CAMRA champions delicious mild

April 30, 2007: Previous medal winners in the Champion Beer of Britain mild category are being celebrated by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) to mark the resurgence of this delicious beer style.

Mild was once Britain's most popular style of real ale, but fell out of fashion. However, there are still many brewers who are enthusiastic about the future of mild and CAMRA is dedicated to making sure their beers get the credit they deserve.

May has been designated Mild Month by CAMRA and the consumer organisation is urging beer lovers to seek out milds in their local pubs and rediscover the flavoursome beer.

CAMRA has developed a map of the UK which shows 11 previous medal winners in the national Champion Mild Category, as well as six highly recommended milds, so drinkers can find out where their nearest recommended mild is brewed and ask for it at their local.

CAMRA press officer Owen Morris said: “Fashions and tastes in the drinks market can change almost overnight — as proved by the recent resurgence of cider. CAMRA and many brewers believe once drinkers try mild and enjoy the delicious roasted malt and barley flavours then demand will increase, but it is up to the consumer to create that demand.

"Using CAMRA's map beer drinkers can find their nearest champion mild medal winner, but there are many other breweries around the UK that produce this wonderful beer, so order a pint of mild in May and let the comeback commence.”

Bateman's brewery in Lincolnshire has seen year-on-year sales figures rise by 60% for its two-time gold medal winning Dark Mild. Managing director Stuart Bateman said: “I think what goes around comes around, and drinkers are going to come back to the traditional taste of mild.”