MEAN AS

BEER REVIEW: 448

BREWER: St Ives Brewery, Cornwall, England

STYLE: NZ IPA

ABV: 6%

VESSEL: 440ml tin

DATE OF POST: 8th May 2026

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

Mean As sets you up beautifully before you’ve even cracked the can. The name growls with attitude, all sharp elbows and swagger, but the can itself is pure hippy sunshine. Bright colours, soft vibes, peace‑and‑love energy. The contrast is brilliant. You look at it and think, “Alright then, what are you going to be?” It’s the kind of juxtaposition that makes you genuinely excited for the first sip.
The nose keeps that optimism alive. There’s citrus, clean and bright, with a little basil tucked in behind it. Contained, yes, but promising enough to make you lean in. It hints at something lively, something with a bit of personality waiting to break through.
Then the drinking begins, and the beer reveals itself more quietly than expected. The flavours are subtle, orange and fig drifting in gently, giving way to a faint basil note. It’s decent, even pleasant, but it never quite rises to the boldness suggested by its name or the playful confidence of its packaging. You keep waiting for the “mean” to show up, or at least a bit of swagger, but the beer stays soft‑spoken.
There’s nothing wrong with it. In fact, there’s a calm charm to the whole experience. But the contrast between what the can promises and what the beer delivers is impossible to ignore. It’s a beer that looks like it’s going to shout but ends up speaking politely.
At fifty‑seven percent, Mean As lands in that space where expectation and reality shake hands awkwardly. A solid enough drink, wrapped in a brilliant concept, but ultimately more mellow than mean.

Sammy’s Rating: 57%

 

JYMI SAY’S…

It had been a rough week at work but suddenly it was Friday afternoon, the sun was shining and I somehow managed to land myself a half day… Jumped in the car, slammed on the gas (is it still called a gas pedal in an electric car?).

54 mins later I screeched into the drive of MOB HQ knowing what was waiting for me… MEAN AS. I had been particularly looking forward to reviewing this brew. Why? Well, the tin art is fantastic AND with the trio of hops used (Nelson Sauvin, Riwaka and Motueka) I just knew Mean As was going to be a cracker… but I was wrong.

This beer does not come across at all like a NZ IPA. I was taken aback, confused, confuzzled.

After the pre drink excitement and rush home from work I really didn’t need this. All I wanted to do, and thought all I would have to do, is sit back and enjoy Mean As, writing a review going something like… Bloomin’ good brew this. But no, suddenly I had to think. Gad damn it!

Ok, MA comes across a touch sharp and almost a little sour in flavour. Not at all unpleasant but certainly not what I was expecting. There should have been an insanely drinkable smoothness here, but there was not. Yes, there is some citrus in the sip with pokes of fennel knocking around but nothing was exploding.

I just think at this ABV with the hops used Mean As should have been a whole lot better.

Bad beer? Definitely not.

Disappointment? Definitely.

Bit of a fail ultimately? Kinda is yeah.

Jymi’s Rating: 64%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 60.5%

MOB review next weekend: CARIB by CARIB BREWERY

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Bluesky: @museonbooze.bsky.social

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M O B 2026

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