Editing Old ale (section)

==History==
Historically, old ales served as a complement to [[mild ale]]s, and in pubs of the era{{when|date=May 2025}} typically the landlord would serve the customer a blend of the sharper stock ale with the fruitier, sweeter mild ale to the customer's taste. In London especially, the aged ale would take on a tart note from a secondary fermentation with [[Brettanomyces]] yeast which was present either in the pitching yeast or in the wooden equipment.<ref>{{cite book|last=Lloyd Hind|first=H|title=Brewing Science and Practice: Volume II Brewing Processes|year=1940|location=London|pages=800–802}}</ref> Because of the time required for the aging process, some investors would buy mild ale from brewers, age it into old ale, and sell it at the higher price. Eventually, brewers began to keep some beer behind at the brewery, age it themselves and sell it to the pubs.  In some cases old ale was a blend of young and old. The "stock ale" was the brewery's very aged ale and was used to inject an "old" quality, and perhaps acidity to the blend.