boston Beer Co. donates to Freetown; Michelob wins independence; Heineken takes over Scottish & Newcastle; LCBO turns to American craft beer; and A-B no longer exclusive.