Brewery: Rudgate
Location: York, England
ABV: 4.4%
Version: Draught
Source: Automatic, Bury

After a couple of pints in the Trackside yesterday afternoon (one each of a perfectly pleasant Green Jack‘s Lurcher Stout and an absolutely incredible Outstanding Stout) Jo and I headed round the corner to (probably Bury’s best eaterie) Automatic, part of the Met Theatre / Malt Bar setup run by Bury Council (iirc).

I was delighted to discover that they had CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain 2009 on tap, and thoroughly enjoyed a couple more pints with my meal (I had the fishcakes, followed by a rib eye steak and chips, seeing as you ask, and very tasty they were, too).

Rudgate Ruby Mild was a vision of loveliness for starters – a dark chestnut colour shot through with those eponymous highlights – and tasted absolutely delicious. Waves of warm, rich maltiness, with cherries, dark chocolate, a hint of sherry sweetness and none of the sourness that I’ve noticed in a fair few milds; all delivered on a wonderfully rich, smooth mouth-feel.

All in all: a quite fabulous beer that I wouldn’t hesitate to quaff all night, given half the chance (easily good enough to tempt Jo away from the Guinness for her second as well). If you’re within striking distance of Bury town centre, I suggest you hot-foot it down to Automatic, or the Malt Bar next door, before the barrels are drunk dry.