14/03/2006. GREEN DRAGON, High Street, MARLBOROUGH, Wiltshire, England

7.2

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7

@ Hare & Hounds, Devizes. Dark brown with a thin head. Husky, malty (grassy) character. Slight acidity comes in late but balances out the good, grainy character.

6.4

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Cask at the Eldon Arms, Reading. Magnificent looking - a beautiful deep mahogany colour with a rose-gold hue against the light, and a thin cream head; the aroma is earthy and smoky on top of slightly lactic chocolate malts; the roasted malts dominate the flavour, dry and with a light coffee taste; then there’s a dry and gently bitter finish. A first rate mild.

8.2

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 9 | Flavor - 9 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8

[Cask at Eldon Arms, Reading] I’ve heard that this Waddy’s - tied pub sells more Mild than any other pub in the country. I don’t know how true this is (given the small size of the pub I somehow doubt it...) but having tasted the house mild it could well be true. I’ve never had another beer quite like this. Pours a very deep winey red (it stains everything it touches, so be careful!) with almost no head. Smells deep, rich and smokey. Tastes like - well, imagine you could barbecue Ribena. Smoke is dominant, with strong blackcurrant and a hint of sharp damson. There are deep oaky flavours in there too, with -surprisingly - a bit of spice, like a good aged Rioja wine. some black coffee does come through in the aftertaste, although I didn’t find this as strong as others on this database. Leaves a dry, smokey, oaky, sexy mouthful that leaves you begging for more. My friends tasted some, and expressed some surprise that I would drink such a strong beer during a long session - they were absolutely astonished to be told it was only 3.3%. The depth of flavour is such that I think they’re right - you couldn’t physically drink too many of these. But that is the great thing about it - I’d had a Rochefort 10 a couple of nights before, and I honestly believe that this mild could give it a run for its money. A great beer to prove to the Belgian afficionados that strength isn’t actually what gives a beer flavour, I think that this is second only in milds to Brewdog Edge - and I’d be interested to have an opportunity to taste test them against each other.

6.6

Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5

Cask conditioned at the Robin Hood, St Michael’s Hill, Bristol. Dark, reddish brown with almost no head. Thin bodied with roasted coffee flavour. Easily drinkable.