SURREY NIRVANA

BEER REVIEW: 446

BREWER: Hogs Back Brewery, Surrey, England

STYLE: Session IPA

ABV: 4%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 24th April 2026

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Coming at me with a name like this I thought was just unfair…

I’m a Middlesex Cricket fan therefore anything Surrey is just off limits… other than the village of Shere, Box Hill, Dorking, the Surrey Hills, Godalming, the Winkworth Arboretum and the mighty Chiddingfold.

I’m also a huge Nirvana fan (band, but yeah also the highest spiritual state one can be).

Also, coming at me with such a bland bottle design yet with a beautiful… pig, and then a clashing generic Hogs Back Brewery orange bottle top, put me in a fuzz / fizz.

I had to calm myself pre open, pour and sip.

Ok, this is one of those beers that hasn’t registered points in too many categories but is actually a really nice brew.

And from here I’m going to switch to live notes as feel it probably best represents:

Touch fruity. Touch citrus. Touch dry in finish.

Plenty of depth for a 4%er.

Would be great for a session TBF!

Surrey Nirvana, though nothing to get overly excited about is certainly worthy of a place in your beer stable for the right occasion.

Jymi’s Rating: 67%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Surrey Nirvana doesn’t arrive with fireworks or fanfare, but it doesn’t need to. It opens with a gentle hint of orange on the nose, a small but pleasant surprise that sets the tone. Nothing showy, nothing over‑the‑top, just a clean, citrus lift that feels honest.
That orange carries through into the drinking, soft and steady. As the sip settles, a subtle bitterness begins to build, growing more noticeable as you move through the glass. It never overwhelms, instead giving the beer a bit of backbone and keeping things refreshingly balanced. The overall impression is one of bitter orange, simple, tidy, and actually very pleasant.
The mouthfeel is straightforward, doing its job without fuss. The packaging is solid, the name fits neatly, and the whole thing feels like a beer that knows exactly what it is: a dependable session option that won’t let you down.
It’s not revolutionary, but it isn’t trying to be. It’s the kind of pint you could return to without hesitation, the sort of beer that quietly earns your respect rather than demanding it.

Sammy’s Rating: 67%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 67%

MOB review next weekend: COSMIC DROP : BERRY PUNCH by BEAVERTOWN

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Bluesky: @museonbooze.bsky.social

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museonbooze.com

M O B 2026

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