Anchor Zymaster Series No. 2 Marks Mild

The first brew of Mark’s Mild took place in March. Carpenter made almost 3,000 gallons. He doesn’t have a pilot system for experimental brews, so everything needed to go as planned. While this may seem risky, Anchor Brewing’s team is used to the challenge. It happens every year during the production of Anchor’s Christmas Ale, since the recipe is always evolving.

After the beer was allowed to rest in the cellar for a short period of time, Carpenter put it to the test with a few fellow brewers. Here’s how he described the moment: “I brought it up from the cellar to the lab. We took a taste and man, if I closed my eyes I could have been standing in a pub in England. It was mild. It was really mild. I was so happy that we achieved that, because I wasn’t sure we could.”

The beer has a wonderful malty flavor that harbors hints of toffee, chocolate, and nuts. There are also subtle fruit notes imparted by the yeast. It’s luscious, yet thirst-quenching, and explores the notion that beer doesn’t have to be extreme to be extremely interesting, according to Anchor Brewing’s resident historian, Dave Burkhart.

Mark Carpenter shares this sentiment. “I didn’t want to just go for another very hoppy, high-alcohol beer. There are so many fellow brewers doing that. I’m never going to win that race and I thought, why not go the other way and see if we could make a very good, drinkable beer. It’s important for people to keep in mind that mild is not an adjective.”

Mark’s Mild is ultimately a sociable beer, and Anchor Brewing hopes it will inspire moments and trigger memories for beer drinkers everywhere as they gather with friends, just like Carpenter back in Maidstone, more than forty years ago.