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Maypole Mild

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A fruity, chocolatey aroma and a warming, cherry-like flavour mark Maypole Mild, which Arkell's describes as a best bitter of just 3.6%. It pours a chestnut red and is a popular, easy-supping pint. The cask beer is available in early summer, brewed by Arkell's in Swindon.

ABV
3.6%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
amber12
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
fruitychocolatedark fruit
fruity
chocolate
dark fruit
malty
caramel
Aroma
The nose leads with stone fruit—dark cherry and plum—layered beneath a distinct chocolate character.
not found:hoppy,roasted,clean,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Maypole Mild

◎ Appearance

Maypole Mild presents a chestnut-red hue with good translucency, characteristic of the style. The pour generates a modest, cream-coloured head that settles to a thin collar, offering moderate lacing retention as the glass empties. Carbonation is gentle, appropriate to a cask-conditioned ale.

chestnut redtranslucentmoderate headgentle carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with stone fruit—dark cherry and plum—layered beneath a distinct chocolate character. Beneath these primary notes lies a soft, warm maltiness that grounds the profile without dominating. A subtle fruity ester adds complexity without assertiveness.

dark cherrychocolatedark fruitsoft maltiness

◐ Taste

Entry is smooth and malty, with caramel sweetness establishing the palate's foundation. Mid-palate brings forward cherry-like flavours and cocoa notes, creating a rounded, easy-drinking sensation. Bitterness remains restrained at 28 IBU, offering gentle balance rather than assertive hop character.

cherry-likechocolatecaramel sweetnesssmooth-drinkingrestrained bitterness

◑ Finish

The finish is warming and moderately short, with cherry and chocolate notes lingering gently into the aftertaste. A subtle drying quality emerges without any harsh edges, leaving the palate receptive to the next sip.

warmingcherry aftertastesmooth fade
76
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
77
Appearance
74
Finish
73
Serve at 8–11°C

Serve at 8–11°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Maypole Mild

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About Best Bitter

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Best Bitter?

Best Bitter is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Best Bitter

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same fruity, chocolate, dark fruit character as Maypole Mild will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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