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Mild Month Off To A Fine StartMild Month 2009 got off to a fine start in Bristol on Saturday the second of May, with a Clifton Mild Ales Trail led by Laurie Gibney supported by about eighteen mild trailers including two from Cheltenham. Seven licensees made sure that at least one mild was available.
The Portcullis was the start pub at noon, Ned, Natz & Joe made us very welcome, they were half way through their May Day Bank Holiday Weekend Beer Festival at which the Dawkins Taverns Mild Month Festival Trail was launched. No less than seven mild ales were on offer Arbor Mild West 3.6%; Brains Dark 3.5%; Mild Cheddar 4.0%; Dawkins Exclusive: Stroud Organic Redcoat Ruby 3.9%; Otley Dark-O 4.0%; Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild 6.0% and Portcullis Brainchild Mild 5.0%, a special recipe brewed solely for the Portcullis by Arbor Ales.
Next, we walked to the Mall were M&B manager Wozz Oliphant provided his first Mild for our mild trails, the Cains Dark Mild 3.2% which was enjoyed by all. M&B Mild 3.2% was being delivered ready for the following weekend and is to become permanent ale on the bar!
The Lansdown was next on our trail were landlord Charles Yaxley greeted us with the award winning Arbor Mild West 3.6%, and gave us a taster of the same mild with a touch of brandy in it, this received mixed reactions. There was a second BADRAG style ale on the bar for the summer – Severn Vale Brewing’s Session 3.4%.
Paul & Dee Tanner were at the Victoria when we arrived, they had three milds on offer Bazens Black Pig Mild 3.6%; Nethergate Priory Mild 3.5% and Tring Mansion Mild 3.7%, also some scrumptious pork pies! It was a short walk from there to the Vittoria on Whiteladies Road where we were treated to Cotleigh Nutcracker 3.4%, a dark coloured fruity mild.
So far we had mostly avoided busy roads, which made for a more enjoyable amble, but the only obvious route to the next pub was to follow the main flow of traffic toward the City Centre. JDW’s Berkeley on Clifton Triangle was next, where general manager Kelly Farrer provided us with Brains Dark 3.5% and Cotleigh Nutcracker 3.4%, we also pulled a couple of tables together and grabbed a bite to eat.
The Eldon House was next on the trail but as building work had started recently was unable to field a mild, however they promised to do so next year. So ten intrepid explorers went on to our last but not least watering hole of the trail. Hugh Simpson-Wells was at the Hope & Anchor to welcome us, he had been unable to source a Timothy Taylor Golden Best 3.5% that he had hoped to do, but provided a very refreshing Cains Dark Mild 3.2%. Some called into the Bag O”Nails and others went on home after a very enjoyable and relaxing Clifton Mild Ale Trail.
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