Cains Dark Mild - Robert Cain & Company Limited

BEERchitect

Kentucky

3.48/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The accolades for session ales continue with this surprisingly flavorful ale that delivers on promises of refreshment, drinkability, and high volume of consumption.

Pouring with the rich appearance of standard Brown Ales, Cain's Dark Mild builds a low-lying but creamy sandy head that caps the beer beautifully and comfortably down to the last drink. Solid lacing helps to adorn the glass with each drink taken.

Light aromas of part grain, part malt, mild molasses, walnut, malt, toast, and faint chocolate all play into the subtle yet confident nose. Though the intensity of aromas are mild, they seem reasonably complex.

Mild in flavor as well, the malty/grainy balance plays out with complementary notes of the toast, chocolate, walnut, and molasses in a dry taste and light profile. Light hop bitterness allows for a slight earthy or bark taste to meld into walnut-like bitterness in finish. Light enough to allow for light metals and minerals to become part of the flavor spread, for better and worse.

Light in body, the beer takes on a fresh and very easy drinking texture that sheds its early creaminess and ushers in a malty-dry and light finish with pleasant minty cooling action of alcohol. Approaching watery at times, the beer also reveals a slight grain astringency that can easily be mistaken for earthy hop bitterness.

Cain's Mild Dark certainly delivers on the promise of full flavor with superior ease of consumption. In fact the 16oz glass met my mouth only four times before the beer had been drank. It would take no time to vacate a few of these from the six-pack!

Serving type: can

03-27-2012 03:46:57 | More by BEERchitect

drabmuh

Maryland

3.8/5  rDev +4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

I already flagged this beer as not being retired, hopefully that is cleared up soon. Beer on tap at a local beer bar.

Beer is dark brown with a thin tan head that break, no real lacing and the carbonation is moderate to low. Looks good.

Aroma is weak but I'm picking up some caramel, some coffee, some subtle flavors in there. Smells decent enough for a mild.

Beer is thin and has a nice roastiness to the back of it. Unfortunately for it, I've had better milds recently. Beer is all around good, but I have a hard time picking up the flavors at the front of the beer, there is only a mild sweetness, nothing else really. I'd have it again, the low ABV makes it possible to drink 10 of them in one sitting, but I've definitely had better milds.

Serving type: on-tap

12-30-2010 14:44:02 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a very dark brown color with a small tan head. The aroma is has a little bit of biscuit malt with some light chocolate notes thrown in. The flavor is similar. I get some lightly roasted notes and some chocolate. The hops come through with a little bit of earth which is hidden behind the malt flavors. The beer is fairly thin in mouthfeel and is a little bit watery. The carbonation is low to medium.

Serving type: cask

11-01-2011 04:03:16 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

3.23/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A - Poured out a dark brown color with a one-finger, light brown head of bubbly foam. It left some sudsy trails of lace on the glass.

S - It smelled floral with notes of butterscotch and caramel, too.

T - Sweet and malty with butterscotch and caramel flavors. Slightly floral bitterness, but not enough to match the sweetness.

M - It was creamy and smooth. A light bodied ale with a somewhat dry finish.

O - This is okay. It is a little too sweet for my taste and a little too pricey at $11.99 a six pack.

Serving type: can

06-03-2012 18:51:12 | More by zeff80

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.4/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours an effervescent chestnut with finger of tan head. Not much head retention or lacing

S: Dark fruittyness, plus a bit of pear

T: Follows the nose, some pears, leafy hops & touch of woody hops as well. Some carob notes as this warms, a touch figgyness, pears & a touch of green apple skins. Finishes with orchard fruit, leafy hops, some dryness & a touch of grassyness

MF: Light bodied, creamy carbonation

An alright take on the style, this would be better on cask I'm sure. Drinks pretty easy. Not too bad for such a low abv offering, some times they travel very poorly

Serving type: can

07-24-2012 01:54:08 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark brown edges, black body, thin skim of tan foam across the surface of the pint. Doesn't look like much, but it's appropriate for an English Mild, simple and plain on the outside.

Mellow aroma of husky toasted grains, vague sweetness but more dry and husky that anything.

