Old Ale is a simple enough style to figure out. At least, once you understand that there are three or four beer styles called Old Ale. The first is the best known – the strong dark Old Peculier style. The second type is a blended dark ale. At least one of the beers comprising the blend will be aged for a couple of years in wood casks. The third version is a form of mild – a low-gravity dark ale. For me, these are robustly malty beers, akin to a top-fermented version of a doppelbock.