Comparison
Dark mild vs Scottish ale
What is the difference between Dark mild and Scottish ale?
The short answer
The main difference is bread & biscuit: Scottish ale has far more of it than Dark mild. Dark mild also leads on roast and chocolate & cocoa; Scottish ale on body.
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 sweetness, malt intensity, dryness, the same style family — the boundary between them is narrower than the comparison suggests.
Side by side
| Dark mild | Scottish ale | |
|---|---|---|
| Family | Amber & dark ale | Amber & dark ale |
| Fermentation | Top-fermented (ale) | Top-fermented (ale) |
| Origin | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Category status | Established | Established |
| Strength | 3–3.8% ABV | 2.8–6% 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 | 10–25 IBU |
| Colour — These are the same depth in the glass; colour is not what tells them apart. | Deep amber to dark brown — 12–25 SRM, 24–49 EBC | Amber to dark copper — 13–22 SRM, 26–43 EBC |
| Original gravity | 1.030–1.038 | 1.030–1.056 |
| Final gravity | 1.008–1.013 | 1.010–1.018 |
| Serving temperature | 11–13°C | 10–13°C |
| Carbonation | 0.8–1 vol CO₂ | 1–2 vol CO₂ |
| Glassware | Nonic pint, Dimpled mug | Nonic pint, Tulip glass |
| Clarity | clear | clear |
How they taste different
| Character | Dark mild | Scottish ale |
|---|---|---|
| Bread & biscuit | Not characteristic | Moderate |
| Roast | Trace | Not characteristic |
| Body | Low | Moderate |
| Chocolate & cocoa | Trace–Low | Not characteristic |
| Carbonation | Trace | Low |
Which should you choose?
- You want more bread & biscuit → Scottish ale
- You want more roast → Dark mild
Derived from where the two actually differ. Neither is better — this is a question of which difference you want.