Yorkshire brewer T&R Theakston is to brew a cask batch of its classic Dark Mild as part of CAMRA’s month-long celebration of the beer style.

It is the first time in several years that Masham-based Theakston has brewed a cask mild, following a resurgence in customer demand for traditional brewing styles and cask-conditioned beers. The company promises the return could be permanent if there is enough demand.

Dark Mild is a 3.4 per cent ale brewed with pale, crystal and black malts. It uses a combination of Progress, Challenger and Fuggles hops to present an beer which is both low in alcohol and high in flavour.

Joint MD Simon Theakston said: “In recent years, the explosion of microbrewing and increased interest in alternative beer styles has paradoxically rekindled interest in foundational, traditional ales such as mild.

“Alongside this, microbrewing’s popularity has also generated a renewed interest in cask-conditioned beers, and Theakston Dark Mild in keg has long been a staple of our core range. Based on this, we feel that there is no better time to respond to customer demand and brew the cask version of our Theakston Dark Mild as a guest ale.

“This relaunch is a particularly special one for me. Mild was one of the original few beer styles brewed by my great-grandfather Robert Theakston when he founded the brewery in 1827, so it is great to bring back a cask version of an ale style which is so intimately tied to our long history.

“While as always, we are led by the desires of our customers, should Theakston Dark Mild in cask turn out to be as popular as it once was, we would be thrilled to make it a more permanent fixture of our portfolio.”