Mild is regarded with suspicion by some hardened drinkers as shown by this extract from an obituary written by old Fleet Street hack Revel Barker about fellow journalist Clive Crickmer.

At the end of my first day on the Mirror in Newcastle upon Tyne, Clive had invited me out for a drink. It quickly developed into a pub crawl as we explored the different brews – Scottish & Newcastle, Vaux, Federation, Bass, Tetley's.

Was there anywhere, I enquired, that I might find a pint of Tetley's Mild? Not north of the Tees, he said. Only Tetley's Bitter. Why did I ask?

I had a hefty thirst, I explained. And you could drink eight pints of mild without getting pissed.

Clive thought for a moment. 'And what,' he asked, 'would be the point in that?'