Rare Ale Styles

Porter: is a jet black ale having profound dark and roasted malt character with tastes of raisin and sultana fruit, espresso or cappuccino coffee, liquorice and molasses. A local prize winning example is Wickwar Station Porter 6.1% abv.

Stout: is a stronger version of Porter. It is available in two styles, a less bitter English style using malted barley and an Irish style using unmalted roasted barley. Try the local prize winning Arbor Ales Oyster Stout 4.6%, Severn Vale Brewing’s Severn Sins 5.2% or Bristol Beer Factory Milk Stout 4.5% abv

Mild Ale: usually of low gravity and hop rate, hence distinctly less bitter on the palate than more highly hopped bitters. Mild is usually (but not always) darker in colour than bitter, through the use of a higher roast malt or caramel. Look out for Wadworth’s Pint Size Mild 3.3%.

Strong Mild Ale: often stronger gravity and sweeter than Mild Ales. Sarah Hughes Ruby 6% abv is probably the most well known of this style.

Old Ale: the hallmark of the style is a lengthy period of maturation, often in bottle rather than bulk vessels. Old Ales typically range from 4% to 6.5% abv and can be pale or dark amber, bursting with lush sappy malt, tart fruit and spicy hop notes. Darker versions will have a more profound malt character with powerful hints of roasted grain and dark fruit. Theakston's Old Peculiar 5.6% abv is probably the most well known example.

Barley Wine: is a style often between 10% and 12% abv stored for prodigious periods of up to two years, with massive sweet malt and ripe fruit of the pear drop, orange and lemon type, with darker fruits, chocolate and coffee if darker malts are used. Hop rates are often generous and produce bitterness and peppery, grassy and floral notes.

Light Bitter: is any bitter with an ABV of 3.4% or lower or an original gravity (OG) of 1034 or lower. By light bitters, we generally mean low gravity or low strength, but they do also tend to be lighter in colour than stronger bitters. A good local example is Severn Vale’s Session 3.4%.