2014 Mild in May

Here we are again heading for the Merrie Month of May in which cask mild will be flowing in fountains in all our towns and villages.
Our Branch-the Vale of Belvoir-has 25 participating pubs out of a total of the 40 or so we have open at the moment.Needless to say there will be pub crawls galore. Then there's Nottingham and its suburbs only a few miles away.
Anybody in or near our area might be interested in this;our branch is listed right at the end
http://www.nottinghamcamra.org/MildTrail_23_3731910466.pdf

 

I don't think that dark mild existed before WW1 ,it was pale,strong and hoppy.
Interesting link ,thanks

 

Kicked off last night at - where else ? - the Marquis which was the winner of the "Best cask mild" in the 2013 trail.The Marquis belongs to Sara Barton , last year's Beer Writer's Guild 's Brewer of the Year , who was with us.Not one of her beers last night though she apparently has a Milk Mild (as in Milk Stout) waiting in the wings.
The cask mild was Bateman's Black and White-this is the second pub in the Vale I've supped it in this week.Quite nice again but doesn't go down singing hymns.
Next pint was just down the road at the Boot and Shoe. Despite a population of only around 300 Granby boasts two thriving pubs, the Boot and Shoe is unspoilt and welcoming.I had a pint of Belvoir Brewery's superb Dark Horse which is one of my all time favourites being effectively the old Shipstone's Mild.It was absolutely letter perfect last night.

 

Mild Month has been extended a week or so either end to allow for the day to day requirements of pubs.Pumps don't conveniently become available on May 1st and there will probably be some mild left in early July.

Having said that,I drew a blank on Saturday at the Plough in Cropwell Butler where although they had some Nutty Black in the cellar it wasn't tapped.I'll go back, no problem and it's a lovely pub just 5 minutes or so away.
Last night it was the Crown and Plough in Long Clawson (as in Stilton) for a couple of pints of Lincoln Green Major. A very nice pint though not much darker then Newkie Brown and at 3.6% quite fully flavoured.

 

Slow progress this year , went to the delightful Wheel Inn at Branston on Thursday but they hadn't got mild on. I did manage another three pubs last night though.All in Bingham , the White Lion had Grantham Dark by Oldershaw Brewery , on to the Horse and Plough for a pint of Burtonbridge Moreish Mild. I'm not the greatest fan of this brewery but the mild is lovely stuff. To the Spoons (aka Buttercross) for some superb Woild Moild (4.8%) from the Wolf Brewery in Norfolk.This was as good as it gets and for £1.70 a pint pretty good value.We slipped across the road to the Chesterfield Arms but although they had 99 Red Baboons from Blue Monkey it wasn't ready for sale.
That's so far three pubs in the Trail with no mild when I visited but they will have and I look forward to revisiting them.

 

Resumed the trail. First of all a pint of GK XX Mild at the Nevile Arms in Kinoulton. Lovely stuff in A1 nick.I don't really like GK beers but this is the exception. Beautifully delicate with lots of gently interwoven flavours.Just the stuff for a warm lunchtime.


Then a couple of miles down the road to the Plough in Hickling , an old canal pub right opposite a winding point. This time it was Magpie Mild , quite roasty and dry to the palate.


Third stop was at the Golden Fleece in Upper Broughton but they were in between milds (sold faster than expected) so a return visit is in order. So on to the Belvoir Brewery in Old Dalby for some Dark Horse; (old photo) , a magnificent mild and one of my all time favourite beers

(another old photo)

 

Slipped out this lunchtime , perfect MG weather and ended up at the Martin's Arms in Colston Bassett (a tiny village better known for its Stilton)
Had a couple of pints of Greene King XX , again a truly delightful mild. I was surprised at their choice, for at least a dozen years they have stocked Elgood's Black Dog and I expected to have some of this excellent brew.
Not cheap though at £3.60 a pint, the M.A. operates a very successful value added policy. The result is a delightful country pub, impeccably kept and the high prices keep out the hoi polloi.Except me that is!
They gave me a glass of GK Yardbird and I was pleasantly surprised by it, a rather flavourful and hoppy 4% ABV brew.

 

Look out for typos because I've just returned from the trip of a lifetime.
Set off at about a quarter to 12 in a minicab. Arrived at the Staunton Arms in Staunton in the Vale , population around 40.Excellent Major mild from Lincoln Green , then food arrived unasked for but gratefully accepted.

Next stop was at the Tollemache Arms in Buckminster, a very unusual village, where we were treated to some excellent Bateman's Black and white.

This part of our patch is very reminiscent of the Cotswolds with the difference being the almost total lack of traffic.Beautiful warm stone built villages everywhere.Lovely stay, sat in the beer garden.
Next stop Sproxton, a real gem of a pub, where unfortunately the mild had run aout and we forced doen Red Kite as a substitute,again we sat outside in a lovely beer garden

Three miles or so further on found us at the Manners arms in Knipton where the beer was Oldershaw's Grantham Dark
Poor photo so won't use it.
Next stop was the amazing Wheel Inn in Branston , a "feel good" pub if there ever was one.A choice of milds here; I went for the Black Iris We sat outside again.

Down the hill and along the lane brought us to Stathern ,first of all the Red Lion , a national award winning pub which is always a pleasure to visit.And the mild was Oscar Wilde from the Mighty Oak brewery , as good as ever and a real treat.

Just down the road is the Plough, a certainty for a good pint and this time the Belvoir Brewery's Dark Horse was its predictable excellence.Forgot to take a photo here.
Couple of miles further on lies the Anchor at Plungar, strange name for a pub so far inland but perhaps it was built for the canal workers.Castle Rock's Black Gold was the mild today and very good too.Poor photo so I'll leave it out.

On to the Marquis of Granby at Granby , the first of the many pubs bearing this name.It was Magpie's Midnight Mild here.


Then it was the turn of the Unicorn's Head in Langar to welcome us with Brunswick Midnight Express , lovely stuff.Note the date just below the chimney , 1717 , old but by no means the oldest pub we visited tofay.


Last stop was the Plough at Cropwell Butler for some Tetley's Mild. Ron Pattinson will be delighted to hear that it's an excellent mild and from memory would have difficulty in saying it's different from the Leeds brewed version.


That's today's fun and games, eleven brilliant pubs and in every one the beer was spot on.Just another handful to get round by the end of the month.