Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Hull & East Yorkshire Branch NEWS RELEASE

May is CAMRA's Mild Month

Issued 6th May 2008

May is the month in the Campaign for Real Ale's campaigning calendar when licensees are encouraged to stock Mild, and pub-goers are persuaded to give one of Britain's finest and endangered beer styles a try.

The Hull & East Yorkshire Branch has organised a Prize Draw to promote Mild Month and the licensees of the following pubs have agreed to participate:

• Falcon, Hull: Theakston's Traditional Mild
• Hop & Vine, Hull: Brown Cow Captain Oates Mild, Thwaites Dark Mild, Moorhouses Black Cat, Leeds Midnight Bell, Saltaire Dark Mild, Wold Top Centenary Way and possibly Sarah Hughes Mild will all appear at some time during the month.
• Three John Scotts, Hull: Titanic Mild, Hobsons Mild and various other milds will appear throughout the month.
• Wellington Inn, Hull: HighWood Dark Mild, Wold Top Centenary Way and various other milds will appear throughout the month.
• Cock & Bell, Preston: Theakston's Traditional Mild
• Crooked Billet, Ryehill: Jennings Dark Mild
• Hope & Anchor, Blacktoft: Theakston's Traditional Mild
• Sun Inn, Skirlaugh: Theakston's Traditional Mild

Each time a customer purchases a pint of Mild (or two halves)in one of the participating pubs, a prize draw entry card will be issued by the bar staff. The customer will then be encouraged to complete it and return it to the bar to be entered in a prize draw that willtake place in early June. Prizes will include CAMRApolo shirts and T-shirts.

Gary Blakeston, Lights & Darks (LADS) Representative for the local CAMRA branch said, "Mild is often overlooked by drinkers who think it uninteresting, but this is simply not true. Mild is an ale of low gravity and hop rate that usually tastes sweeter and distinctly less bitter on the palate and in aroma than more hopped bitters. Mild is usually darker in colour than bitter, through use of higher roast malt or caramel. The variety of different milds available is quite astonishing. With over 100 to choose from you can easily find one to suit your palate. Because most of the milds produced are light in strength, they are ideal for "quaffing". However, Some are rich, fruity and powerful with ABV's up to 6%."

Gary added, "If more breweries were prepared not only to produce, but promote mild, then I am confident that it would once again become a regular drink in our pubs. It is one of Britain's finest styles of beer; we need to do as much as we can to save this wonderful drink from disappearing."