Smooth light feel, low carbonation, appropriate for the style. Lightly toasted grains, tobacco, vague molasses. Very light and nuanced, but that's what the style is all about, subtlety. Very easy to drink, sessionable even. Sad if the rumors are true that this will disappear from the states very soon, there aren't many readily available Milds out there.

Serving type: on-tap

03-16-2012 02:11:38 | More by emerge077

corby112

Pennsylvania

1.9/5  rDev -47.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2

Draft at The Dandelion. Unfortunately this wasn't on cask but I was still excited to get to try some English beers which aren't very common around here.

Pours a deep dark copper/chestnut brown color with dark ruby/mahogany edges when held to a light and a half finger off white head that immediately disappears. No lacing left behind.

Slightly roasted malt aroma with subtle hop and spice notes. Hints of chocolate, caramel and toffee but the nose on this beer is pretty bland. Even after warming up for a bit there was some zesty pepper notes and only faint sweet malt.

Thin bodied and watered down with a very weak malt presence countered by faint earthy hops and zesty spice. Overcarbonated with more spicy pepper than anything else. As n the aroma, this is still pretty bland even as it warms with only faint hints of chocolate, hazelnut and caramel countered by earthy/grassy hops. Not interesting at all and hard to choke down. I bought an Imperial pint but it would have been tough to even finish a half.

Serving type: on-tap

04-25-2011 01:07:15 | More by corby112

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +37.4%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

One of the more perplexing aspects of The CANQuest (TM) to date is the relative dearth of foreign (from a U. S. P.O.V.) CANs or to our Brit and Aussie pals, TINs coming my way. I know that they exist because I have seen reviews or ads but none seem to arrive at my doorstep. You need not feel badly about sending me "Lager" which is usually pronounced in a very disdainful tone on the telly since if I will drink a Minhas product, I will drink anything.

Many, many thanks to Another6Pack for hunting these down like a truffle-sniffing pig at one of his locals in Michigan. Every day, the siren call of the Upper Midwest gets louder in mine ears and when both my uncle and my mother have passed, I will relocate the following day. I have a Liverpudlian expat local who needs to be made aware that these TINs are available and maybe even get in a cask or two, eh, Raoul?!?

From the CAN/TIN: "Imported British Beer". Yes!

Immediately following the Crack, there was an offgassing of CO2 that looked like steam rising from a witch's cauldron. I am doing "The Tragedy of MacBeth" with my students for my seventh CANsecutive year and Alan Eames' last published article in which he hypothesized that witches were simply misunderstood brewsters CANtinues to resonate. I show a short video on how to homebrew and one of these days, I am going to lead a field trip to a local brewpub, but I digress ... The Glug was magnificent, into a Sam. Adams Perfect Pint glass, resulting in not only a cascading action, but also a dense, thick two fingers of mocha-tan head with great retention. Color was a deep-brown with garnet highlights and NE-quality clarity. Nose was roasty, chocolaty, even a little smoky. Mouthfeel was thick and full, not quite creamy, but still very big on the tongue. The taste was of chocolate and coffee initially with the smokiness arriving and lingering on and after the finish. OMFG! This was simply marvy, darlings! The dear, departed Ding would have loved this session beer and so do I. And the lacing ... I may need a jackhammer to get it off later. How CAN I get some more? I need a reserve for Hula in the Coola Day (01 Feb, annually), plus some for the beach, hiking, the mountains, on the river, blah, blah, blah ...

Serving type: can

11-20-2011 15:41:43 | More by woodychandler

Brad007

Vermont

4.43/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A 3.2% mild? Can't say that I've seen many of those around lately.

Pours a pitch black with a thin, white head into my glass. Nice colors, nice head. Good start.

Rich, slightly roasted malt (similar to a stout) but with more dark fruit than coffee in aroma. Creamy too.

Again, lots of similarities to a dry stout here: Creamy, luscious with just a small hint of roasted malt. It could be called a stout but it's likely not intended as one.

Lingering creaminess is all that I need. Very tasty for a 3.2% beer!

This is what I call EXTREME DRINKABILITY. No need for a lot of alcohol, barrel-aging or any of that crap. Just a good 'ol Mild!

