Ottos Arthurs Mild Ale

Brewed by Ottos Pub & Brewery
Style: Mild Ale
State College, Pennsylvania USA

On cask at brewpub. Pours a clear reddish brown body under a small thin film of light brown head. Aroma is of light crysyal malt, slightly grainy, with very light touches of English hops and toffee. Flavor is fairly light and has some grainy malt up front fading into a watery, lightly bitter finish. Mouthfeel is thinnish and light bodied with minimal cask conditioned carbonation. Overall, this is a style that is meant to be a session beer and I think that this accomplishes that end very well. I could easily sit for hours on end with a few of these.

Draft. Pours hazy ruby with off-white head. Lovely appearance on this. Aroma of tobacco, caramel malt, vinous fruit, cabernet. Tastes vinous and fruity, like a fruity merlot, with caramel malt, tobacco, and some hop hints. This is a wonderful beer, and arguably the best mild I’ve ever quaffed.

Cask at the brewery. Dark brown and reddish rusty dark hues. Tan tinted head, frothy looking. Light, dusty crackers and dough scents about in the nose, smelling very good overall. Flavor is similar, lightly crisp up front, then present a big cracker and biscuit malt flavor, then a bit more dry and dusty in the back and in the finish. Toasty and lightly rough on the palate. Has a good thickness, creamy and rich from the handpump. Chewy yet dry. It’s good to drink something different like this, and it’s quite tasty.

On cask. Mild floral hops. Some resin but very faint. Very little of either hops or malt present in the aroma. A bit of sour rye. Dark amber clear, just a bit of a haze, with thin off-white foamy head. Mild watery body with mild carbonation. Very mild start to this one. Bit of carbonic acidity - very little carbonation. Mild rye-like malt grain taste. Mild dry hops. Finish is dry and lightly bitter. Chalky astringent after with some tang. OK, but I’ve had some better milds.

I had this beer on-cask at Zeno’s Pub is State College. Appearance: Dark brown - mahogany and extremely thick creamy foam like head (two fingers). The retention was and lacing was superb. Maybe due partly to the cask-conditioning. Smell: Although this was served on cask it seemed like the temperature was too cold. That may be what held the aroma in. it seemed reserved a bit in the nose. That said, it did have gentle caramel (brown ale) malt aroma. Taste & Mouthfeel: It was extremely sooth and malty in feel and gentle sweet taste. The dominant flavor was the sweet malt character and then there was a very gentle hop attribute balancing this dark mild perfectly. The finish had a bit of the hop bitterness that lingered in aftertaste. Drinkability: What I like about this style is the no frills beers can go with anything and be easily drinkable any time. Simple & Tasty! What else could you want =) Hope this is helpful. Cheers!

Draft at Zeno’s. I have to admit that I’m not that familar with mild’s, meaning I haven’t sampled enough. Very smooth and crisp aroma, very malty. Appearance leaves a thin head with dark amber look. Flavor is decent. Balanced with a satisfying taste that hits you in the end. Overall a very satisfying ale.