HERM GOLD

BEER REVIEW: 451

BREWER: Liberation Brewing Co, St Saviour, Jersey

STYLE: Blonde

ABV: 4.2%

VESSEL: 500ml brown bottle

DATE OF POST: 29th May 2026

 

JYMI SAY’S…

Not long ago did I take a trip to Jersey so…

…early temptations to make this review a limerick have already evaporated!

So, me and my sister headed over to the southernmost Channel Island about a month ago. The reason? We’ve got family history there but had never actually set foot on the place. Felt overdue.

To summarise the trip… lighthouse, seafood, wine, beer, seafood, long hunt for great-grandfather’s grave, handbrake turn, seafood, wine, beer, handbrake turn, met long lost cousin, beer, seafood, wine, wine, wine… and mild disappointment at discovering we were not, in fact, heirs to a tomato empire.

ANYWAY…

Naturally, while I was there I picked up a couple local brews for me and me boi Sammy to test (another Jersey beer coming next week folks).

Fast forward to test day. I went into this one with a touch of ambivalence… but I’ll say it straight: it’s fantastic!

Herm Gold opens with a fantastically zesty lemon nose (yes, “fantastically” is now official beer review English). The citrus isn’t overpowering, but it carries through nicely into the drinking, and let me tell you, the drinking is good. Proper good.

It’s crisp, smooth, and just an absolute joy from start to finish. There’s a perfectly judged medium bitterness rounding things off, followed by a soft but lingering aftertaste that keeps you coming back for another sip.

Just delightful.

On a side note, the island of Herm has always held a bit of mystique for me. Still haven’t visited. It sits just off the NW coast of Jersey, a real wee boi of an island—about 1.5 miles north to south and half a mile across. Best part? No cars. Just tractors and quads for essential business.

And the reason I mention it here, Liberation make a point of representing all of the Channel Islands, not just Jersey. Fair play to them for that. Especially considering that in May 1945, all the islands were liberated from Nazi occupation.

Jymi’s Rating: 85%

 

SAMMY SAY’S…

The first thing that struck me about Herm Gold was how much the beer mirrors the island’s (Herm’s) landscape. The aroma rises gently, grassy and floral, like walking through the meadows above beaches when the wind carries the scent of wildflowers across the path. There’s a springlike freshness to it, a sense of new growth and open space, the kind of nose that makes you breathe a little deeper without realising.
A good fizz greets you on the first sip, bright and lively, the way the sea breaks against the rocks. The flavour is crisp and refreshing, clean in a way that suits an island where everything feels stripped back to essentials. There’s a hint of sherbet lemon tucked into the taste, a little spark of citrus that lifts the whole experience, followed by a gentle bitter‑butter finish that lingers just long enough to make you want another mouthful. It’s the kind of beer that fits perfectly after a long walk along the coastal paths, sun on your shoulders, sea birds tracing lazy arcs overhead.
What surprised me most was how effortlessly drinkable it is. Some beers fight for your attention; Herm Gold just settles in beside you, confident in its simplicity. It’s refreshing without being thin, characterful without being heavy, and it carries a quiet charm that feels very much in tune with the island itself. You could happily spend an afternoon with a few of these, watching the tide shift and the light change on the water.
Herm is a place that rewards slowing down, and Herm Gold feels brewed with that same philosophy. A bit of a belter, really.  It’s the kind of beer that tastes best when you’ve earned it by wandering somewhere beautiful.

Sammy’s Rating: 87%

 

MUSE ON BOOZE RATING: 86%

MOB review next weekend: SESSION IPA by STINKY BAY BREWING CO

Sammy & Jymi – Musing on Booze weekly since 2017

Bluesky: @museonbooze.bsky.social

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M O B 2026

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