Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild

Actually managed to get to the Beacon Hotel to try this on cask. Great pub, if you’re in the Midlands you should really seek it out, especially for the Sarah Hughes beers. Anyway, the beer. Appearance: Ruby red in colour, with a good fluffy off-white head. Aroma: There is a clear fruitiness in the aroma, definitely blackcurrants, and other berries. An underlying roasted maltiness is present, along with slightly sweet toffee-like scent. Taste: Blackberries, and other dark fruits are very prominent at the start. There is a sweet maltiness after the fruits, which provide a mild biscuitiness. The finish is ever so slightly bitter, with a very noticeable taste of alcohol. Mouthfeel: Medium in the body, with no carbonation. Quite sweet and tart feel. Drinkability: This is a beer that I have been wanting to try for a long time and I wasn’t disappointed when I finally got chance to. At 6% ABV, this is strong for a mild but it works well. It’s very drinkable, and it is easy to see how it has gained such a good reputation.

Cask at Keele univerity postgrad bar. Lovely dark ruby appearance, possible hint of berries. long after taste and full of body. one of the best!

Cask @ 3 Judges. Dark brown colour, small tan head. Aroma of nutty malts and fruits. Alcohol very noticable. Flavour of toasted malts and fruits. Alcoholic. Bitter finish. Needs a rerate. Can’t get past the strong alcohol presence. Rerate: cask @ 3 Judges. Aroma of glue. Dry and somewhat smoky finish. +.4.

Handpulled cask at the Beacon Hotel.. Dark brown with an off white head. Very sweet and malty with plums and caramel.. Not much in the way of hops but thats ok for a mild. Took a few pints to tune in to this and really started to enjoy it.

Cask. Blackfriars, Glasgow. Dark red color with an off-white head. Aroma: Blackcurrant, lightly roasted malt, wine-like sourishness, caramel. Flavor: Sourish, lightly roasted malt, berries, caramel, grape-skins, chocolate, some bitterness but more on the sourish side. Interesting.

Cask, various places. Colour is exactly as you’d expect given its name. Lovely dark colour complemented by an off-white head. Malt and fruit in the aroma - slight hint of berries. Smooth, sweet chocolate gives way to an unexpected sourness. Unbelievably strong for a mild at 6% it packs a fair bit of body. Always on my list of targets at beer festivals and I’ve never been disappointed.

Cask at The Olde Starre Inn, York 30 Apr 08.Dark ruby colored. A creamy tanned head. Hardly any aroma. Unvaried flavor of some sweet fruits. No bitterness or distinct aftertaste.

Cask-conditioned at the Bag O’Nails, Bristol 22/3/08. Deep brown colour with some ruby undertones. Aroma was subdued, with a touch of toffee and dark fruit. The flavour was more assertive with plenty of dark chocolate and fruit, and a hint of sourness in the finish. Good.