Comparison
Dark mild vs London brown ale
What is the difference between Dark mild and London brown ale?
The short answer
The main difference is roast: Dark mild has a little more of it than London brown ale. Dark mild also leads on hop aroma and dryness; London brown ale on sweetness.
Generated from the two style records. No editor has written this comparison up, so it carries no verdict beyond what the data supports.
Where they overlap
They share comparable body, malt intensity, yeast fruitiness (esters), overlapping strength ranges, the same style family — the boundary between them is narrower than the comparison suggests.
Side by side
| Dark mild | London brown ale | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Amber & dark ale | Amber & dark ale |
| Fermentation | Top-fermented (ale) | Top-fermented (ale) |
| Origin | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Category status — One of these is a more settled category than the other, which is worth knowing before treating the comparison as exact. | Established | Historical |
| Strength | 3–3.8% ABV | 2.8–3.6% ABV |
| Bitterness (IBU) — IBU measures iso-alpha acids in the lab. It does not track perceived bitterness, which residual sweetness, body and roast all alter — compare the sensory rows below for how each actually tastes. | 10–25 IBU | 15–20 IBU |
| Colour | Deep amber to dark brown — 12–25 SRM, 24–49 EBC | Deep reddish brown to dark brown — 22–35 SRM, 43–69 EBC |
| Original gravity | 1.030–1.038 | 1.033–1.038 |
| Final gravity | 1.008–1.013 | 1.011–1.014 |
| Serving temperature | 11–13°C | 10–13°C |
| Carbonation | 0.8–1 vol CO₂ | 1.5–2.2 vol CO₂ |
| Glassware | Nonic pint, Dimpled mug | Nonic pint |
| Clarity | clear | clear |
How they taste different
| Character | Dark mild | London brown ale |
|---|---|---|
| Roast | Trace | Not characteristic |
| Sweetness | Moderate | High |
| Hop aroma | Trace | Not characteristic |
| Dryness | Low | Trace |
| Carbonation | Trace | Low |
Which should you choose?
- You want more roast → Dark mild
- You want more sweetness → London brown ale
Derived from where the two actually differ. Neither is better — this is a question of which difference you want.