Mild Magic 2012, Stockport and Manchester CAMRA’s annual effort to promote mild, began just over a week ago. I’ve put together a map for route-planning purposes, showing all 100 pubs and the 70 areas they’re in.
I got off to a bit of a false start; I had a route planned out, starting at East Didsbury station, getting the train to Gatley and hitting Gatley, Cheadle and Cheadle North before finishing up back at Parrs Wood. It’s a good little route; I must do it some time. My problem was that I did it on Thursday 12th, and Mild Magic – although it was launched on the 10th – only officially started on the 13th.
As I was reminded when I got to the Horse and Farrier in Gatley: a big, multi-room, mock-Tudor Hyde’s pub. I had a half of 1863, which was in good nick and tasted pretty good; not the most exciting beer in the world (not the most exciting mild in the world if I’m honest), but a perfectly decent session beer. However, when I inquired about stickers, the landlord reminded me that MM hadn’t started yet. I could have pleaded and begged at this point but didn’t, partly because he then spent several minutes rummaging around in the vicinity of the till; this led me to the mistaken conclusion that he was going to be a gent about it and give me a sticker anyway. Then he found whatever it was he was looking for and went back to updating the Specials board. Hey ho.
The story had a happy ending of sorts, in that I headed back to Chorlton and consoled myself with a half of Red Willow Ageless DIPA at Pi. Mmm, Red Willow.
Oh Good Ale 
One Comment
Ah, so the campaign could also be called “DON’T BOTHER DRINKING MILD IN APRIL!”