Serving type: can

10-09-2011 23:59:15 | More by Brad007

mactrail

California

3.9/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This seems like a decent example of an English Mild, considering it's not from a hand pump. Attractive dark brown with a glint of ruby. Plenty of foam and a fine carbonation, quite nice and perhaps an improvement on the cask version.

Dark, malty flavors are very prominent. A pleasant touch of sweetness on the tongue. Just a hint of grainy aroma. Modestly bitter at the end, with an appropriate level of hops to balance the malt. A really tasty big gulp with some nice caramel and dark, roasted flavors.

This is a definite entry in the high-flavor, low-alcohol sweepstakes. From the 16 oz can bought in Abilene, Texas.

Serving type: can

11-13-2012 03:23:42 | More by mactrail

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.73/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Cains Dark Mild

16.9oz can.

Pours a light brown color, creamy khaki colored head forms with excellent retention and lace. Mild vaguely malty aroma of bread, caramel and toffee. In the flavor, mild cocoa like flavor from the malt, as well as nutty, roasted undertones. There is a mild toffee like flavor and a small tea like hopping. The mouthfeel of Cains Dark Mild is excellent, creamy, medium carbonation, smooth and very easy drinking. Overall, a fine session or lunch time beer, low alcohol, but solid flavor and great feel.

Serving type: can

03-14-2012 15:31:56 | More by Stinkypuss

Bitterbill

Wyoming

3.93/5  rDev +8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I bought this from France 44 online.

It pours a very very dark brown with a 2 finger head of off white foam.

It has a light nose of bitterness and roasted malt. Not a bad aroma especially for a 3.2% abv brew.

The taste, though light(appropriate for the style, at least in canned/bottled examples) is satisfying. Roasted malt goodness with a light hop bitterness, as simple as that and all I need. That makes for an inviting break from all of the big abv, knock you on your ass beers that are out there.

Light bodied, fairly light carbonation, good mouthfeel and so drinkable. I need more beers that resemble this one.

Serving type: can

03-04-2012 16:38:07 | More by Bitterbill

francisweizen

Australia

4.83/5  rDev +32.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Cask @ Dr. Duncans, Liverpool. Dark nearly opaque black with crimson edges. No real foam to see here as this is a cask conditioned brew. The aromas are so intense and insane for a 3.2 brew. OMG, how do they get so much into a 3.2 brew. Sugar, molasses, some spirt-like flavors, dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, plums, caramel, and mroe. The taste is excellent with a lovely maltiness, and some chocolate, coffee, and fruit flavors all over the place. The moufheel is smooth and lovely and the drinkability is awesome. This is just incredible when it is fresh and on cask. Surely, one of the finest, if not the finest example of this sadly underbrewed style of beer.

Serving type: cask

02-18-2005 07:49:57 | More by francisweizen

smakawhat

Maryland

3.08/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from the can into a nonic pint glass.

Pours barely about two fingers of nice caramel head, and quickly seems to settle to about a finger. Head bubbles are quite tiny though, sitting on a very dark red brown body. Some carbonation bubbles of soda pop size seem to ring the top of the glass near the head.

Nose is very non existent. What is barely picked up is a light grain and buttery brown toast. I wish it was more noticeable, there seems something worth exploring but it's not being showcased.

Hitting from the palate body even for the style doesn't seem to hit the right notes. Muted roast quality and airy toasted grain turned down with a muted ovalitine watery sense. Some lively carbonation a little, which improves the feel just slightly.

Overall sure it's a mild, but compared to others this isn't really memorable at all.

Serving type: can

07-23-2012 01:17:01 | More by smakawhat

champ103

Texas

3.1/5  rDev -14.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

On tap at the Richmond Arms in Houston, TX.

A: Pours a dark brown color with some ruby highlights around the edges. A very minimal beige head forms, and recedes in a second. A light film of watery lace is left behind.
S: Toasted grains, some buttery malt. Diacetyl, maybe ringwood? Not much else. Fairly neutral.
T: Toasted grains, light buttery malt. I am thinking ringwood. Nothing else to note.
M/D: A light medium body. Some snappy carbonation, but overall thin and week. Easy enough to drink. Finished the pint without a problem.

