Ottos Arthurs Mild Ale

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

On tap at the brewpub on 5/16/07: Pours a dark mahogany with ruby hues and a dense, frothy tan head.with nice lacing. Slightly woody, grainy toasty malty aroma has a hint of tartness. Body starts fairly full and crystal malty sweet with a lightly tart balance and citrusy piny flavor hops toward a smooth finish. Very true to style.

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.

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.

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.

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.

8oz pour, cask. Pours a hazy reddish-brown color; fluffy light brown head with fantastic retention and lacing. Light, wet malt and dried fruits in the aroma. Light carbonation; just a hint. Medium, velvety mouthfeel: pleasant amounts of chewy nougat and caramel; hints of some red fruits; terribly drinkable, with lots of flavor and texture for 3.6%. Light finish, showing chocolate and citrus.

Sampled on draft at the brewery this beer poured a dark brown color with a trace of a tan head. The aroma is an interesting mix of toasty malts, coffee and toffee. The flavor is roasty, a bit leathery and has an element I can only describe as "weak coffee". This one did not overly impress me.

On Cask. Light warm aroma of bourbon fruits, grains and toothy caramel sugars. Gentle and caressing. Pours medium ruddy brown, with rim of cask tan. Flavor is a subtle, subdued sweet candy hops and orange rind. Great minty leaf smack for a great finish and smack. Toothy. Stellar drinkability, perfect ester profile, beautiful malt construction and deft hop balance. Awesome.