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Brains Dark

Brains Brewery
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🌍 Wales · Dark Mild · One of 1 Dark Milds in hopIQ

A traditional Welsh dark mild that has been brewed since 1900. Rich, smooth and satisfying with roasted grain, toffee and chocolate notes. Exceptionally light on the palate for its dark appearance.

ABV
3.5%
IBU
20
SRM
dark35

Flavor Profile

How this beer tastes, mapped across 44 dimensions

malty
87%
smooth
75%
dark
70%
roasted
63%
caramel
50%
crisp
30%
wheat
25%
nutty
20%
light
13%

Similar Beers to Brains Dark

AI matched

Dark Milds with matching hop character, bitterness and body

See the full alternatives page for Brains Dark

About Dark Mild

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Dark Mild?

Dark Mild 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 Dark Mild

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, smooth, dark character as Brains Dark will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Brains Dark

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Pint glass
Recommended for this style

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

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Brains Dark

Appearance

Deep mahogany to near-black in color, displaying the hallmark darkness of a traditional dark mild. The beer presents excellent clarity with a modest but persistent tan head that settles to a thin collar. Carbonation is gentle and restrained, appropriate for this classically low-carbonation British style.

deep mahoganyblackpersistent headclear

Aroma

The nose is dominated by rich roasted grain and subtle chocolate notes, with a pleasant undercurrent of toffee and caramel sweetness. There's a gentle bread-like maltiness that speaks to its traditional brewing heritage, with hints of nuttiness adding complexity without any aggressive hop character.

roasted grainchocolatetoffeenutty malt

Taste

The palate is remarkably smooth and balanced, with malty sweetness and caramel flavors taking center stage while roasted notes provide subtle depth. Despite its dark appearance, the beer drinks light and approachable with a clean, dry finish that prevents any cloying sweetness. Moderate bitterness from noble hops provides just enough balance to frame the malt character.

smooth maltcaramel sweetnesslight-bodiedbalanced

Finish

The finish is clean and crisp with a gentle fade of roasted grain and subtle bread notes. A light, dry character persists without any lingering heaviness, making this ale exceptionally quaffable despite its dark color.

cleandrycrisp
82
hopIQ score
aroma
78
taste
84
appearance
80
finish
81
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Food Pairings

What to eat with Brains Dark