I am a huge fan of true session beers under 4%. This certainly fits the bill, but it is just ho hum. The major problem is I have not tried it on cask. Very neutral on tap. Hopefully one day I can try it on cask. Till then, this is just average.

Serving type: on-tap

11-02-2011 01:26:57 | More by champ103

flagmantho

Washington

3.88/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 440mL can into a pint glass.

Appearance: very dark brown hue indeed, rather like a rich porter in appearance. Head is a thick finger of creamy dark tan foam with OK retention and not much in the way of lace. Wonderful color, though.

Smell: rich, chocolatey aroma with a light sweetness and a hint of roastiness. This is almost like a sessionable porter; I really like it.

Taste: this beer tastes a lot like Guinness, rather surprisingly. It's drier and less chocolatey than the aroma, with a nice character from roasty malt. Honestly it works better for me as a mild than as a stout. Hops are very light but noticeable at the end.

Mouthfeel: light body but a very well integrated carbonation and a big creamy smoothness. This isn't a nitro-widget can but the texture is quite reminiscent of that.

Overall: I could probably drink gallons of this stuff. Big flavor in a light-ABV brew always wins high marks from me.

Serving type: can

04-14-2013 16:32:33 | More by flagmantho

tone77

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -7.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

A big shout out to woodychandler for providing this beer. Poured from a 14.9 oz. can. Has a very dark brown color with a 1/2 inch head. Smell is very mild, some roasted malts. Taste is of roasted malts, a bit of nuts, somewhat mild. Feels full bodied in the mouth and overall is a decent beer.

Serving type: can

12-03-2011 16:33:27 | More by tone77

KarlHungus

Minnesota

3.7/5  rDev +1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

This beer pours a dark brown color. The head is a half inch of light tan foam that recedes quickly into a small cap of lacing. The aroma is of roasted malt, chocolate, and a fain hint of coffee. The taste is considerably lighter than the aroma. It has a nice roasted malt character with a slight bitterness. The mouthfeel is light bodied with a smooth texture, and moderate carbonation. Overall, this is a nice beer that I would drink again when in the mood for something light.

Serving type: can

03-10-2012 23:17:12 | More by KarlHungus

superspak

Michigan

3.78/5  rDev +3.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

440 ml can into imperial pint glass, best before 8/23/2012. Pours crystal clear very dark brown color with a small light tan head with decent retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Slight spotty lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of caramel, molasses, toffee, biscuit, toast, milk chocolate, nuttiness, earth, and light herbal hops. Very nice and pleasant aromas with good balance and decent strength. Taste of caramel, toffee, molasses, toast, chocolate, biscuit, nuttiness, earth, light raisin, and herbal spiciness. Very light herbal bitterness on the finish; with lingering notes of chocolate, caramel, toffee, toast, molasses, earth and herbal on the finish for a short bit. Some decent flavor balance with a fair amount of flavor overall. No cloying flavors at all. Light-medium carbonation and medium bodied; with a fairly creamy and slightly slick mouthfeel that is good. No alcohol noticed other than a minimal warming after the finish. Very smooth and easy to drink as expected. Overall this is a nice mild. Nice fairly robust flavors; and very smooth to drink. I hope to find more milds in the future, there really aren’t too many available in the states.

Serving type: can

08-26-2012 05:46:05 | More by superspak

DavoleBomb

Ohio

3.88/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured into a perfect pint.

4.25 A: Clear dark brown color. Two and a half fingers of creamy/frothy tan head. Retention is very good and a short ring of lacing is left.

3.75 S: Roasty toasty graininess with a hint of ash. Overall quite dry with notes of chocolate, nuts, and caramel. Touch of mineral to round things off. Decently powerful for a beer of its size.

3.75 T: Like the nose, there's a lot of toastiness with some roasty component. Dry with a moderate bitterness. Chocolate, nuttiness, mineral and caramel form a subtle complexity. Again, a lot going on given the ABV.

