TRANSMISSION

BEER REVIEW: 423

BREWER: North, West Yorkshire, England

STYLE: IPA

ABV: 6.9%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 14th November 2025

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Some beers arrive with a name that invites interpretation, and Transmission is one of them. Is it a signal sent across the airwaves, crackling with retro charm and citrus notes? Or is it a mechanical shift—gears grinding, torque building, a ride that promises momentum but stalls in second? In this case, both metaphors apply, and neither quite resolves. Transmission is a beer that wants to move, wants to speak, but ends up somewhere between static and slippage.
Transmission – Static in the Signal
Tuning into Transmission, you’re met with a golden haze that looks like it’s broadcasting sunshine. The can design hums with retro 80s vibes—neon colours and graphic flair—but the overall signal feels scrambled. There’s a frequency you want to love, but it keeps drifting.
On the nose, citrus and pineapple crackle faintly through the static. It’s a pleasant intro, but the volume’s too low to make a lasting impression. You’re waiting for the chorus, but it never quite drops.
The taste plays like a one-hit wonder: lime leads the melody, sweet and upfront, but the track lacks depth. There’s a hint of alcohol distortion in the mix, and the mouthfeel is thin—like a weak FM signal fading at the edges. It’s listenable, even catchy in moments, but not something you’d keep on repeat.
Whether you’re spinning the dial or shifting the clutch, Transmission feels like it’s searching for its sweet spot. The citrus and pineapple notes suggest a bright, energetic brew, but the execution leans too heavily on sweetness and lacks the complexity to carry either metaphor fully. It’s a beer that wants to groove and move—but ends up idling in place.

Sammy’s Rating: 57%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

I like the name, I like the name a lot.

I like the tin art, I like the tin art a lot.

I like the beer, but I don’t like the beer a lot.

Let’s start from the start… thankfully Transmission doesn’t smell like a gearbox nor a plasterer’s radio but of pine and citrus fruit, nice but nowt new or to get excited about.

Next came the absolute highlight for me, and it’s hard to put into words (which is a worry seeing as this format relies wholly on words). The sip is glacial. I don’t mean slow moving, I mean it is sooooo crisp and light. Not packed with flavour, but just a joy in the mouth as a texture.

Once swallowed you begin to understand what Transmission is about. It’s an East meets West hybrid, some may call it a Mountain IPA, North have chosen not to.

Sweet and juicy upfront a la New England IPA but then the West Coast hop rockets come piling in! Well, on first sip anyway.

As you move through the brew these poles begin to blend. I’m sure that was intentional from the brewer but for me I wanted them to stay apart. Sweetish juice followed by a bitter hop smack in the chops.

But when all is said and done Transmission is a very decent brew. One I may not go searching for but would defo buy if I saw again.

Jymi’s Rating: 77%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 67%

MOB review next weekend: SUPERDELIC SOUNDWAVE by SIREN CRAFT BREW

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Bluesky: @museonbooze.bsky.social

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museonbooze.com

M O B 2025

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