4.25 M: Lighter body. Good moderate carbonation with a surprising amount of creaminess. Super smooth, well done.

4.0 D: Pretty good beer to reach for if you are in the mood for a dark session beer. No real complaints.

Serving type: can

05-29-2013 17:40:17 | More by DavoleBomb

johnnnniee

New Hampshire

3.3/5  rDev -9.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a really dark brown with the faintest of ruby highlights when held to light. Smallish off white head can't be coaxed into any sort of retention. Smells lightly of chocolate, butterscotch, and caramel, with an earthy almost mineraly aroma as well. Taste is earthy butterscotch with hints of caramel and chocolate. Slight earthy hop breaks through the sweetness but just barely. Light body and level of carbonation with a sweet watery mouthfeel. Not a bad beer and I could certainly drink many of these without hesitation. It was a bit malty I would have liked a bit more hop presence personally.

Serving type: can

11-06-2011 00:02:17 | More by johnnnniee

msubulldog25

Oregon

4.06/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

14.9 fl.oz./440ml can, sent by woodychandler a couple months back; as woody would say, 'cracked and glugged' to a curvy Adnams nonic pint.

A: Deep, chocolate-y brown pour, a ruby trim in strong light. A few scurrying bubbles rise and a sheen of them hug the base of the glass. Initial head is thick and cream, almost a finger of pock-marked ivory. Lace is fleeting and the head disappears altogether within 5 minutes... but the initial look is really good.

S: Emptied the can at 'cellar temperature' (about 50F) and it has a lovely fruity aroma: prune/raisin/date and a nutty cola. A curious little puff of smoke. Very good strength, quite inviting

T: Light cocoa, a little toffee, some dry pit fruit (fig/date), and a hint of sweetened coffee. A drying finish - chalky/mineral with even a twist of vinous tang. First sip seems 'bland', but flavors build subtly/wonderfully from then on. A beer that greatly benefits from a warmer serving temperature AND a contemplative session at home (watching 4th quarter of the Knicks/Pacers game) where mulling over these flavors is easier.

M: Thin (per the style) but smooth and vaguely coating. A little metal/brass in the finish and a sugariness, too. What seems 'boring' after a sip improves as it goes.

O: A nice beer, from a can or not. The argument for this being a 'simple' style is well-founded, but the subtleties here are very pleasing and the low ABV is perfectly sessionable. I like it quite a bit - always appreciate a style that isn't as accessible or popular out here in the western US - and would drink it again.

Serving type: can

01-11-2013 03:06:52 | More by msubulldog25

morimech

Minnesota

3.73/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Dark brown color with one finger of head that settles to a thin cap. Moderate amount of spotty lacing is left down the glass.

Aroma is a nice combination of dark malt and English hops. Notes of toasted bread, musty grain, chocolate, with herbal, grassy hops.

The aroma did not translate into the flavor unfortunetly. Very weak flavored even for a mild. But what flavor there is, is enjoyable. Bready and slightly roasted with a bit of chocolate. Hops play a large role with grassy notes.

Light bodied and nicely carbonated. Very smooth texture. I think a bit more body is possible in a mild.

Extremely easy to drink. Too bad American breweries do not do beers like this.

Serving type: can

04-25-2012 21:56:30 | More by morimech

rastaman

United Kingdom (England)

3.43/5  rDev -5.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Stout like appearance, deep black, with a fluffy/foamy head, looks great. Soft and light, yet, with quite a full mouthfeel, slightly acidic bitterness, some grapeyness/raisins, some nice soft roastyness, generally pretty nice, soft, round (cask-GBBF 03')

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2003 12:28:56 | More by rastaman

puboflyons

New Hampshire

3.55/5  rDev -2.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Sampled from the 440 ml can marked 11-124-08:57-4-MAY-12. It pours charcoal black with a foamy, tan head that diminishes to a ring after a short period of time. The aromas are full of chocolate and coffee almost like a Porter. Also I would say there was light hoppy note and licorice. The body was disappointingly thin but I guess that was to be expected with a 3.2% ABV. The taste brings out a hint of chocolate and coffee as well as a light bitterness with a dry hopped finish. A good alternative with its low ABV.

Serving type: can

10-17-2011 22:19:18 | More by puboflyons